You Really Got to Want It to Run the Treadmill Marathon

Its Saturday, February 28th and people here in Duluth, Minnesota are only starting to think about ramping up their training for early-season ultras. For me, this is prime time, when the real advantages are gained.

So its -10 degrees outside, my wife has to be at work at 8:00am, my 20 month old daughter will be awake at 7:00am and ready for fun day with her Dad, and I need to get my long run in. So what are my options when you are in my position?

For me, my answer was a 4:00am wake-up for a treadmill marathon.

Now I've put in my dues over the years living here in Duluth, choosing to start my training for ultra season in January; putting in many long runs, starting in the cold (I mean -30 cold), dark early hours, logging up to 30 milers on snow covered trails. But it gets to this time of the year, and I just get sick of running in 5 layers of clothing for every run, and hoping that I can get at least 1 hour into my long run before my bottles or hydration pack starts to freeze, or taking GUs that are the consistency of roofing tar. That's why I refer to this time of the year up here in Duluth as "the grind".

So this is how I found myself on the treadmill this morning for a 26.2 miler. I was planning on doing maybe 22 or 24 miles, but Friday night a friend of mine suggested...."if you are crazy enough to go that far, you should do a marathon." And I'll tell you what, it actually helped quite a bit to have this fun bit of structure to my early morning challenge.

And after it was all said and done, I finished 3 hours and 12 minutes later with a great end of week long run complete, a 133 average heart rate for the workout, and a pleasant level of fatigue in my legs that dissapeared by late morning. Something about getting done with my workout, and 5 minutes later having my wife walk out the door to work and me chasing my wonderful daughter, Ella, around the house certainly encouraged that fast "recovery" time I think.

In the end, this run served me well for my early season training goals.

I had plenty of time during this run to think as well, and I came to a realization in my training. I realized that even though I was half way through this workout with the effort level feeling so comfortable and easy, that giving into the temptation to put my finger on the "+ pace" button to start bumping down the pace and try and crank out some 2:50 marathon wouldn't serve me well. I realized how important it is to keep yourself in control during your training so you can live for another week of hard training that is right around the corner. Have I known these principles for a few years, sure, but today it really started to make total sense about keeping yourself in control during training if you are trully training to race instead of vice versa.

My first treadmill marathon helped me bide my time at least today, during these "grind" weeks of training, until the season starts for us up here.

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Winter Triathlon Worlds 09

I was honored to be part of Team USA for the Winter Triathlon World Championships in Gaishorn, Austria February 14 and 15th. USA Triathlon took six elite athletes; Myself, Olympic Nordic skier Rebecca Dussault, 2008 Winter Tri National champ Heather Best of Fairbanks, XTERRA athlete and mountain biker Brian Smith, Giant mountain biker Carl Decker and 'legend' Mike Kloser. Rebecca was the first U.S. athlete to ever medal in a WTWC placing 3rd in the individual race, I was 9th and Heather was 11th. Our women's relay team made history again by placing 2nd in the relay behind Norway.

See my complete story here.

Or a race story here

Relay story here

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Inov-8 Athlete Profile Interview: Paul Low

In this addition of Inov-8 athlete profile I was able to catch up with perennial mountain running stalwart, Paul Low. Paul has been busting up rugged ascents on some of the world's most challenging courses for quite a few years now accumulating USATF honors, and US team ambassador. Alongside his competitive enthusiasm, Paul just simply enjoys to run. Paul was kind enough to take time to answer some of my questions.

Inov-8 Athlete Profile Interview: Paul Low
Interviewed by: Wynn Davis

1. Can you tell us a little bit about how your running career began?

As briefly as possible, I started in Junior High when I attended a small school that only had two sports- soccer and XC. I started training and racing seriously in High School and went on to run for a very good team at Central Michigan University. After I had exhausted my collegiate eligibility, I spent a semester abroad and while in England I discovered fell running and its continental version mountain running. Since then, races that contain a large component of vertical travel have been the focus of my running.

2. Living in Vermont, could you offer a wandering trail monger any recommended trails to experience while visiting the “Green Mountain State”?

Wow, you really picked the wrong guy to ask about VT trails. I pretty much know “my” trails here on Paine Mountain in Northfield and do not get out that much. Don’t get me wrong, the Paine Mountain Trails are great but they are not what most people would consider ‘destination trails’ unless those people like running at a closed-down ski resort where you are likely to run into packs of camo-clad 19-year-olds with M-16s. I have done a little bit of running on Mount Ascutney (the region where the VT 50 is held) and this is pretty nice as well. I am ashamed to say it by I have not really run on the Long Trail yet but I hope to hit it a few times this spring/summer (its close enough the I will often ride my bike over it where it crosses the road). The LT would probably be my recommendation for a visitor to the Green Mountain State but I can’t imagine that this information would be news to anyone. Now, if you want to talk about western Mass…

3. As a Geology lecturer at Norwich College, is there a rock (s) yet to be unturned?

Yes, yes there is. (…and the Title is Lecturer in Geology and it’s Norwich University)

4. Can you tell us what running brings to your life/outlook? Is there an ultimate goal in the end or is it an ongoing process?

I am not really certain about the answer first question. I have been running for so long that I really can’t remember what it is like to not run. I am certain that running has affected my life/outlook but it would be difficult for me to say how exactly. What I can say is that I my consciousness is a collection of my experiences many of which are related to running. Running has had a huge impact on my life. I met probably 95% of my friends (including my wife) through running. As for the second question, while I am certainly have running related goals, I am more into the day to day thing. I just really enjoy running.

5. What are your strengths and what are your weaknesses?

Strengths: My strengths are a combination of strength (ability to slow down less that most people while running uphill) and my ability to slow down less than most people while running over rough ground. Another thing that I consider a strength is that I really enjoy the sort of running that tends to make a person faster on the mountains and trails. I would much go out for a run up a mountain or along a really rough trail than hit a nice smooth flat trail (unless I have a race the next day). This is a strength when it comes to preparation for mountain and trail races but not necessarily for getting faster on the road.

Weakness: Besides my recent biomechanical weaknesses (I am recovering from a July, 2008 knee surgery) my biggest weaknesses are my lack of leg speed and my inability to run for long distances on paved surfaces. Actually, I do not really lack leg speed (I ran a 53 second quarter mile relay split in HS); rather, I lack the discipline to properly develop my leg speed. The type of running that I enjoy doing tends to develop my strength and endurance while simultaneously limiting my turnover.

6. Can you tell us what your training philosophy is and what some of your favorite workouts include in preparation for a goal race?

My training philosophy is that any runner who wants to reach their full potential in the mountains should (a) increase their training volume to as much as they can with getting injured, (b) run on soft surfaces whenever possible, (c) run on hills as much as they can (unless they live in a really hilly area in which case they should mix in some flat running for the sake of recovery, (d) regardless of your biomechanical health status, mix in at least two days of cross training per week. My favorite (and possibly most productive) workout is just a hilly run. I run hardish on the uphills and easyish on the downhills. Right now, I am doing a lot of cross training as well. I do not alter my training for specific races because I pretty much gear my training for the Mount Washington Road Race with the belief that if you are in shape to race well on “the Hill,” you are ready to race well anywhere. If anyone wants to know more about my training from a day-to-day perspective, I have recently started a training blog http://www.thelowplace.blogspot.com/ where I will be updating weekly throughout the season (at least that is the plan right now).

7. Is there specific training geared toward your success in Mountain Races versus typical 10km or marathon training?

My training is definitely geared specifically toward mountain races- certainly to the detriment of my ability to run a 10km or marathon as well as I would otherwise be able. Basically, my training for the mountains involves, well lots more running on mountains. While some hill running will improve your 10km or marathon, too much will not. I also do quite a bit of cycling and this really helps with my ability to run uphill but it kills my leg speed.

8. You have had great success in the Mountain Running circuit for years both in the U.S. and around the globe (i.e. 8 U.S. teams, 2 time National Champion, & 3 time USATF Mt. runner of the year) Is there anything you attribute your consistency to?

First of all, I have only won the national champs once (I was second twice- both by pretty small margins and was forth once). Anyway, I think that my “consistency” is the result of the fact that I decided early on in my running career that I wanted to focus specifically on mountain and trail running. Pretty much right out of college, I spent a few years trying to run well on the roads and track and mountains but more and more every year I focus on the mountains. Basically, I think that I race well in the mountains and on the trails because I train more specifically for the races than my competitors have.

9. Living below altitude do you feel altitude is overrated and/or that focus on speed can make up for the lack of altitude acclimation? It seems as though it did not affect Blake once again at Mt. Washington last year.

My feeling is that training at high altitude allows an athlete to better develop their cardiovascular system and training at low altitude allows an athlete to better develop their leg strength and speed. Certainly, someone training for a race that requires speed (shorter than, say 3km) would be best served by training at lower altitude while someone who is training for a marathon or ultra would be best served by training at high altitude. In training for the mountains, I honestly do not know which is better. Personally, I love the feeling of overall fitness that I get from training at high altitude (I have spent periods of training at high altitude in the past); I also love the feeling of slamming uphills at low altitude.

As for the Mount Washington race specifically, I do not think that athletes coming from low or high altitude training situations necessarily have the advantage. An analysis of past result suggests this as well. Of the 96 performances of 65 minute or faster on the hill, 29 came from athletes training at high altitude (4999 feet above msl) and 67 came from athletes training at low altitude (42’ to 1400’ above msl). Taking into consideration that the race is in a region where most of the population lives at low altitude (thereby adding a very difficult to quantify independent variable), this seems like a pretty even split. What is really odd is that no one coming from between 1400’ and 4999’ has ever run faster than 65 minutes. Weird.

It should go without saying that athletes that are trained at high altitude have a notable advantage in races that are held at high altitude. Anyone who says otherwise is stupid or lying.

10. Being a native Upper Midwesterner of Michigan, can you divulge what your favorite Bell’s beer is?

Yes, I was born and raised in the Central Michigan Town of Mount Pleasant and if you have heard of one Michigan Microbrewery, it is probably Bells. I hate to sound like I am straddling the fence on this one, but I am not someone who has a favorite beer- even from a single brewery. My favorite beer depends on my mood and varies a lot with the season. Right now, I could sure go for a Kalamazoo Stout, thought!

11. What do you know now that you wish you would have known when you first started running?

Early on, I made allot of mistakes with my training that got me some pretty serious injuries (two major stress fractures before I left high-school). With the knowledge that I have now, I realize that both injuries where totally preventable. Hindsight, of course, is 20/20 and most of the injuries that I have had in the past (I have not had very many) could have been avoided quite easily. I when I was first getting into mountain/trail running (the racing part, at least) there were not anywhere close to the racing opportunities that we enjoy today; nevertheless, I wish that I would have known earlier on about some of the classically competitive mountain and trail (Mount W, Pikes, et cetera) races that were around back then. I must have been living in a cave. In my defense, the internet was not as helpful for putting together a race schedule back then.

12. Is there a particular INOV-8 shoe that you gravitate toward and why?

I train in the Roclite™ 295, the Roclite™ 320, and the F-Lite™ 320 PK (though not at the same time)- all three are lightweight and versatile and can be used at a variety of speeds on a variety of surfaces. For racing, I like the Mudroc™ 280- very versatile and fast If I am headed out for a new race and I have not seen the course, I used to bring along 3-4 different pairs of racing shoes. Now, I just take the 280s- they are good for almost anything that is not a road race. This is really important for me as I am a bit obsessive about packing lightly! I am looking forward to trying out the X-Talon™ 212 on the trails this summer and I will be wearing the F-Lite™ 230 at Mount Washington. I also use a prototype of the RacePro 18 a lot- it is easily my favorite running backpack that I have tried.


13. Any unfinished business left at the competitive level? Do you have a favorite race?

I certainly have unfinished business left at the competitive level. I would really like to actually win Mount Washington (after finishing second three times). I would also like a top-ten individual finish at the World Mountain Running Champs and I would like to contribute to at least one more team medal at Worlds.

I do not have one favorite race. Some of the races that I have really enjoyed in the past (limiting myself to ten) are (in no particular order):
The 7sisters trail race (MA)
The Merrimac Rivah Trail Race (MA)
Pittsfield Snowshoe Marathon (VT)
Any race in the WMAC snowshoe series (New England)
Mount Washington (NH)
Cranmore Hillclimb (NH)
Barr Trail Mountain Race (CO)
Sierre-Zinal (CH)
Challenge Stelina (IT)
World Mountain Trophy (varies)

14. My mother once told me that, “Patience is the art of rock tumbling”; from a geologist’s perspective, any thoughts?

I have never tumbled rocks before.

Thanks Paul!

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Nephew Breaks Tape at Hallockville Pond SSR.

Congratulations to Ben Nephew on another impressive snowshoe race at Hallockville Pond. Yet again an impressive battle against some of the east's toughest. Read more..

Hallockville Pond 5.6 mile Snowshoe Race

On February 8th I took another trip out to western MA for a relatively long snowshoe race. Most of the races this year have been right around 4 miles, so it would be interesting to see what happened beyond that point in this race. There was a solid field, with Matt Cartier, who chased me all the way in at Curley's 4 miler earlier in the season, Dave Dunham, who just beat at Northfield, and Tim Mahoney, who has been in the top 3 of several races this year.

Based on my experience at Northfield, I was content to sit back for at least the first mile. The course had about 700’ of climbing, with two large climbs right in the middle of the race. About a minute into the race, I realized that I wasn’t really choosing to hang back. Tim just took off, and Dave, Matt, and I were trying hard to keep him close. The snow wasn’t all the fast, but we went through the rolling first mile in a little over 7 minutes, with Tim still pushing the pace. On the downhill sections were we running 6:00 pace. On the large hill at 2 miles, I pulled right in back of Dunham, but neither of us caught Tim. Dave ended up going into a brook right around the turn around, and apparently we were all distracted by the water hazard. I knew that the race had a small loop at the halfway point, and as we started down a long hill, I worried that we were too far from the out and back section. I yelled at Tim and Dave a few seconds later, and we all turned around to catch Matt heading up from the brook.

I was now in the lead, but was tentative about pushing too hard too early. Dave tried to catch me on the last large uphill just past 3.5 miles, but I was able to hold onto a slim lead. I do have to note that Dave had raced the day before, and I had not. Knowing this, I was really hoping he would just drop off towards the end due to fatigue. Despite trying to increase the pace over the last 2 miles, I couldn’t get more than a few seconds on Dave. In addition to worrying about Dave catching me, I wasn’t sure that I was in first place. It was possible that someone could have passed us while we were sightseeing off the course.

Those last two miles seemed to go on forever. I must have looked back to check on Dave over a dozen times. I don’t know who believes that looking back is poor race tactics, but I think it is crazy not to. People say that looking back gives your opponent energy; I don’t know about that. Unless I’m throwing some crystal meth back when I check on who is chasing me, I’m not sure where this energy is coming from. Even if I acknowledge that looking back confirms that I am tired, I find that the sight of someone reeling me in instills a fear similar to being chased by someone with a knife. If I’m behind, I don’t care if someone looks back or not, I’m going to try to chase them down either way. Hell, I was in Atlanta for the Olympic 10k, and Tergat and Geb were checking each other out on the big screens the entire race. Apparently, Geb thinks those screens are similar to side view mirrors, because he kept turning around to confirm what he was seeing on the screens! So, my advice on looking back during races is: Look back all you want, just don’t be tossing any stimulants to your competitors!

Dave chased me right to the line, and was only 7 seconds back. Matt tried to help Tim stick with us in the second half, but after his fast first half we put about 50 seconds on him over the last 2.8 miles. Matt, who was fighting the nasty cold that is going around this winter, was another 40 seconds back. Dave figures that the three of lost about 1:30 on our detour, so we were lucky that no one passed us. It’s always nice ending up with a win after that much hard running. I drove home to spend the rest of the weekend with Steph, who makes it possible for me to go to races by watching our little runner in training, Gavin.

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Who's Racing This Weekend

Team Inov-8 will be finishing off the month of February with a great set of races this weekend. Mark and JB will be slugging it out at the infamous Mt. Mitchell 40 miler in Asheville, NC. This is Mark's backyard, so he will be hungry. Anne and Dwight will be racing the sister event, which is the Black Mtn. Marathon.
DeWayne Satterfield will be down south taking on the tough singletrack trails at Mt.Cheaha 50km. Out west, Dewey will be tackling the US half-marathon championship. Kevin Sullivan will be heading to the Big Apple to run Caumsett 50km US Championships. Good luck to all and have fun!

Mark Lundblad Mt. Mitchell
JB Mt. Mitchell
Anne Lundblad Black Mt. Marathon
Dwight Schuler Black Mt. Marathon
DeWayne Satterfield Mt. Cheaha 50km
Dewey Peacock Snowjoke Half-marathon US champs.
Kevin Sullivan Caumsett 50km USATF Champs.

Type rest of the post here

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Winter Marathon Report

Hudson Mohawk Road Runners Club put on their 36th annual winter marathon at the SUNY Albany campus this past Sunday February 22, 2009. I originally intended to use it as an up-tempo long run while I simultaneously visited my friend Frank (who moved there a few months back) and his girlfriend Karen on Saturday. Coincidentally they live just two miles from the campus and we had a great time catching up on Saturday afternoon and carb-loading Saturday night at a great Italian restaurant.

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel in this race because I have never run/raced a marathon as part of a 104-mile week with no taper! I was a bit nervous because of this but kept telling myself that if I feel any type of abnormal discomfort that I would simply just back off, possibly walk, and ultimately finish the 27 miles I had planned on for Sunday regardless of time. Basically I was just going to play it by ear and see how it was all going to unfold...sooooooo here goes...


I arrived at the Physical Education building at 8:45am for a 10am start...weather: 37 degrees, light wet snow, wind about 10mph...not bad conditions for what it could have been and what has happened in the past. I wore Inov-8's Winter Peak 48 hat that worked perfectly for this type of weather!

Immediately I saw some usual suspects... Jim L., Donny A., Joe H., and a good friend that came up from Cortland (who has won this race in the past) named Eric M. I took a couple laps around the 400m track to warm up and made my way to the starting line.

Joe H., Eric M., and myself agreed that we would take it out and just see how we felt. Also, Joe warned us to be careful as relay runners would be starting at the same time.

Off we went... 6:30/mi. pace for the first mile as we talked, caught up, shared racing plans for the new year, etc. We continued at a pretty quick pace, faster than Eric wanted to, and probably faster than Joe and I expected as well. It was a multi-loop course that offered just enough incline and decline to use different muscles periodically. I loved how I was able to stretch out my stride on some of the long downhill declines.

So we were 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place from the get go and the first place was way ahead. After ten miles we pretty much accepted that he was gone and we were just content not having to worry about him. We were all running really strong and wondered how long it would last. We came through the half-way point in about 1:23 and we were joking about how we were the "Three Amigos".

As the race progressed conversation became fewer and far between. At around mile 16 or so Eric M. dropped off and Joe H. and I continued pressing on as the wintry mix sprayed us and the roads. My fingers got pretty cold at this point from continuously spilling Gatorade on the gloves but I managed to warm them up again in order to have enough dexterity to get the little chunks of Clif Bars I had stashed in my Race Ready shorts. Joe and I passed 30K and reminisced about how we duked it out to the end last year in Wurtsboro Mountain 30K finishing 1st and 2nd place.

At about the 20-mile mark I noticed some normal fatigue setting in but I ate a little and drank a nice big swig of Gatorade. Right after that someone yelled to us that the 1st place guy was dying. I don't know if it was the food and drink kicking in, the new information, or both combined but something inside of me just said, "Go!" I kicked it into another gear that I was surprised to have given the circumstances and quickly lost Joe.

I continued to put more space between Joe and I and wondered how true the observation was about the leader. Mile 22 was a sub 6 minute effort and as I turned a corner I could see something, somebody off in the distance as I squinted from the spitting rain and snow. I was able to identify him by his bright green Brooks Racers that he wore.

Next we came upon the last aid station before the finish (Mile 24) and I noticed he was stopping to take a GU and drink. This is where I would stroll right on by as I quickly grabbed an out stretched hand of Gatorade. He looked at me as if he saw a ghost and said, "Good Job."

I didn't look back the entire way home and was honestly quite surprised of myself. I pushed moderately hard to ensure I had it wrapped up and came into the finish with a time of:

2:47:40

I cheered in Joe H. for a stellar 2nd place and Eric M. for a strong 4th...We did it..."The Three Amigos!" click here for results

I would like to thank all the wonderful, friendly volunteers that came out to direct traffic, hand out drinks and just be there for support...you folks were awesome!

We shared some laughs and stories afterward, ate some vegetable soup, got massaged and just had some good clean fun. I left with a huge apple pie as one of my prizes and headed back to Ithaca with a feeling of pride and satisfaction as I am sure Joe H. and Eric M. did as well.
Next Race: H.A.T. Run 50K

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The 36th annual American Birkebeiner Race Report: EPIC!

Bjorn and Gus on Lake Hayward to the home stretch!
(photo courtesy: Skinnyski).

Back from the Northwoods with an exciting update regarding one of the greatest ski races on earth, none other than the American Birkebeiner The finish of the race is no more than a block from my Grandma's house. Hayward, Wisconsin is also home to the country's greatest mtn.bike race, the Chequamegon Fat Tire Race, and of course the ESPN Great Outdoor Games. The 36th annual Birkie this year was filled with excitement filled with skiing legends, epic finishes and a story of hardwork paying off. Read more...

The forecast for race morning was going to be slower than earlier predictions due to the accumulation of snow the night leading up to the race. This year's Birkie reached the 3rd highest capacity in race history with a little over 9,000 registered.
This year it looked as though there could be a strong chance for an American win.
The men's free-style race was awesome! Team CXC out of Hayward just dominated. Contribute this to a team of dedicated athletes, coaching, management, and philosophy. Team CXC crushed all other teams from out west and east placing 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 6th. The men's race was won by local product out of Minneapolis, Matt Liebsch and what a story he is. Just before the finish Matt picked up his son, dropped his poles and skated across the line.
What an inspirational story Matt is. Matt would be the first to tell you that he was no prodigy in XC skiing. In high school he placed 53rd at the state meet, which is nothing exceptional, but his dedication and work ethic would pay off as he joined a club team at the University of Minnesota and began to experiment from the sprint distance to the marathon (50km). Placed an impressive 35th at his first birkie showing in 2003. Last year he improved to 7th place. This year it all came together as he took the crown in a time of 2:11:47. Just a great story of someone who stuck with it and would find his peak potentional as he matured.

The women's race did not disappoint! It came down to a ski tip and lunging collapse at the line requiring a photo finish. Rebecca Dussault of Gunnison, CO and Holly Brooks of Anchorage, AK. Dussault would prevail.

Just when you thought the action and heroics reached its pinnacle, spectators and all were in for an epic finish in the Classic division. Young Gus Kaeding of CXC battled the legend himself Bjorn Daehlie of Norway. Many of you probably remember Bjorn in past Olympics. He is without a doubt the greatest XC skiier of all time with well over 50+ world championships, 8 gold medals and 4 silvers in 3 olympics. Forced into early retirement due to back issues. Although he's not nearly as svelte as he once was, he showed his days of old by contesting Gus all the way to the finish and putting on a finish similar to the women's race. Gus by a ski tip as they collapsed at the finish. Great stuff! For more great pictures, info and interviews, check out Skinnyski.

Full Results

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Athlete Advice

Ultra runner and recent winner of the Rocky Raccoon 50-miler, Kevin Sullivan, was kind enough to share advice on successful race training. Below is a list of running dos and don'ts. Thank you Kevin!


1. Build a base. For me, general running fitness is the foundation of any training regimen. I've found the longer and stronger my base, the better my training - better results and less injuries. For example, my race at Rocky Raccoon this year was 90% base building and few workouts. I raced well because I was fit but not because I had been hammering out track miles or intervals. It was too early in the season for any of that.

2. Listen to your body. This is rule #1 for me. If there is one thing I've learned over the past couple years it's that training is specific to the individual. I need to do what is right for me/my body. Some folks can do high mileage and others can race off only 40-50 miles a week. Find out what works for your body and then tailor your training to meet those needs. Listen to your body over the training period. Things change and so much can affect our training. If you wake up and your body does not feel right, your body is sending a message. If you're not hitting times in a workout, something is wrong. Do not try to push your body in a way it does not want. One of the great things about the human body is that it communicates with us and the best athletes I know have learned how to read/understand the body's language.

3. Have a plan but keep it simple. With the abundance of information on training methods, there really is no excuse but to design training in advance (whether by having a coach or doing it on your own). I'm one to talk as I used to make up my runs as I was heading out the door. That may work for some but not (in my experience) if you are realistically trying to achieve goals. I'm now more organized and have a plan and stick to it (but I also listen to my body if it tells me my plan is not working).

4. Recovery is a key element of training. For me, this is at least 50% or more of my training. Beyond the obvious need for rest, I need to do the things that allow my body to absorb the true training effects of workouts. This differs by individual but generally involves nutrition, hydration, rest, ice baths, massage, cross training and days off (fun) etc. Find out what works for you. (See #1.) I am a huge fan of ice baths . . . .and, yes, I enjoy them, but others I know would never consider it. After finishing Rocky, I hung out for a while and then drove back to my hotel and sat in an ice bath for 15 minutes. It was heaven. It cooled off my legs and got blood flow through them. By the time I returned to Huntsville State Park to see AJW win the 100 miler I felt pretty fresh. By Monday, I was running again without any lingering issues.

5. Be consistent. My training tends to be momentum based. I build my workouts through consistency. The more consistent I am, the better I feel mentally and physically. Training is a building process for me so I need to work at it every day (which can be a problem with the job I have).

6. Train for your racing. That is, know what each race requires and tailor your training to that. So if you're planning to race on hills make sure you do hill work (and don't forget training for the downhills, which can be the most challenging). If you are going to race in heat, practice running in heat. Execution is a critical element of race success so I need to practice that. I intend to travel out West quite a bit this year to prepare for Western States.

7. A final random tip: if you consider doing something and think, "I probably shouldn't be doing this," like adding an hour to a run or running on unsafe terrain or pushing things too hard, listen to the little voice in your head. That voice tends to be more often right than when you're left to your own devices. I'll admit that on my days off I always think, "Maybe I'll just put in a few easy miles, " but it never leads to anything good, so I don't. A day off means no running.

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Inov-8 Gear Review: F-lite 230's

The Electric F-lite 230 Running Test

Late last summer I was able to get in some good running with the F-lite 230's and was very impressed with makeup and feel of these shoes. Just last weekend I wore them for a 5km road race and was again very impressed by the seamless fit these shoes provided. They feel like a comfortable sock allowing the foot to have full tactile sense with the aid of the fascia-band following foot release. The upper fore-foot wraps exceedingly well for secure comfort. They are light, responsive and very comfortable whether you choose to use them on trail and/or road. This particular race was road and they were primo! The day-glo/azure blue color will ignite your curiosity or have you running from Gargamel and his cat!

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Ferenc & Nephew Strong at Northfield Mountain Snowshoe Race

Josh Ferenc won the Northfield Mountain 3.8 mile Snowshoe Race in Northfield, MA on January 31st. Ben Nephew held on for 5th place OA, in a very competitive field. Ben's exciting race story is below. Congrats to both Josh and Ben.

Northfield Mountain 3.8 mile Snowshoe Race 2009
1/31/09

One week after winning the Curley’s snowshoe race, I headed to Northfield, MA, to try for another win. As soon as I got to the race, I knew it was going to be a long day. For some reason, everyone always shows up to Northfield. The most notable entrants were Josh Ferenc, who was back on the trails where he first delivered a shocking loss to Paul Low at a mountain race, Justin Fyffe, Greg Hammett, and Dunham, who has been getting stronger throughout the winter.

I knew the course would be tough, but it also seemed to be pretty fast. At the start, I decided to avoid getting gapped early, and went straight to the front. I like having fresh snow to run on, and was willing to let faster runners pass if needed. My initial pace felt hard, but manageable.

After the first quarter mile, the trail crossed a wide carriage road, and Josh and Justin went flying by. I wondered if Justin would try to hang onto Josh for as long as possible. If he did, I figured I might pass him later on in the race. Justin wisely ran his own race, and tried to keep Josh in sight on the 800’ climb to the top. My legs felt good for the initial climb, but as we neared the first mile marker, I was struggling to maintain my pace. At that point, I heard an excited yell behind me, which could only mean one thing: we had a guest appearance by Leigh Schmitt. Over the years, Leigh has won many New England snowshoe races, and although we go back and forth at the local trail races, he’s generally stronger on snowshoes. At this point, the field was now ridiculously strong.

Leigh went by pretty quickly, and was soon followed by Dave Dunham. I hung on for a while, but they slowly began to inch away as the climb continued. At this point, I was having a hard time keeping Tim Mahoney off my back. Any time my pace slowed, Tim was right there ready to pass. I didn’t want to kill myself fighting him off, but I also knew that I had to stay close to Leigh and Dave to have any chance of catching them on the singletrack downhill after cresting Northfield Mountain. There was a turn around at the top, and I told Tim he had a real strong climb with a few choice expletives. The only good news was that we had a decent lead on Greg Hammett and the rest of the field.

Although we weren’t that far behind Leigh and Dave, they seemed to disappear after starting the winding downhill. I was steadily pulling away from Tim as I threw myself around hairpin after hairpin, but there was no sight of Leigh or Dave. Finally, about halfway down, I spotted moving tree branches. Based on my experiences hunting down escaped convicts, I knew I was catching Dave. Despite renewed efforts to increase my pace, however, I could not get closer than a few seconds back.

The last 0.8 miles were on groomed ski trails, and Dave spotted me as he exited the singletrack downhill. I was going all out, but Dave was not to be caught. I started to feel weak on the last small uphill, and to add insult to injury, Greg Hammett had flown past Tim and was now going after me. I couldn’t even die in peace. Fortunately, I had enough left to get to the finish 11 seconds in back of Dunham and 12 seconds ahead of Greg. Josh won by over a minute, despite taking a couple of falls, and Justin and Leigh finished 2-3.

Although I would have liked to have finished higher, I realized I had made a mistake during the race when I looked at the race photos. I had several steps on much of the field very early on, and it was obviously too fast of a pace. There was no opportunity to recover on this course, and I paid the price for my fast start. Despite my 5th place, it was fun being in such a strong field that guaranteed an extremely hard effort. On the cooldown, it was nice catching up with Leigh, who I hadn’t seen in about a year. We are both Dads, and can compare notes on how to fit our training in with our families.

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Inov-8 Athlete Profile Interview: Amber Moran

In this addition of Athlete Profile I had the pleasure of catching up with the bubbly and benevolent teammate Amber Moran. Amber's love for the trails and swift feet help her to be a force to be reckoned with! I was able to catch up with Amber to ask her a few questions and she was kind enough to take time to answer them.
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Inov-8 Athlete Profile Interview: Amber Moran
Interviewed by: Wynn Davis

1. Can you tell us a little bit about how your running career began? I ran track in high school but would get super nervous before the meets & hated it! I played v-ball in college & would find that I really enjoyed the 2 mile runs to get fit for the v-ball season. After college, I signed up for a 5k road race & loved it! I began running on the roads & quickly became injured. I would get healthy & then get injured again. After a terrible back injury in 2004, I was told that by 2 doctors that I would never run again. After trying all kinds of complimentary therapy & physical therapy, I visited a back specialist in Asheville. After medication, treatment & more physical therapy, the doctor there told me to try a pair of Inov8 shoes & try an easy trail run. I ran pain-free for the first time in 1 ½ years! I was back to racing a few months later & was hooked on Inov8 shoes & trails from that point forward! I haven’t looked back & feel blessed every day that I am out on the trails & wearing Inov8 shoes!

2. Living in Arden, North Carolina could you offer a wandering trail enthusiast any recommended trails to experience while visiting the Tarheel state? There’s loads of trails throughout the state & in Arden, we are very lucky to have quite a few right on the doorstep. One of my favorites is the Mountains-to-Sea trail, a single-track trail that is quite technical & has some steep ups & downs. Another favorite place is the NC Arboretum area that has miles & miles of trails that vary from single track to less technical fire roads. More trails can be found in the Pisgah Forest, Mills River & Dupont Forest area.

3. Can you tell us a little bit about your profession as a school nurse? School nursing is challenging & exciting! As a school nurse, the opportunity is there to provide loads of health promotion through teaching healthy lifestyle choices to the students. As a school nurse, I case manage students with chronic health conditions, train the teachers to provide specialized care to these students & link students & families to community resources. The role of a school nurse greatly varies from school to school & from elementary, middle & high school. I am a school nurse for an elementary school & a high school.

4. Can you tell us what running brings to your life/outlook? Is there an ultimate goal in the end or is it an ongoing process? Running gives me a positive outlook on life. Running on the trails is such a spiritual experience & a great stress reliever! Running encourages discipline, goal-setting & perserverance. Running is definitely an on-going process. Each period of training & goals is a building block. Once the training & goals have been achieved, new ones are set. I think that’s part of the fun of it…. It is great to test yourself, to test the limits & see how far or how fast you can go!

5. What are your strengths and what are your weaknesses? I am always motivated to run which can be a strength (I can get out to train no matter what) & a weakness (I can get overtrained easily). Speed & strength comes to me naturally but I have to work at endurance. I also break down easily & have to balance work with rest & recovery to keep from getting injured. Dark chocolate & red wine are also weaknesses!

6. Can you tell us what your training philosophy is and what some of your favorite workouts include in preparation for a goal race? I believe that Pete Pfitzinger is absolutely correct when he says,”run smarter, not harder.” I believe that rest & recovery is just as important as a tough workout. My workouts vary depending on the race distance but 90% of my workouts are completed unmeasured on trails. I do fartleks on the trails for interval training & speed & tempo runs for endurance. I have a measured route at Carrier Park that I use for 10k training to complete long intervals such as 1½ & 2 mile repeats.

7. Last month you ran a brisk time winning Calhoun’s 10miler. Can you describe your thoughts on the race and or goal(s)? Calhoun’s was a very hilly course which suited me perfectly. It was rainy & cool conditions & I felt great! I went into the race wanting to win. I didn’t really have a time goal but wanted to run the second half faster than the first. I achieved my goal & felt great the whole race. Even though I felt great during the race, I felt really tired for a few days afterward & had to decrease training & add more rest than initially planned.

8. Last year you were champion of the Blue Ridge Trails circuit. Was there a favorite race or one you felt “the perfect race”? Yes! Shut-in Ridge, a 17.8 mile trail race which ascends over 3,000 feet from start to finish was the perfect race. I went into the race physically & mentally ready but in the back of my mind, knew that anything could happen. I can’t explain but it felt like I was running on a cloud the entire race. Even the most grueling parts of the course was a fun adventure. It was a time where I was fit & everything feel into place on the day. I wore the Mudroc 280’s & did not slip, slide or go over my ankle. This was the perfect race!

9. Any X-training substitutes you find effective in sequence with your running? I am a big believer in supplementary training like stretching & strength work. I also incorporate cross training periods in my training schedule 2-3 times a year where I substitute running for aqua-jogging & using the elliptical trainer. This lets the joints have a break & has me itching to run again for the next goal.

10.. What do you know now that you wish you would have known when you first started running? I wish I had known that rest & recovery are as important as training & that the perfect fitting & type of running shoes are the most important piece of equipment that one would need. Of course, I wish I had known about trail running & Inov8 shoes!

11. Is there a particular INOV-8 shoe that you gravitate toward and why? I love training in the Flyroc 310 & Terroc 308’s. Both of these shoes fit my foot (preventing friction & blistering) & are perfect for the single track & fire roads that I train on. I never have to worry about traction or going over an ankle in these shoes!

12. Any other things you enjoy when not running? I love to socialize with family & friends, hang out with my husband Stuart & our “babies”, Derby, Reece & Olive, sing karaoke, read good books, travel to new places & play other sports.


Thanks Amber!

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Inov-8 Athletes Well Represented at the Holiday Lake 50k

Congrats to Clark Zealand who finished 2nd OA at the Holiday Lake 50k in Va this past Saturday. His finishing time was 3:54 just 4 minutes back from the winner. Jonathan Basham finished 9th OA in 4:04 and Jeremy Ramsey got 12th OA with a time of 4:17.

(pictured left to right: Jonathan Basham, Kevin Lane, Clark Zealand, Jeremy Ramsey)

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Patagonia 09 Report #3 - Aguja Poincenot

Yet another epic and sucessful climb by Anna Pfaff and Camilo Lopez. The attached report sounds not only strenuous but quite exciting.


Aguja Poincenot


We woke up at 3 am at Paso Superior and started a brew. Our gear was already organized from the day before so we were set. We drank a pot of strong coffee and set out on the approach towards Aguja Poincenoit. It was cold so the glacier was firm and we crossed easily overcoming a few large open crevasses along the way.
Snow fall started as we arrived at the base and clouds covered the rising sun. We questioned the weather for a minute but decided to continue and started to organize our ropes and gear for the first pitch.
The first pitch was a traverse across thin ice and mixed terrain leading up into the ramp of the Williams route. We followed the 70-80 degree ramp up the West face for 6 pitches of steep neve, and verglass covered rock. We dodged ice falling from the top, that sounded like bombs and exploded into a million pieces against the rock face .
The ramp ended under a steep chimney filled with thin ice, this being the crux of the climb at M5. The chimney ended under a thin roof crack where we traversed left to the anchor.
From this anchor we traversed another 60 meters across a snow covered ledge to the last 9 upper pitches of the head wall.
We followed the rock weakness climbing the ice filled cracks and snow covered ledges wearing our crampons and using ice tools. The conditions of the upper pitches made for M3, M4. terrain.
We arrived on the summit at 9:30 pm. The moon was full and we had amazing views of the snow and ice covered Fitz Roy . We were spent from the long and demanding climb so we decided to bivy one rappel down from the summit instead of rappelling all the way and trying to find the anchors in the dark. We had no bivy gear but the weather was predicted to hold over night and the sky was clear. We found a good spot in between a small flake and the wall. There we flattened out the snow and built a larger rock wall for more protection
We stacked our ropes and endured one very cold open bivy. When the the sun broke through the clouds,we went into reset mode, re-organized our gear and started down.
We did 15 rappels down to the base having to do a few anchor replacements and traversing over some blocky sections along the way.
We returned to the base at around 10 am. We re-organized our packs and started our way back back to Paso superior.
We are very happy about this amazing climb!! It was just the two of us and the great giant Aguja Poincenot.

We have only 12 days left before our time here in Chalten is up. The weather is predicted to be high winds and rain for the next ten days... we hope to get at least one good day to retrieve our gear stashes from Niponinos and Paso Superior.

Although the trip is not over yet, We are headed to Cochamo Valley in Chile!! The Yosemite of South America!!!

Cheers!!!

Camilo Lopez & Anna Pfaff

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Inov-8 secret agents....

Another yogaslacker secret mission....

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Who's Racing This Weekend

Good luck this weekend to the following Team Inov-8 athletes and their respected races. Out east we have Clark Zealand, Rebekah Trittipoe, and Jeremy Ramsey kicking off the start of the Beast Series at Holiday Lake 50k. Gina Lucrezi will be running the Myrtle Beach half-marathon, and Caleb Chatfield of the infamous Kansas City Trail Nerds, previous record holder of the Psycho 50k will be running the brutal Psycho Wyco 10miler. Good luck to everyone and have lots of fun. Be sure to send your loved ones a Valentine's (:

Rebekah Trittipoe Holiday Lake 50k
Clark Zealand Holiday Lake 50k
Jeremy Ramsey Holiday Lake 50k
Gina Lucrezi Myrtle Beach Half Marathon
Caleb Chatfield Pyscho Wyco 10mile

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Kevin's Rocky Race Report!

Sullivan and Jones-Wilkins at the Finish.

Now that the miles have soaked in, Kevin sent along his race report from his experience at Rocky Raccoon last weekend with teammate Andy. Way to go guys!
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I flew down to Houston on Friday morning, escaping a week full of single digit weather in New England. I had signed up for the Rocky Raccoon a few weeks back as way to get away from the cold, icy, snowy conditions that were becoming the norm (and a grind) for the winter. And, based on the recent weather patterns it was turning out to be a good choice.

I knew AJW was headed to RR to run the 100 miler so we coordinated our schedules to meet in Houston and share a room in Huntsville. Of course, it wasn’t until Friday that I found out he was flying into Hobby airport – 40 minutes South of George Bush Airport (my arrival airport) and in the opposite direction of RR. So I chauffeured down to Hobby and picked him and then began the weekend of travel with Mr. 100 Miler. After a late pasta dinner at a quite interesting and very “local” establishment, we only caught a few hours sleep. Such is the life of the weekend warrior.

My plan going into RR was to get a good solid long run in, enjoy a bit warmer weather and practice some race execution, particularly nutrition. I have been running well in training lately (although a lot of road and treadmill miles) so I thought I might be able to run strong but was not sure exactly what that would mean. I went into the race with no real expectations or goals other than to focus on execution and avoid pushing too hard or getting injured. It was largely intended to be a long run without 3 layers of clothes . . .

It wasn’t until we checked the weather Friday night that I learned it was going to be warm – really warm by New England winter standards – temps were projected for the 70’s with significant winds. I was a bit concerned about how warm it might get but knew I needed to pay close attention to hydration/nutrition.

Race morning was uneventful. We showed to up Huntsville State Park (after paying due homage to the Sam Houston statue – have you even seen that thing? amazing) early because the 100 miler started an hour before the 50 miler, so I had plenty of time to get ready at the start. By the time of the start, it was in the 60’s and sun was breaking out. It was going to be warm and by midday it hit about 80 degrees (compared to the 8 degrees it was on Friday am in Boston when I left).

At the start, I introduced myself to a fit looking guy who told me his name was Duncan. It wasn’t until after the race, having been chased by him the whole time, that I learned it was Duncan Callahan – winner of 2008 Leadville. We went off in a pack of four for the first 6 or 7 miles. Me, Duncan, a local Austin guy named Pete and a nameless guy. I ran with Duncan for the first mile. The nameless guy who none of us knew (and who was running with headphones so loud that you could hear the music from 10 feet back) went off the front for a bit, but by mile 8 it was me and “Austin” Pete. Duncan was running close but I wasn’t sure how far – and since I didn’t know who he was I wasn’t too worried to check. Pete told me one of his students bet him he would not break 6:45 (he had to buy the student a Chick-fil-A lunch if he lost and the student had to do 200 lay-ups if he broke 6:45) – to which I responded, after finishing the first of three loops in 1:58, “you might want to up the ante to 600 lay-ups if you break 6 hours because that’s were we’re headed.” Still, the pace felt very comfortable. (Pete finished the second loop walking and then DNF’d – I later heard he had hit a deer with his car the night before so was pretty sore from that).

We kept up the same pace on the second loop, maybe even a little faster. Neither my HR monitor nor my foot pod were working so I was running entirely by feel, which is usually dangerous for me. I felt really good. Pete held strong and we ran together until about mile 24 when I decided I wanted to see if I could make some room, so I picked up the pace through some uphill single track and never looked back. I finished the second loop in about 1:59 (which included the time in the start/finish turn around aid station after loop 1) and headed out for the final loop. This was my chance to check where things stood vis-a-vis the hunters as the first 2.5 - 3 miles out of the turn around are the same last 4 miles in to the start/finish. In my mind, I had spent a little too long in the aid station but we would see. It was really warm at this point and my legs felt good. Even with two fairly quick loops under my belt I felt strong and fairly fresh, but I was concerned with the heat and so grabbed as much nutrition as I could.

I saw Duncan about 2-3 minutes out of the turn around – I think. (After the race, his wife told me I was about 5 minutes ahead by the time he got to the turn around, so my thinking was about right). The problem was that in my haste to grab aid I failed to look at my watch coming out of the aid station so I wasn’t entirely sure. With that uncertainty, I knew I needed to maintain a consistent pace and take nothing for granted. Although I went into the race with no expectations, having the lead with a lap to go and a shot at the CR on a hot day (as well as a near certainty for a 50 mile PR), I didn’t want to crumble – but I also wasn’t willing to risk my training to push too hard. If there is one thing I have learned (and had hammered into my head before I flew to Houston), there was no reason to race hard this early if Western States is my key race. So the plan was to ease up a little but not too much and push the end enough to hold into to the win. The sun had a different plan and the Texas heat put the hurt on me.

About 25 minutes into the last loop, I started to feel the effects of the heat and it came on quick – my stomach was getting a little uneasy and I was having a hard time feeling hydrated no matter how much I drank. I took a fall right around 28 minutes. I was up quick and off again but it definitely put some question marks in my head. I had started popping S caps every 30 minutes but still developed mild cramping. Even though the aid stations were generally on 3-4 miles apart, I was going into each one with an empty bottle (I went with one hand bottle for the whole race) at each aid station. But, I stuck to plan, remained calm and focused on just running – that’s what I love, just running.

I was mentally and physically up and down at least 10 times over that last loop. When I had a GU or the sun hid behind a cloud, I would get a decent 10 minute stretch and get into a rhythm and run well. Then I’d sink when the sun came back out or I sensed some cramping. I ran out of fluids about 5 minutes before I got to the final aid station at about mile 46 (and had run out of GU long before that). When I filled up there, I was refreshed and felt good. I put the hammer down at that point and never turned back to see where Duncan was. Sure, I thought maybe he’d catch me but if he did he deserved it. I was not willing to redline it. It was a tough four miles and I’m sure my “hammer” was probably a lot slower than I thought it was (I didn’t catch the split) but I did feel like I had gas in my legs and ran well on all the little ups into the finish. Duncan came in just 6 minutes back.

Joe Prusaitis puts on a great race at RR. The volunteers and support are top notch and the race has a great feel. There is a lot of doubling back so you can see a lot of folks out on the course (sometimes a drawback from a traffic perspective, but not much). I spent quite a bit of time with Joe after the race as I stuck around to crew AJW for his final 3 laps and flirted with the idea of pacing him on the last loop (but decided it would not be a good training decision). I had a chance to talk to Duncan, some of the local Hill Country Trailrunners and plenty of support crews for other runners. For an early season race, Rocky Raccoon offers some great running in a low key but very professionally organized setting.

I ran in a newly minted (only two runs) pair of Roclite 305’s and they performed well, as usual. They are still my go to shoe and handled the terrain well. I considered throwing the X-Talons on for the last loop but given the time crunch I opted not to. I’m still itching to go long in the X-Talon’s . . .

AJW took the 100 mile title in an exciting race (I’m sure he’ll post) against Scott Jaime so it was an Invo-8 men’s sweep at 2009 RR.

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Inov-8 Athletes Rock at Rocky Raccoon

Andy Jones-Wilkins won the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile race this past Saturday, posting a 15:58 winning time. Not to be out done teammate Kevin Sullivan ran a swift 6:05 to take the 50 mile title down in Texas. Congrats to both for fine performances!

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Who's Racing This Weekend

Lot's of good racing action this weekend. Our 100 mile guru Andy-Jones Wilkins will be down in TX at the Rocky Raccoon 100. Teammate Kevin Sullivan will be there as well in the 50 mile race. Brian Morrison will be back at the Orcas Island 50k in Moran State Park, WA trying to improve upon his outstanding 3rd place finish last year. Scott Dunlap will start his ultra racing season at the Jed Smith 50 Ultra Classic in Sacramento, CA. Finally another solo effort this time by Paul Humphreys of Team ROAM/Inov-8 at the Winter Challenge Off-road Triathlon in Nowhere, SC, hopefully he can find his way to the race. Good luck everyone!

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Gardner Wins Duluth Northwoods Snowshoe Marathon

Congratulations to team Inov-8's Chris Gardner! I've come to know Chris quite well being an Upper Midwest brethren, so I was amped when I heard he won the 18th annual Duluth Northwoods Snowshoe Marathon. This is a very tough race that cruises through the northwoods along Duluth's Northshore. The terrain is tough, hilly, and depending on the year can be packed with snow. Chris ran a solid 4:35 to brake the tape. I ran this race 2 years ago when there was not enough snow, so we ran in shoes and it was still a blast. Team Inov-8 is 2/2 there now. Runners enjoy grog and pizza at the Fitger's Brewery post-race.

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Shuler Takes Solo Title at Mandatory Gear AR

Dwight Shuler from Team ROAM/Inov-8 took the solo crown at the inaugural Mandatory Gear Adventure Race near Myrtle Beach, SC. He could not talk his teammates into competing on back to back weekends so he made a successful go of it on his own, finishing an hour faster than the next team in 4:03. Congrats D-
Race report below:

Mandatory Gear Adventure Race

Since I couldn’t drag the rest of the team out to partake in back to back race weekends, I decided to try this one out solo.

This was the first year for the Mandatory Gear Adventure Race, MGAR, and Dale Long and crew really did an exceptional job putting it all together. MGAR was a 6hr Sprint Adventure Race held near Myrtle Beach, SC and what it lacked in hills and mountains it made up for in flat land navigation and swamp. There are three things you need for navigation, Bearing, Distance and Elevation. Take away one of these and you can still find your way but you better not space out and drop a second component or you can find yourself turned around in waist deep swamp or thick briars crying for a way out. With only 160’ of elevation gain for this 35 mile race, I was already down to just two navigational tools.

The race coordinates were handed out the night before but no other information was given other than we would be Boating, Biking and Running at some point during the following day. The race started out a frosty 25 deg and the teams were split up into two groups. One group would set off on bikes to the boating location and hit the water portion first. The second group was off on foot for the trek/run section. All the checkpoints (CP’s) could be obtained in any order although there were a number of mandatory points for each leg that had to be obtained in order to be an official finisher. This lack of order made for a good amount of strategy and kept teams from following each other since you really didn’t know where they were headed.


I was lucky to head off on foot first and since I was going solo, soon out ran the field to take a clear lead. This haste also had me run right past CP8 (my first point I was looking for). Once I realized I went too far, I decided to keep going for 9 and 10 because I didn’t want anyone to see me sneaking off into the woods/swamp. I looked at the map and figured I would be able to hit all the trekking points and still swing back around to look for CP8 later. I was able to find some good runnable backroads and made good time, just stumbling a little bit mired down in cat briars looking for a few points. I made successful attempt at CP8 on my way back to the TA and came in just behind the first place team.

Next, I headed off on my bike to the Boating section; a swampy bog area along a blackwater river. I had 5 points to hit along the river and in some small creeks and backwater areas before heading out of there. Luckily, it was still quite cold so any alligators that might be active that time of year were very well hidden or in their winter catatonic state of inactivity. This is a very foreign environment for me and it always feels very creepy. I was able to pick all the points up quickly and headed back out on the bike for the next section.

On the bike again, I finally realized what all the ‘white’ sections were on the map. They were fields! Since there was no elevation changes, there were no gradient contours on the map. These white areas were fields (as opposed to forest or swamps). In the mountains, white areas usually represent private property and are to be avoided or off limits entirely. Anyway, once that was figured out, the remaining bike points were picked up quickly and I tempo’d back to the finish line to find myself in first place. I finished in 4:03 just over an hour ahead of the next team.


Racing solo in an adventure race is not really comparing apples and apples. You can generally go much quicker by yourself, you don’t have to discuss anything as you are the captain and crew and you can push yourself to YOUR limit. There is no need to keep the team together. It is, however, more difficult to navigate. You only have one set of eyes to look for the points, there is only one person to remember the rules and there is nobody to bounce ideas off of. Being on a team requires that you work together and trade your strengths with your teammates weaknesses and vice versa. So, its really not fair to compare results. Anyway, I had a good race and feel like my training is right on track for my next challenge, The Black Mountain Marathon at the end of the month.

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Nephew Breaks Tape at WMAC Series

Congratulations to Ben Nephew,as he was first to break the tape at the Curley's Record Run snowshoe race. Yet another nail biter int he WMAC series, but Nephew surged to the finish. Read more...

Curly’s Record Run 4 mile Snowshoe Race 2009, Pittsfield, MA

JANUARY 25, 2009

Last year, Curley’s 4 mile was when I realized that I was not in great shape, at all. Not only did I lose to three people I usually can run with, I felt horrible most of the race. This year has started out better, and as I warmed up for the race, a few people told me that they expected me to win. If I had a good day, I was hoping to run away from the field and actually enjoy the course. Unfortunately, no one told the rest of the field. Curley’s is one of the more difficult courses in New England. You climb a couple small hills in the first half mile, then proceed up a 1000ft climb over one mile, descend those 1000ft on an old ski trail, and then stagger about 1.5 miles to the finish (see profile below). Some people hate the ascent, some the descent; I like the whole course.
When Curley started the race, I floated to the front, since no one seemed like they wanted to lead. I tried to set an honest pace, and the field strung out pretty quickly. Matt Cartier, who lives in Pittsfield, was right on the tails of my snowshoes as we started up the monster climb. I felt good for a while, but my quads started to really burn about halfway up. Matt was feeling better, and I let him by as I walked a steep section. Based on my previous two races where I had been able to pull away on climbs, I knew it was going to be a long day. As I looked back when Matt passed me, things got worse. Dave Dunham and Tim Mahoney were right with us as well. Dave ran around me shortly after Matt, and I was just trying to do damage control at that point. Luckily for me, Matt and Dave weren’t running much faster, so I was able to stay a few steps behind. Dave was actually running his second snowshoe race of the weekend.
At the very top of the ascent, Dave had to be “King of the Mountain” and went around Matt in a cloud of powder. If I could have gotten enough air to laugh, I would have. We all knew that Matt and I were going to go around Dave as soon as we hit The Shadow Trail. Legend is that Curley Voll has the ski descent record for the mile long trail of 1:10. You do the math. Needless to say, it’s a steep trail. Matt did go around Dave pretty quickly, but it took me a little longer to get my spent legs rolling. Although it is steep, the Shadow trail is not straight down; there are several hairpin turns to negotiate. Previous traffic had packed down the snow to point that it was quite hard on the quads. If you stepped out of the narrow tracked line, you were likely to end up face down in two feet of crusty snow. I ran hard down the hill to get close to Matt, but tried to not encourage him to push the pace. I didn’t want to have my quads in pieces at the bottom of the trail with 1.5 miles of hard racing still to do.
Matt was still charging hard as the trail flattened out and we began the winding last section of the course. After about a half mile, he began to struggle on small climbs and the many hard turns. Frequent turning is exhausting in snowshoe races due the changes in momentum, the fact that you have extra weight on your feet, and loss of traction. I passed him with about a mile to go, and he hung right with me. I focused hard on accelerating through the turns and eventually started to pull away. I was still looking over my shoulder as I struggled to cross the last windy field leading to the finish. Matt finished 10 seconds behind, with Dave and Tim about a minute back. Tim Van Orden in 5th made it 4 out of the top 5 for CMS runners. I didn’t run as well as I had wanted to, but considering I’ve only won about 5 snowshoe races over 6 years, I’ll take it!
Beth and Brad Herder, and the rest of the Curly’s crew do a great job putting on this race, which raises scholarship funds for a local high school runner. As always, there are great photos and video of race at runwmac.com.

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