Foray – n. 1. A sudden raid or military advance 2. A venture or initial attempt in some field.
The definition for foray seemingly has two distinct meanings, an aggressive and decisive approach and a more tentative, laid back approach. My mindset prior to completing the 77 miles of the Cherokee Foothills Trail was see-sawing back and forth between the two. Could I break the existing FKT (fastest known time) by Matt Kirk or would this be an “initial attempt” at the record?
I had only attempted one FKT-type run prior to my Foothills Trail effort last weekend. It went well but this run was to be longer, tougher and would require much more patience than I’m used to putting forth. Announcing such things, like setting a new speed record, is sort of like putting it out there prior to a race that you are gunning to win. I was apprehensive and had much respect for this trail as I know it has been a conundrum to complete by many runners in one push.
My wife dropped me off at Table Rock State Park in the early morning hours. I had to walk in a mile from the locked gate just to reach the trailhead. The weather was near perfect with temps in the low 30’s but a bit breezy. I got going quickly as there is no point of wasting time when you are by yourself in the dark. If anybody in their right mind was up at this hour and looked up at Table Rock they probably thought that somebody had put a new road on the mountain. I was wearing three headlamps, one on my head and two on my waist, so I’m sure the glow of light could be seen for miles.
The first section of this trail is almost ten miles of climbing up to the top of Sassafrass Mountain, the highest point in SC. This section seemed to pass by quickly and uneventfully except for the grouse that freaked out at my presence. My subsequent scream could be heard for miles as well. After summiting Sassafrass the trail drops back down another five miles to the start of the Laurel Valley section. I reached the start of Laurel Valley in 2:49 which was slightly ahead of my schedule. Anne gave me my needed supplies for the next thirty-five miles, as there is no crew access within that portion of the trail. This section is tough for many reasons and not seeing a soul for hours and hours is a mental battle. I chose not to have anyone pace me as I feel that takes away a bit from the true essence of attempting a speed record. I made the choice to refill my handheld water bottles from side streams so as to not have to wait for iodine to work its magic. Over the next couple days I’ll see if this gamble was worth it.
I completed the strenuous Laurel Valley section in 6:19 which kept me well under the record going into the last twenty-nine miles. A lot of runners drop after climbing up the long stretch to the parking lot at the end of LV. At this point, runners are spent and have have not seen anyone for hours. The nearby civilization and a comfortable vehicle seem to beg one to climb inside and call it a day. I knew the temptation would be strong so I quickly got my aid and forged ahead. The next five mile section is rather tough because there are still a couple more miles of climbing before a nice descent back down to crew at Sloan Bridge. I was feeling pretty rough on this section as my stomach started to reject the taste of anything. The thought of consuming gels or anything solid was going to be a struggle from this point forward.
The next couple sections are only three to four miles in length, allowing one to get the feeling that one is actually making progress to the end of the trail. I managed to eat an energy bar which took me over thirty minutes to choke down and then I had my go-to fuel which is Ensure. Lots of calories and no chewing which is about all my stomach can handle after hours and hours of running.
I reached the point of the Chattooga River section which is over ten miles in length and anyone who has run this section will swear it is much longer. I’ve heard it referred to as the Bermuda Triangle. It is rather technical with lots of roots along the river and it just drags on and on which is why it took me right at two hours to complete. The movie Deliverance was filmed in this area so I had the added mental anguish of thinking about how that all played out. The fear of a banjo cranking up in the woods kept me moving to my goal of seeing Anne and the last six mile section to the finish in Oconee State Park.
The last section was a blur. I felt nauseated every step and I somehow just kept pushing ahead. I was red-lining for what seemed like hours and it would have been so easy to back off the pace in order to feel more comfortable. However when I’ve succumbed to this temptation before I’ve looked back on my effort and regretted not hammering it all the way to the finish. When exhausted it is easy to let the mind trick one into slowing down. However I know when looking back there is nothing like giving it your all and the feeling of a total and complete effort.
The last mile felt like an eternity. I was getting lightheaded and was running on fumes, as all I could take in was plain water at this point. Finally I saw a purple blur up ahead and heard a big hooray! If anyone knows my wife Anne, her favorite color is purple. I have never been so happy to see the color purple and the terminus of a trail.
My finishing time was 14:26 and I’m extremely satisfied with setting a new FKT by well over two hours. This was a near perfect day and I’m thankful to be able to look back with no regrets. I usually dissect my running accomplishments and find ways to pick apart my effort. It won’t happen this time.
Foothills Trail – 77 miles
Approximately 16,000’ climb
Shoes – inov-8 Roclite 295’s
Fuel – GU Roctane gels (15), GU Brew electrolyte drink, Ensure (3), energy bars (2)
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Foothills Foray
Monday, February 27, 2012
inov-8 = Establishing New Records
Mark Lundblad set his sights on the Foothills Trail FKT this past weekend. The course record for the 77 miles was 16:23. Well, that was not fast enough for Lundblad. Mark destroyed the 2005 course record with a new time of 14:26. He wore his roclite 295's :) Mark ran the entire course without a pacer, and was crewed by Anne Lundblad (go Team Lundblad!). The weather was good with just a bit of wind.
Switching up terrain and distance, Lisa Mikkelsen participated at the New England USATF Championships held at Harvard University. Lisa's choice events are the 400 and 200 meters. While competing in the 400, Lisa tweaked her achilles in the first 75 meters. Being the tough and determined woman that she is, Lisa pushed through and was able to take a 1st place finish in 59:92...which is also a new AMERICAN RECORD for Woment 45-49. Can you say machine :) Congrats Lisa, you are amazing!
Michele Hartwig-268 Review
Inov-8 RocliteTM 268′s are a lightweight (9.5 ounces) women specific shoe. They hold tight around your ankles and have plenty of room in the toebox. The sizes run standard. I wear the same size as I would wear in any other name brand shoe. The soles are sticky and have plenty of protection on the toe for the rocks and roots.
First off – I love the brilliant navy and bright blue color. They are a good looking trail shoe. I always get compliments on them from runners and non-runners when I wear them around town. I know this doesn’t matter on how well they handle on the trail but us gals like to look good, so the super cute design is important.I had great results running many different terrains. I wore them for training on the Ice Age trail where you will find dirt single track, rocky areas, mud, and open prairie. The flexible sole gives me great “feel” for the trail. My feet adjusted to every rock or root making me feel light and fast as I cruise through the trail. They breath great in hot weather. Plus, if I step in a puddle they dry out immediately.I also wore the RocliteTM 268′s at a 100 mile race in the Ozarks. It was called Pumpkin Holler 100. The course was on dirt roads with fine gravel to big rocks. The race director had advised people to wear gaiters with there shoes. I chose to wear the Roclites without gaiters because I was confident they would keep the debris out. They did! I finished the race with smooth, blister free feet and no lost toenails. Here is a picture of my feet the day after the race.
Blister Free after 100 Miles!
I tested the RocliteTM 268′s through out my 2011 racing season and they have now become my “go to” shoe. I nicknamed them my long distance racing flats.Happy trails!!Michele Hartwig
Saturday, February 25, 2012
South Mountain Trail Race
The South Mountain Trail race was in the forest of South Mountains State Park in Connellys Springs, NC & is the first race of the Carolina Mountain Goat series.It was sunny & 35 degrees at the race start but quickly felt like 65 degrees as the race started straight up the mountain. My legs were really responsive today & I lead the race from the gun!
The climbs were steep quad-burners but the gift was the breathtaking views at each peak. I was so relaxed, it felt like a dream. The sun was shining, a cool, crisp breeze blew across my face & hair, beautiful mountain views & steep downhills to recover from the climbs. The soft doubletrack trail surface was a blessing to my joints & the X-talons (212s) on my feet tore into the mud so that minimal energy was wasted. I had 4-wheel drive on my feet! I stayed relaxed & took in the sounds of nature..birds chirping, waterfalls & streams flowing & crossed the finish line 1st outright in 1:25:51. I ended up finishing 7 minutes ahead of the first guy! What a beautiful day!!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Luc Morin - Golden Gate Trail Race...Domination
GOLDEN GATE TRAIL RACE - HALF MARATHON
(FEB 11 - Sausalito, CA)
The day started under a cloudy and rainy sky to mark my first race in 2012. I was scheduled to race a 5km in Phoenix. I had flown the day before and got sick… During the 2 weeks leading to the Golden Gate Trail Race, I coached in a cycling camp in Phoenix, gave an ITU performance coaching course in Subic Bay, Philippines the following week, and gave a few running and triathlon clinics during the week leading to the race. I had to focus on my run in order to maintain some type of continuity and maintaining fitness. Most of my workouts were short and with some good speed sessions.
The morning of the race, I was getting nervous with the weather which was in the low 40s… I certainly did not appreciate the fact it rained knowing the course would be wet, muddy, and slippery. I knew little about the course. Only what was posted on the website… UP down UP down… turn… up DOWN
On the starting line, I kept on looking around at the 200 participants… Who will be the target… What will be their tactics… How hard will I be able to go on a course where the course record was 1h48 given the topography? And How will I handle racing (last race end October)?
Goal was easy: RUN HARD! I took the lead right off the start… Thinking about not to go hard (my GAR$#&watch was down again! Borrowed one) and focus on running downhill!
The scenery was spectacular. My motivation was to beat the course record. I felt in control during the whole race. Running uphill @ 8:45min/mi and downhill at 4:50min/mi. I felt like I was 10 again; running in the hills behind the house. It was the greatest felling ever! Back to performance, knowing that at 9mi I was close to 1hr. I know I was going to finish strong. I never thought I would beat the course record by 19 min!
I crossed the finish line in 1:29:yy establishing a new course record with my new INOV8!
Next race March 24 in Phoenix, AZ…
Friday, February 17, 2012
Terrafly 287 GTX
The Terrafly 287 GTX is the perfect hybrid shoe! Have you ever wished that you had a shoe that you could wear on the roads & also on the trail? Terrafly is the answer. I wore this lovely shoe for the first time & ran straight out the door onto pavement. Immediately, I noticed just the right amount of cushioning in the heel to remain comfortable as I made my way to paradise (the trail).Once I stepped off-road & onto the trail, the shoe allowed me to feel the surface for maximum proprioception while protecting my feet from rocks & roots. I fell in love with them! This is the shoe for mixed surface (road/trail) runs. Did I mention that they are made with goretex? That's an added bonus to keep your feet dry in moist conditions. Also, the pink & dark gray colors are eye candy!
Team inov-8 2012: Katie Caba
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1) Primary sport (s): Trail Running
2) Team member since: 2011
3) City/state of residence: Bend, Oregon
4) Occupation: Physician Assistant
5) Goals for 2012:
- USATF Trail Half Marathon Champs (OR): Top 3 Overall; 1st Masters
- US Mountain Running Champs (NH)
- Transrockies Run (CO): 1st Mixed Masters; Top 3 Overall Mixed
- USATF Marathon Masters Champs (Twin Cities Marathon): Top 5 Overall; Sub- 2:50
- Run my first Ultra Marathon
- PR in the half marathon and marathon
6) Notable achievements/memories/PR’s in your sport:
- USATF 2010 Trail Marathon Champs: 1st overall
- USATF 2011 Trail Half Marathon Champs: 4th overall, 1st masters
- Transrockies Run: 1st mixed masters
- USATF 2011 Masters Marathon Champs/Twin Cities Marathon: 7th overall (2:54 PR)
7) Favorite inov-8 gear:
- First Love: XTalon 212
- For distance on mt trails: Roclite 268 (perfect shoe for 6 long days running through the Rockies)
- Winter running on ice and through puddles: Terrafly 287 GTX
8) List one thing others may not know about you: I’ve been threatened at gun point….and didn’t run.
9) Favorite energy drink/food: All of the above and still experimenting. I consider timing of intake to be most important. Gu, stinger, gel, blocks….all go down easy while racing without issues of coming back up. I cross a finish line and run straight to the food table, or make a protein rich smoothie (peanut/almond butter, chocolate protein powder, vanilla yogurt and banana) immediately after a hard training run.
10) Your favorite race/event and why? Transrockies Run because I not only get to run 120 miles with my husband on gorgeous Rocky Mt trails, but get to hang out with a couple hundred runners for 6 days while someone else does all the cooking.
11) Advice to other athletes: Be thankful for the gift, share your passion, show appreciation for friends/family who support you, encourage another athlete or want-to-be athlete, slow down to “take it all in” (that is if you have a nice lead) and get to know your competition--as they will likely be your next best friend.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Team inov-8 2012: Tommy Manning
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1) Primary sport (s): Trail Running
2) Team member since: 2011
3) City/state of residence: Colorado Springs, CO
4) Occupation: High School Teacher
5) Goals for 2012: I want to make the U.S. Mountain Running Team again. I would like to go to the World Championships again and redeem myself for the poor showing I had in Albania in 2011. So placing top-6 at Mount Washington is my main goal this year.
6) Notable achievements/memories/PR’s in your sport: I think making my first U.S. Mountain Running Team by finishing 6th place at Mount Washington in 2010 was huge. That was probably the biggest race of my career up to that point. Then I went on to finish 18th at the World Championships in Slovenia and helped the U.S. men win the silver medal. That was definitely the highlight of my running career.
7) Favorite inov-8 gear: I love the X-Talon 190s. They’re lightweight and those big ol’ lugs on the bottom can grip anything: loose dirt, mud, gravel, rocks, wet grass. It’s a mulitdimensional racing shoe.
8) List one thing others may not know about you: A high school motorcycle accident, and three subsequent knee surgeries, nearly ended my running career (and my life!) before it really got started.
9) Your favorite race/event and why? I love the Bridger Ridge Run in Bozeman, MT. It’s a 20-mile race that takes longer than a road marathon. It goes up and down up and down a ridge just north of Bozeman, Montana. The views are wonderful (during training – I don’t take in the views while racing). It’s a booger of a run though and has kicked my butt the two times I’ve raced it.
10) Advice to other athletes: I am a big fan of the saying “good things happen to people who work hard.” I don’t think you win races because you want to, or you win races because you’re naturally fast. I think you have to put in the effort day in and day out, and work your tail off to achieve your goals. This doesn’t mean everybody is going to be a champion or an olympian, but good things will happen to those who work hard.
Team inov-8 2012: Kevin Tilton
1) Primary sport (s): Trail running, mountain running, road racing
2) Team member since: 2005
3) City/state of residence: North Conway, NH
4) Occupation: Licensed Land Surveyor
5) Goals for 2012: Top 6 at the Mt. Washington Road Race, explore more areas of the White Mountain National Forest near my home, have fun!
6) Notable achievements/memories/PR’s in your sport: 2-time member of the US Mountain Running Team (2005, 2006), 1:03:42 PR at 2005 Mt. Washington Road Race, 8th place at 2009 Pikes Peak Ascent, 5 straight victories at the Sandwich Sidehiller snowshoe race, multiple wins over Jim Johnson
7) Favorite inov-8 gear: X-Talon 212, Bare-X Lite 150
8) List one thing others may not know about you: Even though I love running on singletrack, I am a terrible mountain biker.
9) Favorite energy drink/food: Honey Stinger gels, Nuun, sour patch kids, just about anything near the end of a 4 hour run
10) Your favorite race/event and why? Mt. Washington is my favorite race, but I really had fun at the Pisgah Mountain 50k this last fall, my first ultra finish. Great course, great competition and well organized.
Team inov-8 2012: Peter Maksimow
1) Primary sport (s): Mountain and Trail Running, but I also partake in a road running, snowshoeing, cross country, multi-day stage races and the occasional beer mile. Who knows, I might give Cross Fit a shot, I've been practicing my burp ups!
2) Team member since: 2009
3) City/state of residence: Manitou Springs, Colorado, the hippie area of the Pikes Peak Region.
4) Occupation: Marketing & Administrative Coordinator for Running USA, Colorado Running Company sales associate, running coach.
5) Goals for 2011: Well, since 2011 is over, I will focus on 2012.
-Sub 1:02:30 at Mt. Washington and a top 6 place
-Sub-2:20 at the Pikes Peak Ascent
-PR for shorter races (5k, 10k) and longer races (50k, marathon)
-Win a National Championship (team or individual, I'm not picky!)
-Make good beer and good friends
6) Notable achievements/memories/PR’s in your sport:
-2011 Gore-Tex Trans Rockies Run as Team Inov-8 with Alex Nichols, 6 days over 120 miles. I even sharted on myself...that's pretty memorable!
-2011 Colorado 50k State Champion
-2011 Colorado 25k State Championship, 2nd place
-2011, 6th @ the Mt. Washington Road Race
-3 X Top 10 finisher at the Pikes Peak Ascent
-3 X US Mountain Running Team National Champions (CMS - 2005, 2010, 2011)
-2 X Pikes Peak Road Runners Winter Series Champion (2010, 2011)
-2005 US Mountain Running Team Member
-The great people I have met along the way!
7) Favorite inov-8 gear: I am partial to the X-Talon 190's. By far the best off road, technical trail racing shoe I have ever set foot in. I have laced this shoe up, straight out of the box, and run the Pikes Peak Ascent without any blisters or black toenails.
8) List one thing others may not know about you: I have flown on the Concorde supersonic airliner (I was in my mothers womb, but doesn't that still count?).
9) Favorite energy drink/food: Double IPA or Barrel Aged offering. It gives me energy and can also be considered a food!
10) Your favorite race/event and why?
In the East, it is the Mt. Washington Road Race. In the West, the Pikes Peak Ascent. Both are huge races with fantastic competition but what I really enjoy most about them is the gathering of friends, old and new, people you only see once a year but wish there were races like this every weekend so you could see them more often.
11) Advice to other athletes: Never eat dried fruit when you are running very long distances! Trust me.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sabrina Moran - 2012 Rocky Raccoon 100 Champion!
Rocky Raccoon 100
I am wearing a dress and brushing my hair right now. Just so everybody knows because I thought I was irredeemably dirt-covered and would have to be a mud-ball for the rest of my life after the race on Saturday. Oh, look. It's the dirty girl in class. She fell too many times in mud puddles one day and never recovered. Worst nightmare.
The first 3 miles, the pack started out very quickly, so I settled into my own rhythm and finished the final 97 miles, at which point I left because I was done.
That’s the summary.
Just kidding.
Race morning, my crew and I awoke to torrential rains and thunderstorms that would continue on and off all day. It was an oddity to find myself on a starting line next to so many people I didn't know, but I have never raced in Texas. I found a spot next to great friend, Montrail's Jill Perry, and we were off, headlamps catching the sheets of rain to form illuminative sheaths at every step. Lightning turned the sky pink. I told approximately 40 people that I was overwhelmed by the beauty. Within thirty seconds of the start, I was offered a hearty greeting from Liza Howard. We were both fairly loquacious for the early morning. (Dear Coffee, thanks for making me more extroverted beyond my organic capacities. All the introverts of the world are nodding, silently.) And we exchanged introductions. Liza moved forward, and Jill and I had a chance to catch up between miles 15 and 35.
That first lap, we picked our way through mud pits and over roots, tripping often and enjoying our time on the trails. I say "we" because early in the day, it's still a shared endeavor. You're just running with friends. Later, it becomes a lonely pursuit, around the time when you hurt the most and need friends. I did have a pacer, though. His name was Michael Bublé, and when he sang, "I've had my run, and baby I'm done, I've got to go home," I totally understood, probably in a more robust sense than Michael did because he meant it metaphorically. Then I dropped my ipod in a mud puddle and said goodbye to my running partner.
Starting the run, I realized my legs didn't have the same zip that they typically do entering a run. I felt sort of lethargic and wondered if I had lifted too deep into my taper. I decided to just hang on and enjoy myself for the first 60 miles, not letting Liza slip too far out of sight. At 60 miles, I assumed, everyone else would feel similarly poor, and there would be 40 miles of racing. I didn't think a PR was possible, but I did show up to compete and would try to do that.
We ran, and we ran. I tripped a lot. I found a turtle. I looked for alligators because maybe Texas has them. People ran by and yelled, "Looking good!" I assumed they meant metaphysically because I didn't look like a part-time model, at least on the surface.
As the day went on, the presence of the 640 runners re-running the same wet loop made erosion a reality. There was one particular incline, where you would run up and slide back down so the net sum of your efforts was zero. It was like Sisyphus. I wished we had been pushing boulders up the hill to make it more real like in the story, but alas, we didn't get that opportunity. I like when the things I've read for homework become real life.
Sixty miles happened, and I thought that was really great because everybody else would feel bad like me then. At 61 miles, I took the lead...and held it for the rest of the day, uncontested. I later found out that several top runners had dropped, but at the time, I didn't know and still assumed I had a target on my back. Thus commenced 39 miles of paranoia. I ran conservatively and held onto an energy reserve in case someone should arise to challenge me. It was not a fast day, but sometimes, winning an ultramarathon is about survival and monitoring the forest for alligators and dropping Michael Bublé into a mud puddle.
The aid stations were marked by Texan hospitality, and volunteers did everything they could to make our experience enjoyable. I also had a fantastic crew. It was their first ultramarathon experience, but they were the most attentive, efficient crew I have ever had. Thank you so much, Littles, for everything.
Maybe you've never considered running 100 miles in Texas. I think you will after you see this, GIANT STATUE OF SAM HOUSTON. It's right alongside the highway. I am never leaving because I love Texas.
The best part of everything is that my feet are not swollen or battered by the weather. Often, I go buy new loafers after 100-milers, not because of any intrinsic connection between the two but because it always happens to be about the time when I need new loafers. I buy them too big because my feet are swollen, so then all of my loafers are half a size too big. But not this time. Thanks, DryMax and Inov-8. I've got normal feet.
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