Once again, I was honored to be on the voting panel for thee 2017 UltraRunner of the Year. And while the 2016 voting was challenging, this year was increasingly so. But that's the fun of it, right?!?
For example, how do you compare the year of Tim Tollefson versus what Hayden Hawks did in 2017?
Tim completed 3 Ultra Trail World Tour races with amazing results (a win at UltraTrail Australia, 3rd at UTMB, and 5th in Hong Kong, and well as a podium at a highly competitive domestic race (2nd at Speedgoat). He showed success at the 50k to 100+ mile distances. But, he only completed those 4 races, and DNFed American River 50 mile. Hayden Hawks had a major international win at CCC, and an amazing domestic performance with a win and course record Moab Red Hot, as well as a win at Red Mountain 50k which is a relatively small race. Add to that two other strong performances at highly competitive domestic races with a 2nd place at Chuckanut and 3rd at TNF-San Fransisco. Hayden had successes at the 50k to 100km distances. He raced more, but also had a few races where he struggled, with a 77th at Transvulcania and 81st at the World Trail Running Championships.
Now - looking at those two resumes of their years, which would you vote for over the other?
Hayden completed 7 races with 5 strong performances. Tim started 5 races, completing 4, yet the four that he completed were all strong performances. Tim showed successes over a larger range of distances (50k to 100+ miles), however Hayden showed successes over a wider range of terrain ranging from technical mountain (CCC) to runnable rolling (Moab Red Hot). Hayden had a MAJOR win at CCC, but Tim had a podium at UTMB and a win at UltraTrail Australia.
Which is more impressive? You could make an argument for either of them, depending on how you value different factors.
And, looking down the list of well respected runners, incredible performances, and diverse results for 2017, it was an exciting challenge to sort through it all. Add to that the challenge of selecting top performances, and top age graded performances - and it can be a daunting (but fun) endeavor.
So, as an engineer, I decided that the best way to be objective and calculated about it was to write out my criteria, give a point value for different types of performances, and then just add up the total points accumulated for each runner. This helped me weed through the 50+ names provided and ultimately determine who was my top 10 UltraRunner of the Year.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Complete Opposites - Hellgate 2017
I have been to the Hellgate 100k(+) race a few times now. First, in 2015 I ran the race during the warmest year imaginable - it was 60 degrees at the midnight start, and 80 degrees by the time I finished, nearly 15 hours later. For a December race that often boasts cold temperatures and that supplies heat guns at the aid stations to thaw out water bottles, I felt like I perhaps didn't get to run the true Hellgate experience. Then, in 2016 Brian decided to run and asked me to be his crew support. Brian got a more typical Hellgate experience, running through an overnight low of about 7 degrees and only warming to about 20 degrees by the finish.
This year, I decided to return, and even convinced my running buddy Kelsey Allen to join me. While neither of us were feeling particularly prepared, we were excited to have an adventure!
After a long drive down to the race site, we checked-in, organized gear (and drop bags), and caught a few hours sleep before our 10:30pm alarm clock. Some quick pre-race preparations, a ride to the starting line, and Kelsey and I were lining up for the 12:01am start. The temperature was hovering around 20 degrees, comfortable with
After a few moments, Kelsey and I found ourselves running together. I suspect she was using me to pace her in the early miles. Either way, it felt like a training run which was a great feeling. About 30 minutes into the race, we started to see snowflakes in the air - this could be an interesting run!
Kelsey and I continued to run together, and the snow continued to increase in pace to steady snow by 1am. We shared moments and miles with others, but somehow it was always us together. We didn't plan to run together, yet found comfort in sharing miles and stories along the way. The ridge from mile 8 to 20 was breezy and chilly - we kept warm by swapping stories and sharing news, as other than the two of us we are alone. Somehow, running by headlamp adds such an isolated and lonely feeling to the trails so I was grateful to have Kelsey by my side.
Leaving the mile 27 aid station, I recalled that I fell apart in the next section of trail in 2015. Kelsey helped keep me focused and keep my spirits up so I ran much stronger through the next 8 miles. It's amazing what good company (and chatter) can do! At some point, I realized that I was still running by headlamp miles farther than last time - what a great feeling!
As the sun rose, we realized how much snow had fallen. There were a few inches of accumulation, enough to make the leaves that much more slippery and to make the feet pretty darn wet. We basically walked a few downhills, as the leaves were mid-shin deep hiding ankle-biting rocks and the snow was only adding to the treachery. Luckily, we both stayed upright. We also thanked our lucky stars that the temperatures stayed in the 20s, because had it risen above freezing we would have had rain (or large, wet snowflakes that soak through your clothing). Never thought I'd be grateful for below freezing temperatures!
I felt particularly strong as we powered through mile 48, but then quickly started to fade by mile 52. I started shoving Sour Patch Kids by the handful into my mouth as my pace slowed over the rolling trails leading towards the mile 56 aid station. Kelsey did her best to motivate me and maintain forward progress. I could feel my legs shaking as my bonk increased. I stumbled over rocks, I tore up my knee, I struggled to stay upright and move forward. Even though the snow had stopped at this point, I was still running sloppy.
Through the last aid station, and all we had was a 3-mile climb and a 3-mile descent to the finish. Kelsey did her best to lead me out and keep me moving well - but we had a few females right on our tales. We pushed, and eventually Kelsey ran off ahead to maintain our 5th place finish. Almost immediately, Meghan Hicks caught up to me. We climbed the last mile to cross the Blue Ridge Parkway, and cruised towards the finish together. While I would have loved to finish this race with Kelsey (having shared 58 "Horton miles" with her), it was wonderful to run with Meghan and get to know her a bit. We gabbed, enjoyed the downhill cruise to the finish, and crossed the line together just under 14 hours.
Looking back, I can hardly believe that the last time I ran Hellgate, it was 80 degrees and this time it was 20s and snowing. I remember stopping in rivers to cool myself off and this time I cursed my luck as I slipped on a rock and submerged a foot (and a glove!). I was running in shorts and a tank top in 2015, this year I had on two layers of shirts and a windbreaker to stay warm. Overall, my 2015 memories were of overheating and of loneliness along the way. In 2017 I will remember the beauty of the snow throughout the day, and sharing nearly 14 hours with a great friend. Surprisingly, even with the challenging slippery conditions, I managed to improve by an hour over my previous finish - mainly due to the amazing company I had with Kelsey by my side.
What a great reminder what I love about this sport - sharing miles with friends, enjoying the beauty of the wilderness, and pushing your body along the way. Who knows what another Hellgate experience might bring!
This year, I decided to return, and even convinced my running buddy Kelsey Allen to join me. While neither of us were feeling particularly prepared, we were excited to have an adventure!
After a long drive down to the race site, we checked-in, organized gear (and drop bags), and caught a few hours sleep before our 10:30pm alarm clock. Some quick pre-race preparations, a ride to the starting line, and Kelsey and I were lining up for the 12:01am start. The temperature was hovering around 20 degrees, comfortable with
After a few moments, Kelsey and I found ourselves running together. I suspect she was using me to pace her in the early miles. Either way, it felt like a training run which was a great feeling. About 30 minutes into the race, we started to see snowflakes in the air - this could be an interesting run!
Kelsey and I continued to run together, and the snow continued to increase in pace to steady snow by 1am. We shared moments and miles with others, but somehow it was always us together. We didn't plan to run together, yet found comfort in sharing miles and stories along the way. The ridge from mile 8 to 20 was breezy and chilly - we kept warm by swapping stories and sharing news, as other than the two of us we are alone. Somehow, running by headlamp adds such an isolated and lonely feeling to the trails so I was grateful to have Kelsey by my side.
Leaving the mile 27 aid station, I recalled that I fell apart in the next section of trail in 2015. Kelsey helped keep me focused and keep my spirits up so I ran much stronger through the next 8 miles. It's amazing what good company (and chatter) can do! At some point, I realized that I was still running by headlamp miles farther than last time - what a great feeling!
As the sun rose, we realized how much snow had fallen. There were a few inches of accumulation, enough to make the leaves that much more slippery and to make the feet pretty darn wet. We basically walked a few downhills, as the leaves were mid-shin deep hiding ankle-biting rocks and the snow was only adding to the treachery. Luckily, we both stayed upright. We also thanked our lucky stars that the temperatures stayed in the 20s, because had it risen above freezing we would have had rain (or large, wet snowflakes that soak through your clothing). Never thought I'd be grateful for below freezing temperatures!
I felt particularly strong as we powered through mile 48, but then quickly started to fade by mile 52. I started shoving Sour Patch Kids by the handful into my mouth as my pace slowed over the rolling trails leading towards the mile 56 aid station. Kelsey did her best to motivate me and maintain forward progress. I could feel my legs shaking as my bonk increased. I stumbled over rocks, I tore up my knee, I struggled to stay upright and move forward. Even though the snow had stopped at this point, I was still running sloppy.
Through the last aid station, and all we had was a 3-mile climb and a 3-mile descent to the finish. Kelsey did her best to lead me out and keep me moving well - but we had a few females right on our tales. We pushed, and eventually Kelsey ran off ahead to maintain our 5th place finish. Almost immediately, Meghan Hicks caught up to me. We climbed the last mile to cross the Blue Ridge Parkway, and cruised towards the finish together. While I would have loved to finish this race with Kelsey (having shared 58 "Horton miles" with her), it was wonderful to run with Meghan and get to know her a bit. We gabbed, enjoyed the downhill cruise to the finish, and crossed the line together just under 14 hours.
Looking back, I can hardly believe that the last time I ran Hellgate, it was 80 degrees and this time it was 20s and snowing. I remember stopping in rivers to cool myself off and this time I cursed my luck as I slipped on a rock and submerged a foot (and a glove!). I was running in shorts and a tank top in 2015, this year I had on two layers of shirts and a windbreaker to stay warm. Overall, my 2015 memories were of overheating and of loneliness along the way. In 2017 I will remember the beauty of the snow throughout the day, and sharing nearly 14 hours with a great friend. Surprisingly, even with the challenging slippery conditions, I managed to improve by an hour over my previous finish - mainly due to the amazing company I had with Kelsey by my side.
What a great reminder what I love about this sport - sharing miles with friends, enjoying the beauty of the wilderness, and pushing your body along the way. Who knows what another Hellgate experience might bring!
Friday, November 17, 2017
Hot Chocolate Run - Supporting a great cause
You all know how passionate I am about running - it is my freedom, it is my sanity, it is my community. It may be hard to imagine, but not that long ago I felt lost, lonely, and depressed. Running, and the community that I found through running, helped turn things around for me - it helped me find an incredibly supportive community of friends, it helped me gain confidence, and has offered opportunities to explore the country (and even a few portions of the world!). I am so grateful for all that running has given me.
Again this year, I am trying to bring a larger impact with my running - through running the Hot Chocolate Run and fundraising for Safe Passage. Safe Passage is a local organization that supports victims of domestic violence. This is not a fundraising race where the funds disappear into some national account; they stay local and provide neighbors with the support and counseling they need in times of crisis. This is an opportunity for me to use my passion to create positive change in my community.
This will be my 12th time running the Hot Chocolate Run, and I hope to fundraise $500 for Safe Passage. I would really love to see my running help support positive change in my community.
So, if you're reading this and are so inspired, I appreciate anything that folks can give ($5, $10, whatever!). Either way, especially coming into the holidays, I would challenge everyone to try to find a way for your running to support change in your community!
Here is the link to my personal fundraising page: https://www.hotchocolaterun.com/give/?pid=147741
(If I raise over
$500, y'all can get me to run in another awesome outfit like this!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)