We have another guest post to share, from one of Matt’s runners, Daisy, who recently completed her first 100 mile race. We’ve also shared her White River 50 mile race report before and wanted to share yet another inspirational story, this time from her first 100 mile race. Daisy, we … Continue reading
If you can’t run it, crew it! Crewing for the 2016 UTMB race was a great experience, yet one that I couldn’t find much information on when Matt was preparing for the race this year. I wanted to share information on how we crewed for Matt, what stations we went … Continue reading
I am more prepared for this race than for any ultra marathon I have ever raced. I’ve run hundreds of miles on the course. I have done race-specific training like never before. I’ve been running with this god-awfully heavy pack of required gear for well over a month now. I’m … Continue reading
It’s an important question. Why do we run? It’s not often that we’re able to capture the emotions and feelings that truly answer that question, which is why we wanted to share a race report with you that does just that. One of Matt’s runners, Daisy, ran her first 50 … Continue reading
-Where did you run? – specific routes or areas Call me lame, I ran the same route both nights we were in Geneva, both times around Lake Geneva. I was also blown away by the place. Perhaps it’s because we had just spent two months in Mexico and Geneva … Continue reading
-Where did you run? – specific routes or areas Retiro Park – Within a half mile of our hotel and a determining factor in which hotel we chose for our two days in Madrid. We’ve run here before and finished a marathon in this area a few years back … Continue reading
-Where did you run? – specific routes or areas Right – In the hotel zone, you’re on a narrow swath of land with only two options, right or left. I went right (toward Cancun city center) on all but one of my runs. This proved to be my favorite of … Continue reading
-Where did you run? – specific routes or areas Parque 2000 – I literally ran here for all 70 miles while in Queretaro. I ran the 4+ kilometers too and from our airbnb place in the central historic district on some of the days and on others we took an … Continue reading
-Where did you run? – specific routes or areas Trails just outside of town. On day one I ran with new friend David on a 5k loop just outside of town. There was minimal climbing, but that was on purpose because he was tapering for a 100k a couple days … Continue reading
“Lets do this” the email from the race director said, capping off a wild Thursday, full of new adventure plans concocted by David and me. And while battling conflicted feelings, Julie could not help but admit that this was one of those life opportunities presenting itself to us, we just … Continue reading
What happened? I literally went from feeling like I was “putting on a clinic” – this was the actual thought going through my mind at mile 80, to “this might be the worst suffering at a finish I can ever recall”. I haven’t even wanted to write about this, let … Continue reading
“This sucks!” “It definitely sucks!” responded Dave. We both then smiled and laughed. It wasn’t a “this is hilarious” kind of laugh, it was more of a “we’ve done everything we can and all we can do now is laugh” kind of laugh. We were more than fifty miles into … Continue reading
On attempt #7, I have finally run what I believe is my most complete 100 mile race. I was running the entire time minus a few steep and rocky climbs. I didn’t bonk, I didn’t blow up, and I stayed positive throughout. There was no notorious death march. Western States … Continue reading
Why LA? From the moment I stepped outside on November 30th, 2014, into a brisk, 27 degree morning in Seattle, awaiting the start of the Seattle Marathon, I thought to myself, “Damn, I need to find a warmer marathon.” I had signed up for the marathon back in October, when … Continue reading
I’ll start with the facts of the story as I know them: 16:26.42 to complete the 100 mile course at Rocky Raccoon 2015 18th place overall, 8th male in the USATF Trail Championship race Best 100 miler I’ve raced yet. Course is five twenty mile loops on rolling, rooty, soft … Continue reading
Wow. I got worked by the Run Rabbit Run 100 miler. I’m really happy with the results. I know I can race in the mountains now and given a few simple twists of fate, I think I can and should be much more competitive in years to come in mountain … Continue reading
It’s my birthday today, and strangely, I’m at home in my living room, and not on a trail or out adventuring. For the past three birthdays I’ve had the good fortune of being in the midst of unique life adventures, and this year, we missed the mark by a day. … Continue reading
This season I’ve moved away from tracking my training on urbyville and have instead begun using a Google Docs spreadsheet to log my miles. I’ve included the link here for anyone interested in following my training. I’ve also left the spreadsheet open for comments, should someone be so inclined. … Continue reading
Here are some of the changes/improvements my racing strategies for ultra distance trail races have undergone this past season. It’s a constant game of minimizing suffering, maximizing performance, and setting myself up to get the most from my abilities on race day. I’m sure there will be plenty more changes, … Continue reading
The Fat Dog race had a homey, low key vibe that was ideal for what I was looking for. Waiting in the bathroom line before the start of the 70 miler a local who had run the race in a previous year said that the people that come to this … Continue reading
My White River 50 race results made perfect logical sense to me, but I still felt like crying as I neared the road at Buck Creek near the finish line. I mustered a smile, I kept running, felt the emotions swell up again, and kept pushing toward the line for … Continue reading
My racing season so far this year can be characterized by one word: sluggish. I haven’t exactly filled up the calendar, but out of the few races I’ve run, including the Chuckanut 50k and the Gorge 100k, I barely managed to keep my pride during one race and DNF’d in … Continue reading
After taking a few days to regroup and recover from the Gorge Waterfall 100k, it is time to reflect on the experience and as I do, numbers flood my head. Here are the eleven most memorable numbers from this uniquely brutal race: 1:45(am): The time we had to wake up … Continue reading
I recently read a Runner’s World article by Lauren Fleshman titled, “How to Injure Yourself Like a Pro,” where she comically spelled out all the bad training and racing habits that led her to injuries, burnout, and unsuccessful racing. I thought about the article today as I tried to sift … Continue reading
A curious guy walking around Green Lake asked me, “What are you all doing? I see you wearing race bibs, what’s going on?” I excitedly told him that it was Dizzy Daze and that whoever ran the most laps (3.2 miles each lap) around the lake in 12 hours was … Continue reading
As part of my training for the upcoming Tahoe 200 in September, I’m letting all my failures and weaknesses materialize in race settings before Tahoe so that I can continually improve and hopefully arrive at the 200 as a strong, mentally tough, well-prepared runner. I would say that mission was accomplished … Continue reading
After dealing with injury after injury, going to doctors, and taking time off I’m trying a new tactic and simply getting back at it. I’m not fully healed but it’s time to start going again with hope that my sore spots will gradually go away as I get back into a normal … Continue reading
Training has been an absolute train wreck since mid-January when my lower leg issues started. I’ve tried to be proactive throughout, staying on top of the injuries and diagnosing them as well as I can. I rested for two weeks before RR100 and had MRIs done on my left leg/foot … Continue reading
Sunday, March 16: Off, recovery day Ran the Chuckanut 50k yesterday and taking today off. Not very sore at all, so that’s a good sign. A little pain around my ankles and lower legs because of all the technical terrain, but otherwise, I should be able to run tomorrow. Saturday, … Continue reading
2/19/14: 40 minutes Easy Run Ran with a group from Seven Hills at 7pm around Magnolia. It was a Pearl Izumi demo night so everyone was running in PI’s. My left foot is still hurting but is gradually getting better. My foot is currently its best on hard, even surfaces. I got … Continue reading
The weekend really was a good experience and I’m so glad we were able to be part of the Rocky Raccoon 100 in Huntsville, Texas once again. It does indeed suck to DNF and to not finish what I started. However, this was a good experience for me and … Continue reading
Friday, February 28: Easy, 50 minutes Again, shocked myself by waking up at 5 to hop on the treadmill at 5:10am. Felt way better than yesterday and was entertained by a movie on the TV. Best treadmill run ever with distractions! Thursday, February 27: Easy, 50 minutes Easy on the … Continue reading
All was moving along swimmingly leading up to my first 100 miler since the CDT hike. I won both of my recent local 50ks and I had a solid showing at the Seattle Marathon in December. Then the mystery pain started. Two weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon after an … Continue reading
There’s a new kid on the block, a new race in town, and that is the Tahoe 200. Yep, 200 miles around Lake Tahoe, all in one go, with a 100 hour cutoff time, and we’re running it. This epic event will take place September 5-9 (wow, never written down … Continue reading
We didn’t even know if this event was going to happen. As we all stood under tents like little sheep staying dry from the rain, waiting to hear the word, the thought of the race being cancelled had never actually crossed my mind. Then the race director, after nearly half … Continue reading
1/26/14 I took a few days off hoping my leg would feel better. I haven’t needed any pain meds the past couple days and didn’t take any before this workout. First lap into the warm up I felt a pinpoint pain in my outer lower right leg. I took it … Continue reading
I am once again on a team and I think I’ve landed on a really good one. I have joined forces with Seven Hills Running Shop in the Magnolia neighborhood in Seattle and with owner Phil Kochik. While my past running groups have been more focused on the speed of … Continue reading
New year, new month, new racing season. It’s time to keep track of my runs more consistently, so this is my attempt. Friday, January 31: Off Flew to Texas for the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler. Had intentions of getting to the race course by 4 for the race briefing, but … Continue reading
The idea of quality over quantity is by no means a new approach to training. However, as I often do, I’m taking it to a bit of an extreme. How extreme? I am generally running three quality days per week and unless there is a social run, usually with the … Continue reading
12/31/13 Closed out the year with a bang with a strong track workout. As with most days when an interval session is planned, I didn’t want to do this workout upon waking up this morning. I wasn’t sure which specific workout I was even going to do until the car … Continue reading
First road marathon in 1.5 years and it felt awesome. I’m pumped to be back, I’m pumped to be racing well, and I’m still feeling the buzz 10 days later! Why have I waited so long to race again? After my ambitious 2012 racing schedule that included 11 road marathons … Continue reading
Matt and I spent the better part of yesterday in 40 degree temps, intermittent rain, and gusty winds, and had a blast (nearly) the entire time. Ourselves and 700 other runners toed the starting line for a trail race about twenty miles outside of Seattle in Issaquah, Washington, the Grand … Continue reading
While Matt’s race report is titled, “I Didn’t Walk,” my race report speaks of another victory, perhaps not as admirable as running a fast time in addition to running the entire course, but just as important in races such as ultramarathons. To sum up this past weekend’s Ice Age 50 … Continue reading
My biggest accomplishment at the Ice Age 50 mile race this past weekend was that I ran the entire 50 mile race without walking. There are other aspects of the race that I’m happy about as well, but in my progression as an ultra runner, this feat of continuing to … Continue reading
This is it, my last few weeks of training prior to switching from running to walking. With our upcoming 100+ day hike of the CDT on the horizon, I have only one more race on 5/11 in Wisconsin to prepare for. After the WI race, I simply want to stay … Continue reading
Since we’ll be hiking the CDT this summer, I won’t be running or racing again until the Fall, which is fine by me. I’m looking forward to the break in running and hoping that the strength my legs get from hiking will be helpful for running later. Monday-Wednesday, 5/20-5/22 40 … Continue reading
Tuesday 4/30/2013 Finished the month well with a 46 minute run at the Reservoir on my own. It was beautiful and sunny, windy – but when isn’t it windy at the Reservoir? I did 6 x 30 second strides about 30 minutes into the run and felt fast and fresh. … Continue reading
Tuesday, 4/30 Off. Felt a twinge in my right achilles yesterday while walking around and I’m not taking any chances with the race and the CDT coming up. Tried running but stopped after 10 minutes and just walked for another 40 minutes. Will probably just walk the next few days to … Continue reading
My mantra during the 50 Mile Land Between the Lakes trail race yesterday was simple, “Keep it together.” I didn’t want to fall, I didn’t want to blow up late in the race, I wanted to run as much as possible of the course, and most of all, I wanted … Continue reading
I kept it together mentally and physically, I ran the entire 50 mile course, and I won my first ever ultra marathon at the 2013 Land Between the Lakes 50 miler in southern Kentucky yesterday. My background as a runner started on the track, eventually moved to the roads and … Continue reading
