Friday, October 20, 2023

 

Jurynec Ultra Coaching


After years of coaching (only by word of mouth), I have decided to open up my coaching services to the community. I have almost 20 years of experience running ultras, including wins at the Bear, Zion, and Superior (all results here). I take an integrated approach to making you a better, stronger runner. 

Please reach out to me if you are interested. We will discuss your goals and come  up with a plan to get you there.  



Friday, October 27, 2017

Superior 100 Race Report

2017 Superior 100 

Pre race photo - Ian Corless
Me and the crew boss. Photo - Jen

Me: Any sections that are particularly difficult? Dan: No. It’s just relentless.

That was the abbreviated version of a text conversation I had a few weeks before the race with a friend who lives in MN and has run Superior. Not surprising given the motto of the race is ‘Rugged, Relentless and Remote’. More on this later, but needless to say it’s a spot on description of the race.

The photo below sums up my race day. Yes, it was indeed Rugged and Relentless!

The finish. Photo- Jen

The Superior 100 has been on my short list of races to run ever since I finished my first 100 (Wasatch) in 2010. Superior is often on the same weekend as Wasatch and a few weeks before the Bear, so it has always eluded my schedule.  It’s one of the original 100 mile trail races and sports some 21,000 feet of elevation gain almost entirely on single track. Check out photos here!

I purposely didn't race too much this summer so I wouldn't have a lot of post-race recovery time. I ran the Antelope Island 50k in March, Squaw Peak 50 mile in June, and the Mid Mountain Marathon in August. I had a really good time training through the spring and summer, getting quality workouts and long runs in. I knew that even with 21, 000 feet of elevation gain that there was going to be a lot of runnable terrain so the last few months I focused on sustained running workouts. I stayed healthy and by August I was mentally and physically ready for Superior.

Race day started out sunny and cool, but that quickly changed to warm and humid (at least for what I’m used to) as the sun got higher in the sky. I knew from reading about the course that there was going to be a lot of water and mud, but for the first 20 or so miles I was constantly stepping in sloppy mud puddles. I was soaked from sweat, mud, and water! Despite the humidity and wet feet, I rolled into the second aid station where I saw my crew (Jen, Mara, my dad, and Kirk) for the first time feeling completely at ease and in a great mood.
Feeling good early on


 
Pretending to run in front of the camera
It was after this section that I started to notice how rocky and full of roots the trail really was. We got a bit of a reprieve from all the mud and water, but now I was soaking wet with sweat, and unlike what I’m used to, I never dried out. My shirt was soaked and heavy and my feet felt like I stayed in the bathtub way too long.

I slowed down a bit from Silver Bay to Tettegouche knowing that I didn't want to push too hard in the heat. I felt ok making my way from Tettegouche to County Road 6, but on the steep descent to the aid station I started noticing that the bottoms of my feet were getting tender and I was moving really slow and cautious on the down hills. I got to Country Road 6 where I changed shirts, got refueled, and took off.

The next section to Finland was gorgeous and mentally I was feeling great, but all the running and constant up and down without any real sustained sections was wearing on me. That and my feet were really starting to bother me. I arrived at Finland and sat for a handful minutes and probably complained about my feet and the course having too much running. I got up and slowly made my way to Sonju Lake.

It started to cool off here and that always helps my running, but I thought that it was only 4.2 miles to the aid and it was actually 7.5. Not good for my mental state. I grabbed a light and some food from my drop bag and worked my way to Crosby Manitou aid station enjoying that it was finally getting dark.

I was feeling pretty beat up at this point and knew that I just had to keep moving. My feet were getting worse and any sort of downhill reduced me to a slow shuffle. I got a second wind running up to Sugarloaf where Kirk and Jen met me once again. Kirk decided to run with me to the next aid station. It was uplifting to have him along.

The next few sections were really hard – it was so difficult to run any sort of downhill even though I felt good mentally and was having no problems eating food. The only recurrent thought that I had was that I wished the race, some 20+ miles still, was all uphill to the finish. I slogged my way to the last aid station where Jen and Kirk were again waiting for me. Kirk asked if I wanted him to run with me to the finish and I was excited that he would join me. Having him along for that last section made me push the pace way faster that I would have if I was alone. Towards the end we saw a few people presumably hiking up to meet their runners and it started making me nervous that I was going to get caught. So once we passed over the Temperance River, I pushed it as hard as I could to the finish where Jen was waiting for us.
Coming into County Road 6. I don't think we look to upbeat!

At least I have a dry shirt on.

I finished in 23:42:45 – good for 6th place overall. The second slowest I’ve ever run a 100 (only Hardrock has been slower). This might have been one of the hardest times I've had during a 100 mile race, although my 2 Western States runs might be comparable! I knew going into the race that it was going to be hard – it definitely didn't play to my strengths, which are long ups and down, but I prepared well and felt like I could run a good race.

In hindsight there’s not too much I would have done differently. My training was good and I had no stomach (thanks Electro-Bites!) issues the entire day. The only thing I should have done was to change shoes at 2-3 times during the run. My feet were a major problem starting somewhere around mile 40. I failed to appreciate how hard it was on my feet to be wet for almost 24 hours straight without any chance to dry out. Wet feet combined with the constant technical (rocks and roots) nature of the trail ate up my feet and it was just something that I’m not used to living in Utah. Everything dries so fast here.   

Superior is an awesome race. The course is beyond spectacular – almost entirely all on single track through the woods. This is something that we just don’t get out west. John Storkamp and his crew put on one most well organized and supported race I've done. Thanks! People were super friendly, volunteers were amazing, and crew access is second to none. I’m so glad that I had the chance to run Superior. There aren't many 100s that want to run again, but Superior has quickly become one of my favorites. I will be putting my name in the lottery again for next year! I’d like to say that this is a hidden jewel of a race, but clearly Midwest/East coasters already know what I only recently discovered.

A special thanks to Jen, Mara, my dad, and Kirk for all their support before and during the race.

Thanks for Fuel 100 Electro-Bites for keeping me fueled during my training and racing. Andrea and Michelle are great and have a unique fueling alternative to sweet gus and gels. Thanks to Altra for continuing to make zero drop shoes.

All photos without a credit came from the Superior 100 website photos
     
       

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Bear 100 - 2015 and 2016



The Bear 100 – 2016 Edition

Centerfold of the December 2015 Edition of Ultrarunner Magazine. Feeling good early on in the race. Photo: Myke Hermsmeyer. Thanks to UR Magazine for the photo.
 
Before I go into the 2016 Bear, I need to recap the 2015 edition since I hadn’t posted anything about my run. I went into last year’s race with very little pressure or expectation on myself – I started the race simply to try and have fun day in the mountains and minimize any head/feet/stomach issues that might arise during the day. I wanted to stay within a relatively easy pace through Logan River (mile 68) and then I see how I felt at that point than then decide how my day was going to end.

It was a hot day and I was managing the heat well and running comfortably all day. Jen and Mara were crewing for me and I was in and out of aid stations quickly. After a long climb out of Temple Fork (mile 45), I felt relaxed and energized running into Tony Grove (mile 52). The next section to Franklin Basin (mile 62) is my favorite part of the course – It’s scenic and involves a little climbing, but most of the running is a mix of technical and smooth single track. I arrived at Franklin again feeling great and stopped for a few minutes to see Mara and Jen. Before I started the race I asked Jen not to tell me how many people were in front of me or how I was doing compared to previous year’s splits. But as I was leaving Jen told me the first place guy had just left the aid station. What? I asked how many people were in that group. She said, no, THE first place guy just left. One guy. That’s it. I was surprised since I was sure that there were at least 5 people in front of me. As soon as I left the aid station, I said to myself, I guess it’s time to start racing.

I caught the lead guy a few minutes out of the aid station and we chatted for a few minutes. I then took off at a good clip up the steep climb. The flight or fight response kicked in, my heart rated soared, and I was determined not to let anyone catch me even though I knew that there were several very fast guys behind me. I would push the next 35 miles as hard as I could with the assumption that a handful of guys were right behind me.

I arrived at Logan River (mile 68), downed a can of coke and took off. I ran most of the climb up Peterson Hollow and flew down to Beaver Mountain (mile 75) just before 8:30pm. I loaded up for the last 25 and told Jen that I feel great – food was going down well and my feet and legs felt fresh.

The last 25 miles were stressful and invigorating, yet they were uneventful - I was all alone with no one in front of me. I had no stomach issues and my body felt great. I had no idea how close anyone was behind me, so I just kept pushing all the way until the end. I finished in 1st in 19:01:07.

It was a special day for so many reasons including having my wife and daughter crew for me. 

Finished!
Award ceremony with RD's Leland Barker and Errol Jones
 


The 2016 Bear 100

The Bear is one of my favorite races – The course is difficult with a good mix of big climbs, technical single track, some fast terrain, and unpredictable weather. These are a few of the reasons I’ve started the Bear for the past 6 years. 2016 was my 5th finish.

Just as last year, I went into the race with no other intention than having a fun day in the mountains. I was running sans crew this year as Jen and Mara stayed home due to the weather forecast, which called for rain, snow, and cold temps through midday Saturday.

We started off and once we hit the trail there was a group of about 10-15 guys that were in front of me. Within 10-15 minutes, it started pouring and wouldn’t stop until well after I finished the race. It was going to be a long, wet, and muddy day. The only thing I was focusing on was staying relatively warm throughout the day.  

Photo: Nan Schmid

Photo: Nan Schmidt


I took it easy all the way through Temple Fork and ran into the aid station with Ryan Weibel. At this point he and I were in the lead with several people a few minutes behind us. I was feeling good and eating a lot due to the cold weather. I grabbed a few things out of my drop bag and headed up the long sloppy climb to Tony Grove. I was climbing well and thought that I would put some time on the people behind us. As I arrived at Tony Grove (now just over the halfway point since the course had been changed to an out and back) Ryan was leaving and a few minutes in front of me. He looked like he was moving well. Another few minutes of digging stuff out of my drop bag and I was on the move again. Maybe 2-3 minutes out of the aid station the first woman (now 3rd overall) came flying by me along with several other guys who weren’t far behind. I guess everyone else was climbing as well as me! It was a super fun descent back to Temple Fork – We were running down in what felt like 6 inches of sloppy mud. 

 

Photo: Sunaad Nataraju‎
 
I got to the next aid station (Spawn Creek) and Ryan was leaving just as I arrived. I made the gradual ascent along the creek trying to run, but the mud was so sticky and heavy that it just didn’t make any sense so I kept up a good hiking pace. I got to the gravel road and looked back and the first place woman was a few minutes behind me.

I picked up the pace on the descent into Right Hand Fork and again saw Ryan leaving a few minutes ahead of me. Once again I saw the first place woman just as I was about to start the long climb up Ricks Canyon. She was the only one I saw, so I figured I had at least put a few minutes on the group of guys behind me. Again, I decided to try and push the pace on the climb to see if I could put some distance on the people behind me. This was the last time I would see anyone behind me. The climb felt really long and I managed to catch Ryan and his pacer Barry at the top of the climb.

We chatted a bit and made the descent into Cowley Canyon. We talked about how well the woman behind us was running and that we should work together to put some space between us and the rest of the field. I think I jokingly said that if it comes down to it, we’ll sprint it out on the last block to the finish line for the win!

Over the next 25 or so miles Ryan, Barry and I constantly pushed each other to move a bit faster, eat a bit more and not slow down. It really seems that Ryan and I were complementing each other – he would be moving a bit faster in sections when I was slowing down and vice versa. I’ve come to enjoy running 100’s without a pacer, especially at night. That said, the constant conversation of architecture, travel, kids, etc. between the 3 of us made the miles fly by.

We arrived at Leatham Hollow, stocked up and made our way up the last significant climb of the race. It started to snow and get frigid at the top. As we crested the summit, all 3 of us clearly needed to get down to lower elevation fast. I was soaking wet and starting to really get cold for the first time all day. We slowly made our way down the rocky, loose, wet, ATV trail to the last aid station. We stopped for a few minutes to get some warm liquids in us, but all of us started to shiver and decided to make the final 6 mile push of rolling Bonneville Shoreline Trail back to the finish. We didn’t say much and I think we all knew that we weren’t going to get caught. We simply moved to well over the last 30-35 miles for anyone to catch us at this point. We hit the road and savored the last mile or so before the finish line. Ryan and I finished as co-winners in 19:33:30. 

 
Final Descent. Photo: Bryan Schlinkmann
 
Thanks to Leland and crew for putting on such a great race and all the volunteers who sat in the cold and wet weather all day and night to support the runners.

Thanks to Fuel100 for their support and making Electro-Bites. It’s nice to have a unique non-sweet source of fuel. 

Thanks to Altra for shoes. 

Thanks to those who let me use their photos.

RD Leland Barker.



Thursday, July 17, 2014

2014 Hardrock 100 Endurance Run: Race Report by Mick Jurynec



2014 Hardrock 100 Endurance Run

Time: 28:28:54, 8th place overall.

http://hardrock100.com/


Fuel: Fuel100 Electro-Bites (Salty Vanilla and Apple Cinnamon) and CarbBoom! Gels (Grape Pomegranate) – Way too many to count. 

Summary:
I had as close to a perfect run (for me) as I’ve ever had at a 100 mile race.  The only other performance comparable to this was my first 100, the 2010 Wasatch 100.  Given my level of fitness, which was good, having only seen ~ 10 miles of the course, and living at 5000 feet above sea level, I can’t complain too much about my run at the 2014 Hardrock. 
  
http://hardrock100.com/

What worked:
Not having any goal/splits besides finishing.  From Burrows Park to the Finish I didn’t even have a watch.  All my best races have been this way. 

Going out 1 week before race day – I have no doubt this helped me above 11,000 feet on race day.

Heat training – Great for overall fitness and increasing lean muscle mass.

Easy pace – I kept the climbs and descents easy all the way to Telluride.

Pacers out in front instead of following me– I had Kirk and Jen stay in front of me like a rabbit.  I’ve never used pacers this way before and it worked well.

Training with wet feet all spring – My feet were wet for 28+ hours and I had no foot problems.

Lots of shoes.  Ready for all the water.
Fueling with a combo of Electro-Bites and CarbBoom! – I never really got sick of gels because I mixed in the salty Electro-Bites early on in the race.      

I never got lost, but did spend ~10-15 minutes looking for markers over the entire run.

What didn’t work:
Not much. 

I would have liked to see the entire course before the race.  I only previewed ~10 miles before hand.  Knowing the course from Sherman to the Finish would have been really valuable.  That said, I truly enjoy running a course I’ve never seen before.    

Humidity – The humidity was hard on me through the midday hours.


Here’s the long version broken down into sections between aid stations.
Getting to Silverton:
I’m lucky when it comes to ultra lotteries – I got in on my first try at Western States and both Jen (1st time) and I (2nd time) were picked for the 2013 Hardrock 100.  Jen pulled out because Mara was due right around the race date and I gave up my spot the Wednesday before the race.  So no Hardrock in 2013, but we had a beautiful little girl a few weeks after the race. 

I had a plate put in my toe in early November and I had done zero exercise besides hangboarding leading up to the WS and HR lotteries, which were being held on the same day.  I REALLY wanted to get back to WS after a poor run in 2012, but was also excited to give HR a go.  I didn’t get picked for WS and as soon as I switched over to the HR lottery, I saw my name pop up on the Twitter feed.  Silverton here we come!  Unfortunately, Jen didn’t have any HR luck this year. 

Course preview- Gouse to Handies
I finally started walking again at the end of December and my recovery went extremely well.  I built up slowly and had a good run at the Zion 100k.  Although I wasn’t in great shape, the plate in my toe didn’t explode and I was confident that it would be ok start ramping up the training for HR. 

A relaxed crew!
After I built a good base, I went right into specific training for HR.  This meant all vert with very few long flatish or long road runs.  My staple weekly long run was about 23-28 miles with about 11,500 feet of gain.  I worked on hiking fast and busting my quads on the descents.  Once the end of June came around, I felt fit and not over trained – which has been a bit of a problem for me in the past.

Silverton:
Even though I live at 5000 feet above sea level and got a number of good runs in between 8,000-11,000 feet, I decided that I might not have another opportunity to run HR again for many years, so I headed out to Silverton 8 days before the race to try and acclimate to the high elevation in the San Juan Mountains.  The first 36 hours were hard as I had a throbbing headache while checking out various parts of the course.  I felt better over the next several days and spent most of my days between 12-14,000 feet and slept around 11,500 feet.  I felt really good leading up to the race, slept well, and was excited to see my crew (Jen, Mara, Rebecca, Kirk, and my dad) on the Wednesday before the race.  
Panoramic shot on top of Handies

The Hardrock 100:
I had a good night of sleep and was up shortly after 4am.  We headed down to Silverton from Red Mountain Pass and checked in.  There was so much energy at the start line, especially with all the buzz about the huge number of fast guys running this race.  Dale Garland gave us the final count down and we were off. 
The Start.  Matt Trappe photo.

Start to KT (split – 2:43 – 1*):    *= Number after split time is time spent at the aid station 
It was humid and wet.  I kept an easy pace and told myself that I would walk all the ups and only run the flat (yeah, flat! right) and downhill sections.  This was a long climb and despite sweating a ton, I was in a great mood.  At the top of the first climb I was running with Jeason Murphy and Ted Mahon.  I slipped a handful of times on the wet and slick tundra and ended up on my back more than once – I was caked in mud and felt like a pig in shit.  Good thing we had many streams to cross.  We arrived at the KT aid station and I was in and out just ahead of Jeason and Ted. 

Easy going early on.
KT to Chapman (split – 1:41 - 2):
After a short climb, I traversed a bit and felt like I was running strong with an easy effort.  I saw a few runners ahead of me, but didn’t care one way or the other.  There were tons of spectators ringing bells and cheering on the trail leading up to the climb past the iconic Island Lake to Grant Swamp Pass.  At one point before the pass someone had an airplane/drone that was flying above us probably taking photos.  Cool.  I managed to catch up to Jared Campbell and Stewart Air just before the pass.  The descent off Grant Swamp is full on scree running at its best.  I watched Jared descend and decided to take a slightly different line – more scree and less pebbles/mud.  We descended into Chapman Gulch on a superb single track without much fanfare. 

Chapman to Telluride (split – 2:26 - 3):
This was the hardest climb of the day for me.  It was hot and humid out of Chapman and the pitch of the climb felt like it kicked back quite a bit – it was about 3000 feet in 3.2 miles.  Once we got above tree line, the air cooled off a bit a breeze kicked up.  CarbBOOM! and Electro-Bites continued to go down well, but I was getting really thirsty and drinking a lot of water.  I made it over Oscar’s and dropped into the stunning Wasatch Basin above Telluride.  This section was one of two spots that were my favorite on the course.  The descent in Telluride was amazing - open meadows with tons of wild flowers and nice single track trail.  As you drop the canyon gets steep and narrow and the air gets heavier and hotter.  Felt great all the way down to Telluride and managed to fill up my water bottle a few times at stream crossings, which helped keep me cool and hydrated. 

Telluride to Kroger (split – 2:01 - 1):
I was psyched to get into Telluride since this was first place I would see my crew- Jen, Mara, Rebecca, Kirk, and my dad.  They provided a flawless transition for me and I was off through town and on my way up to what’s called the ‘highest aid station in ultrarunning’ – Kroger’s Canteen.  Same as the last climb – hot, humid, and slow until I got above tree line.  I tried to start pushing the pace a bit here, but that wasn’t happening.  Just before Virginius Pass (13,100 feet), I pulled over to have a gel and let Jared and Ted go by.  I started the traverse over to Kroger’s and couldn’t figure out where all the noise was coming from.  There were steeps peaks all over except a small pass that was no more than 12-15 feet wide.  This was Kroger’s. 
  
Heading out of Chapman Aid Station.  Denver Post Photo.
Kroger to Govenor (split – 0:32 - 2):
What an aid station!  You have to Google it to get a good idea as to the setting.  As I look down the next 1000 foot descent covered in snow and I asked ‘What do I do? Slide down on my ass?’  That got a good laugh and the response was, ‘Only if you want to lose your ass!’  So I used the fixed rope to work my way down the first pitch and then ‘skied’ the next 2 down to the Virginius Mine.  I ran down the road to the Governer Basin aid station with Shane Martin and he gave me a quick update on the front runners.

Coming into Telluride and looking for sugaaarmoma's!  Thanks for the great video, John Sharp.
Govenor to Ouray (split – 1:11 – 7):
I drank almost a liter at the aid station and filled up my pack.  The next section was ~11 miles on a dirt road.  I felt great and opened it up here.  I’m not sure what my pace was, but it felt fast.  I caught up to and passed Jared and was close to catching Ted and someone else in front of him, but I had to back off because all that water wasn’t emptying from my stomach.  Way to much sloshing around in the gut.  This caused me to walk for a bit before I was able to pick it up to a SLOW run again.  I worked my way slowly into Ouray to see my crew.  I got excited to see them again and I was ready to pick up Jen for her first pacing duty of the day – Ouray to Grouse. 
I spent a few minutes eating and gearing up for the next long section.  This was also the only place during the race where I made a shoe change.  In hindsight, I wouldn’t have changes shoes here.  It was nice to put on dry socks and shoes, but surprisingly my feet weren’t bothered by being wet the past 12 hours.  This was probably due to the fact that I trained all year with wet feet and that the Altra Olympus is the most comfortable shoe I’ve ever worn.  To help them drain a little better, I used nail to poke 6 holes around the base of the shoe.  I think this helped. 

Ouray to Engineer (split – 2:40 - 1):
It was hot leaving Ouray and Jen and I mostly walked our way to the Bear Creek Trailhead. She tried to get me to run some of the short downhill and flat sections, but my stomach still wasn’t emptying well.  We made our way up the shale switchbacks and got onto the trail that was cut out of the rock by the miners. This was my other favorite part of the course.  There was solid rock on your left, a narrow single track trail, and then a ~500 foot drop off to the bottom of Bear Creek on your right.  Not so scary going up, but I was imagining what this section might be like in a counter clockwise year.  Catching a toe might result in a not so favorable outcome.  As we steadily worked our way up the trail it started cooling off and the volumes of food/water in my stomach started to go down.  A handful of miles from the trailhead, we passed a sick looking Tim Olson who was sitting off to the side of the trail.  Jen set a great pace out in front and I was so looking forward to dusk and the idea of running all night under a full moon.  We arrived at the Engineer Aid station, thanked the volunteers, and continued to Engineer Pass. 
Refueling at Ouray.  Jen ready to crack the whip.
    
Engineer to Grouse (split – 1:39 – 5):
I was getting a second wind as the sun was going down and it was starting to get cool for once.  We saw a few people working their way up to the pass and noticed that we were catching one of them.  As we got closer it turned out to be an injured Joe Grant.  He pulled a muscle and was trying to get down to Grouse to call it quits.  I’m not sure how, but he found someone with a mountain bike and he was going to ride his way down the road to Grouse.  Just as Jen and I crested Engineer Pass Road it started to drizzle.  It felt so good.  It would rain (hard and soft) for the next 6+ hours.  The run down to Grouse was pleasant and a few miles down the thunder and lightning show started, but the storm was heading west (opposite of Handies) and the lightning was never that close to us.  We made one stop to put on rain jackets and headlamps – it was now getting dark and it was pouring down on us.  We were both soaked, but our pace quickened as we got to the Grouse Aid station. 
 
Grouse to Burrows (split – 3:17 – 1):
At Grouse they told us that the storm cell was moving back east over Handies.  Great.  Just the direction I was heading and I was going to be alone for the next 14.5 mile stretch from Grouse to Sherman.  My dad and Kirk resupplied me and I grabbed some extra clothes just in case I had to hunker down for a bit.  The rain slightly let up and I started the long push up to American-Grouse Pass and then the final stretch up to the highest point on the course, Handies Peak at 14,048 feet.  As I started up the initial switchback I saw a few headlamps coming towards me.  It was Dakota Jones and his pacer heading back to Grouse to call it quits.  He had some ankle issue.  The rain and cool weather really refreshed me and I made good time up Grouse.  I also had quite a few rabbits in front of me.  It was hard to tell for sure, but it looked as though there were 4-6 other groups in front of me.  The lightning was never that close to me except for one strike.  I made a habit of seeing the lightning and then counting one-one hundred, two-one hundred, etc.  Most were well into the 6’s, but just before I got to the pass I was startled by a flash that was only a second away.  Yikes.  That was the last flash that was anywhere near me for the rest of the storm.  I got to the American-Grouse Pass and saw that there were 5 groups making their way up Handies.  The rain had all but gone away and I pushed hard up to the summit of Handies.  Just as I got to the peak clouds rolled in, it got cold, and I didn’t waste any time getting down.  As I started my descent the rain picked up again and it was slow going over the rough, loose, and slick terrain off Handies going into Grizzly Gulch.  The rain was coming down pretty hard and the more it rained and the cooler I got and the better I felt.  I wore shorts, a t-shirt, and an ultralight rain jacket.  It was the perfect amount of clothes.  The single track into Burrows Park Aid station was soaked and slick.  I slipped a few times and almost snapped my poles so I slowed down a bit even though I had almost caught a pair of lights that were moving in and out of the trees.  I made my way to Burrows Park Aid station.
Dad after a white knuckle drive over Cinnamon Pass.
   
Burrows to Sherman (split – 0:42 - 9):
At the aid station Darcy Piceu was there with her pacer and I overheard them talking about how cold she was.  I grabbed cup of Sprite and as I was leaving one of the volunteers told me I was in 10th place!  I hadn’t asked all day and this was the first time I learned where I was in the standings.  Knowing this gave me a needed kick in the ass and I ran a the road at a brisk pace down into the Sherman Aid station where I would see my crew again and pick up my next pacer, Kirk.

Sherman to Pole Creek (split – 3:06 - 1):
I was psyched to see my dad, Kirk, and Jen at the aid station.  I asked how the drive was and all they said was, ‘Let’s not talk about that.  We are going back the long way’.  After talking to Kirk once we started running, I learned that the drive from Grouse over Cinnamon Pass in the rain was horrible and downright dangerous.  Yikes.  Sorry guys.  I’m glad they made it- I got the shit out of my shoes, drank a bunch of Sprite, and had a bowl of soup, which was actually really good.  Kirk and I then made our way back out into the persistent rain and worked our way up to Pole Creek.  I think I ate and drank too much/fast at Sherman and just as we started the climb I felt nauseous.  Our pace slowed and we moved along without saying much.  Kirk gave me the word to eat and I almost puked at the thought.  I told him give me another 30.  He did and I requested another 30.  And another.  He told me either I eat next time or we stop and rest.  At the next feeding time, I sat down on a rock and put down a gel and sipped some water.  Not too bad.  This was the longest stretch (1.5 hours) all day that I went without food.  We got up and were back moving and on the normal eating schedule.  The Pole Creek section was hard.  It was super wet, with lots of deep puddles hidden by the overgrown willows.  There were also a few cross country sections that we moved slowly over.  We saw a few headlamps in the distance and one set somewhere behind us.  After crossing the nth stream on this section, we made the final little push up to the Pole Creek Aid station.    
Pole Creek to Maggie (split – 1:19 - 3):
We took off out of Pole Creek and jogged a few of the flatter sections that led up to the Maggie-Pole Pass and I tried to count how many sets of lights were in front of me – I think 3.  The food was starting to be digested and I was feeling better as well, which reflected in my pace.  I began to move ahead of Kirk and I’d hear him yell at me to eat.  Check.  The sun was rising and I was really starting to wake up and get a second (or third/fouth?) wind.  This is the first 100 mile race where I’ve run through the night, so I had no idea how profound the sunrise would affect me.  I had just awoken!  I pushed the final climb and out of Pole Creek and I caught a staggering Diane Finkel who was being pushed up the hill by her pacer.  That’s too bad.  Her day would end at Maggie’s.  I took it easy into Maggie’s as I wiped out once on a slick part of the trail. 

Dropping into Cunningham.
Maggie to Cunningham (split – 2:11 - 0):
As I got into Maggie’s Ty Draney and his pacer Luke Nelson were just leaving.  I packed up my coat, put on my hat, and began working my way to the last aid station, Cunningham.  Just as I was leaving the aid station Ty was puking while Luke was laughing at him.  I wished them luck and kept moving up to Buffalo Boy Ridge - 8th place now.  Unknowing at the time, we left Sherman ahead of Ted.  About half way up I saw Jared Campbell and his pacer, Matt Hart, just cresting the ridge.  I was maybe 10-20 minutes behind them.  I didn’t see which way they went on the ridge and didn’t see the next marker, so I went to the right, which seemed the natural way to go.  I did a few short out and backs and spent a few minutes looking around and finally backtracked to the ridge.  I made a left and shortly found the next marker.  At this point I thought we had a short traverse and then it was all downhill to Cunningham.  Not so.  I saw Jared and Matt making their way up another climb.  Shit.  I made the climb and the tough cross country section to the final tough descent into Cunningham Gulch.  I saw Jen down below and I was ready for this run to end.  I had run 2 hours longer than I ever had before (2010 Wasatch - 22:21).  One last big climb left.  Ugh. 
Almost there.  Mara telling daddy to move his ass.
My favorite part of the day.
    
Cunningham to Finish (split – 2:24):
I got into Cunningham and Jen asked if I wanted her to run with me on the next section.  Her sister Rebecca was supposed to run with me, but Jen asked her to baby sit while my dad got some sleep.  The drive back from Sherman took 3+ hours and they were cooked.  I said absolutely.  I sucked down a gel and a No Doze and told Jen to make me eat every 30 minutes.  We were off.  Just as we left, Ty and Luke were almost at the aid station – maybe a few minutes back.  I actually had left the aid station 7 minutes ahead of them.  Shit, I thought, they are closer than I thought/wanted/hoped.  I always run my own race – that is until the last 10 miles or so, and then it’s on.  You are going to have to work really hard to pass me.  In all my 100 mile races, I’ve never been passed at the end.  We’ll that’s not entirely true.  I got passed at the last aid station at WS, but that doesn’t count!  I take pride in this.  I was ready to bust up that last hill, so I told Jen to get in front of me again and made me try to catch her.  I was leaning into my poles with all I had and she was moving so effortlessly.  This last climb felt so much steeper than it did when I scoped it out over a week ago on fresh legs!  I had to stop to eat a gel and we were at the base of the last pitch.  I just put my head down and slogged it up to the top.  Just as we got to the top I saw Luke at the base of the last pitch.  I asked Jen how long until another gel.  18 minutes.  It was hard to do simple math, but I had my last gel where Luke now was, so I had 12 minutes on them.  I took a breather over to the Little Giant Saddle and gingerly made the transition to downhill running.  In a mile or so we hit the dirt road and it was on!  I bombed down the road and Jen said she was having a hard time keeping up.  This was good.  I was running hard and it was difficult.  Rebecca met us just before the Arastra Gulch Road and I did a bit more math.  We had ~7 miles from the top to the Finish.  Even if Ty made time on me up the hill, say I had 7 minutes on him, he’d have to run over 1 minute/mile faster to catch me.  No way.  My pace slowed until we hit the single track.  My deprived brain got scared again and I told Jen and Rebecca to keep looking back for Ty and I picked it up again.  I was running scared again.  We hit the Silverton Ski Hut and I finally relaxed.  We cruised into town and were greeted by my dad, Mara, and Kirk.  I grabbed Mara, ran into the finishing chute, kissed my baby first, and then the Hardrock at 28:28:54!  8th place!  It was surreal.  Dale congratulated me, I muttered something about that being a serious course, and was finally able to fully relax.  I ran the 3rd fastest Cunningham-Finish split just behind Scott Jamie and nowhere close to Kilian Jornet. We sat around watch others come in before I needed to head back to the cabin and take a nap.  What a day.  What a course.   

Total Time at Aid Stations – 0:36
Smooching the rock.
Not a bad group to be part of.

Final Thoughts:
Congrats to all those that toed the line at the 2014 Hardrock 100.  Thanks to all the volunteers and those involved with the race.  You made my time out there so enjoyable. 

The Hardrock course is simply awesome.  Hardrock is so much more difficult than any other 100 I’ve ran.  I definitely underestimated the difficulty of the course.  For me this difficulty came in 2 parts: 1. The elevation.  Although I never had any symptoms of altitude sickness during the race, my pace definitely slowed above ~11,500 feet.  2. Distance of the climbs.  The climbs are so much longer and relentless than anything we have here in the Wasatch.  Most of the pitches weren't too steep, they just went on forever.  Some of those long grinds were tough, especially in the stagnant and humid air. 

I can’t wait to return to Hardrock again.  I loved everything about the race.  Hopefully my lottery luck will continue.  Hopefully Jen will get I next year and I can pace.  The San Juan’s are a gorgeous mountain range.

I know I’ve been lucky to get into Hardrock.  It’s a privilege I don’t take for granted.  That said, it really is a magical race and place and I hope that the HR board doesn't allow any more people into the race.  Please keep the limit at 140!  I think allowing any more people would do a disservice to the spirit of the race and to the past, present, and future Hardrockers. 

Fuel100’s Electro-Bites are the most innovative fueling source on the market right now.  100 salty calories of mostly potato starch, coconut oil, and agave syrup.  Gels are indispensable for me during a 100 mile race.  The only gel I can eat for 20+ hours is CarbBOOM! – Great taste and consistency.  Alternating between gels and Electro-Bites kept me moving forward all day.  Thanks for the awesome products guys!   
Happy feet.

Finally the most important part of my run: A special thanks to my wife Jen, daughter Mara, my awesome dad, Rebecca, and always reliable running partner, great friend, and longtime pacer, Kirk.  You guys made the day so special for me.  I obviously wouldn’t have had the race I did without you guys! 




Part of the super crew.
 

My photos and other links to the 2014 Hardrock 100:

Here are a lot of photos from my time around Silverton and the race.

Here are a few photos of me in a Denver Post story about the 2014 HR.

Here’s a great HR summary by Matt Hart.  

iRunFar’scoverage of the HR100.