Promise Land 50k, Picture Heavy Race Recap

Race: Promise Land 50k

Location: Bedford, VA

Finish Time: 6:40:31

Date: April 26, 2014

Race # 3 in the Beast Series.  My goal was just to knock this one out.  Only 4 days after running Boston I wasn't sure how my legs would feel and I just wanted to remain injury free.  Fortunately everything was feeling solid and I was able to tackle the extreme climbing and inevitable downhill running.  Since I was using my Mountain Hardware ultra-running vest I carried a cheapie camera of mine along for the ride.  We got to camp out at race HQ which was perfect for such an early start time.  Too bad it was so windy that night -most people struggled to get 3 hours of sleep!

The start of the Promise Land 50k, promptly at 5:30am!  This was perfect really, we were only running in complete darkness for half an hour, and it allowed us to finish early in the day.  I couldn't believe the crowd of easily over 400 runners!

After we started up the gravel road outside the Promise Land youth camp a quick look back revealed all the headlamps runners used to light their way.  Looks kind of like 1-eyed aliens!

After our first significant climb things evened out just in time for the sun to come up.  It was light out but the sun still hadn't peaked above the ridge line just yet.

Here comes the sun!  Then once we crossed over the Blue Ridge Parkway we headed back down the other side of Apple Orchard Mountain.

At the bottom we ran on about a mile of pavement - I like single track trails better!

Now back in the woods we continued the run through great sun-soaked scenery.

Yes, I even had time for a "selfie"! I kind of hate myself for saying that...

This course rocks! No, literally, there were tons of rocks as is the norm in the weathered mountains of the blue ridge.  At least some rocks resembled steps!

Up, up, up we went, speed-hiking back up Apple Orchard Mountain.  About 2/3 of the way up was the spectacular Apple Orchard Falls.  It looks a lot bigger in person!

The next portion had a seemingly endless staircase to the next gravel road crossing.  Then it ended, with 0.9 miles of trail left to the aid station at the top!

Though the downhill was quite the relief for the last few miles, my quads were really feeling the pounding, especially only 4 days removed from running Boston.  The camp was probably the coolest spot I've camped out for a race yet.  Right in the shadow of the mountain!

The elevation profile is daunting, over 7,000 ft of gain/loss. I know there are comparisons to the measly elevation of the Boston Marathon, however, you have to remember that you are supposed to be running the whole time (and rather fast I might add) at Boston.  Actual distance of the race was closer to 34 miles.  Another awesome Horton race, filled with infamously long "Horton Miles".

We had a great post-race cookout before the long drive back to Northern Virginia.  Extra extra thanks goes out to all the enthusiastic volunteers who not only refueled my supplies but also boosted my morale!

My 15 Seconds of Fame for Boston

Somehow I have managed to wiggle my way into the public eye lately.

I was put in touch with the ABC7 News (WJLA in Washington) for a piece about local runners who ran Boston in 2013 and are returning this year.

They interviewed another woman and I, both separately, and I thought the piece turned out really nice.  I also experienced one of the craziest coincidences of my life:  the other runner, Lesley, who I have never met and seemingly had no connection to whatsoever - was actually in one of my pictures with me!  The pic of me at the finish the day before the marathon, she is in the background.  This out of all the pictures I took that weekend, with all the crowds of people around, and the 1 shot they decided to air on TV.  Weird!

Even earlier than that I was put in touch with Active Life DC, an online magazine about all things fitness in the DC area.  After some short Q&A they worked me into a great article by Erin Masterson (a fellow Boston Marathoner) titled "We All Run Boston Strong", about runners returning to the Boston Marathon a year after the 2013 race was cut tragically short:

Erik Price also had an unforgettable experience running Boston in 2013. He had finished the race in 3:18:20 and was traveling back to his hotel on the T at the time of the explosions.

“When we got off the T, word was spreading fast and no one knew what to believe,” he said. “I’m not a very emotional person but this was one time where I just felt paralyzed and could only just crouch down and be thankful that we made it out.”

Said Price, “There is a duality of emotions that all runners have been going through that will shine through on race day. On one hand, this is a celebration of what we love, and no one will stop us from doing it!” Price thinks this celebration will only get louder and more patriotic than last year.

But, he acknowledged, “On the other hand, last year's race ended tragically and at the cost of three lives and dozens of injuries, so people will need to be mindful and respectful.”

Price plans to wear his Boston gear with pride all marathon weekend.

GW Parkway 10 Miler

A week out from Boston I ran one of my favorite springtime races in the area, the GW Parkway 10 Miler.  Its dangerous racing a week out from a Marathon, but I kept a cool head in the otherwise warm and sunny spring weather, running a little faster than planned marathon pace with the last 2 miles a bit faster to get a solid workout in.  This was actually also a great chance to practice grabbing cups of water from volunteers while running at full pace and subsequently drinking on the run.  Funny how a skill so minute yet so important is rarely practiced!

Expertly grabbing a cub of water while running GW Parkway!

Completely by chance, I met up with the same reporter from Active Life DC that I had emailed with and gave a few more thoughts in their recap of the GW Parkway 10 Miler:

Arlington’s Erik Price used the 10 mile as a final tuneup before the following Monday’s Boston Marathon. He planned to use the race as a tempo run and followed his own plan until the last mile, where he sped up for a final kick to the finish.

“It can be dangerous  – it’s so easy to go out hard in a race, get caught up in the excitement,” he said. “You have to be on your best behavior and use it as a tempo run.”

Price plans to take it a little easy next week in Boston, and pace with a friend. He is looking towards an ultramarathon the week after.

I have to admit, it is fun to see your thoughts printed (or at least digitized) into widely distributed media.   However, this doesn't make you a better runner, and it can make you more cocky - which I try to avoid!  Always stay humble and you'll never have anything to be ashamed of.

In case you are keeping track, yes I have already run Boston and plan to provide a more detailed recap of the race weekend shortly!

Terrapin Mountain 50k Race Recap

Race: Terrapin Mountain 50k
Location: Sedalia, Virginia
Date: March 22, 2014
Gain/Loss: 7000 ft
Time: 6:00:22

Standard pre-race briefing from Clark Zealand (Race Director)

The Terrapin Mountain 50k, the 2nd race in the Beast series.  It wasn't too complicated: get started on a flat road, after about 2 miles, start going up, and up, and up!  Refuel, and go down, down down... A lot of this was on gravel or jeep roads so it wasn't technically challenging and you could actually run downhill, but the uphill parts required walking for the most part.

The climax occurred about 20 miles in, when we summited the rocky Terrapin Mountain lookout, then quickly made our way down to squeeze through "Fat Man's Misery".  Here runners need to drop down between 2 giant boulders with only about 2 feet of space between them.  FUN!

Runners punch their bibs at the Terrapin Mountain overlook.

Just check out the below topo-map for the course, that provides most the details!

The real tale of the tape here is the elevation changes, with lots of sustained climbs, relatively short flat spots, and long downhills.  The toughest part was actually the extreme downhill between miles 22 and 25 where we descend Terrapin Mountain.  After this though things got more manageable. We hit the last aid station, turned around and headed back to the finish.  This was at least on terrain runable in some sections, and as the trail leveled out I did less and less walking.  Some creek crossings provided a refreshing change of pace!

The, approaching the final creek crossing I fell!  You never expect it, but somehow you stop paying attention just enough to catch an edge - as I felt myself begin to tumble I consciously rolled onto my right side before falling, managing to do an almost graceful barrel roll.  Horton was on the other side of the creek and saw the whole thing play out - he seemed to congratulate me on it.  "This is how we roll!"

Once I finally broke out of the forest onto the last section of gravel road I was able to pick up the pace to around 7 minute miles, and pound out the last mile on pavement in close to 6 minute pace.  I passed 2 more people in the final mile and my real goal was to break 6 hours.  It didn't happen, as I came in at 22 seconds beyond the 6 hour mark, still very happy with my time though! ON-ward and UP-ward with the BEAST!

After conquering the mountains off in the distance!

Slipping and Sliding over the Shenandoah Mountains

Slow, Steep Miles up to Skyline Drive and over Old Rag

Last Saturday my buddy and I headed out to the Old Rag area of Skyline Drive, one of the best hiking spots near the DC area.  Though its only an hour away it feels like a whole different world out there.  I haven't been feeling great lately.  My energy levels seem normal, but its been tough to be motivated with winter dragging on for so long.  The main issue is with my left knee - something just feels funky in it and I really don't want to push through the pain.  Most of my recent weeks have not seen a lot of miles running, in favor of swimming, spinning, yoga classes, and even speed walking up a steeply inclined treadmill (this is actually a legitimate training strategy for mountain trail running).  I had also been feeling just really "dead-legged" in both lower legs but that seems to have subsided with some rest and generally taking it easy.

As an aside, Old Rag is an absolute "must-hike" for any nature or fitness lover in the DC/VA area; I have been hiking around Old Rag since I was a kid and its still so fun scrambling around on the rocks there!  Its 8.8 miles round-trip so plan a whole day around it.  I recommend hiking up the "Ridge Trail", which starts off unassumingly but about 2/3 of the way up has you scrambling around boulders, squeezing through crevasses, and climbing up rock walls! Make sure to stop and take in the gorgeous views.  Pack some snacks, a lunch for the summit, and plenty of water to drink.  While it may feel warm at the bottom, the top can get cold and windy in a hurry so be sure to bring a hat, gloves, and extra layers of clothing.

"Shouldn't we be over there?"

We started off on a fire road, but even that was too steep to run in some sections, then veered onto the trail to Robertson Mountain.  Trail running quickly turned into speed hiking uphill through snow, though for every 2 steps we took it felt like we were sliding back 1.  Once we were close to the summit there was about 6 inches of snow in the shaded areas of the mountain.  While I was dripping sweat on the way up, after things leveled out I put on my extra layers to stay warm.  The views from here were spectacular and reminded me of the barren, treeless peaks of the Rockies.  We soon scrambled back down the other side of the mountain, and while still snowy at least we were able to run down.

Panoramic view off Mt. Robertson.

Back on the Old Rag fire road we headed up to Skyline Drive, turned around and ran back down.  This brought us to a cross-roads: head back to the car to refuel, or attempt Old Rag?  We both still had some water in our packs so we opted for the latter.

My friend Andrew, descending back into the snow.

Hiking up the backside of Old Rag was slow going but steady.  At this point my feet were already wet and cold so I didn't mind walking through the melting snow.  After a quick visit to the summit we headed back down the infamous Ridge Trail.  This is tough enough to climb up when dry, but descending it while dealing with snow and ice provided a new (albeit dangerous) challenge.  There were a few scary moments, like having to lower yourself off of a boulder, with nothing to hold onto, and oh yea - you are landing on ice so you better keep your balance!

Down we went, until the snow dried up and the terrain turned into runable switchbacks.  Closer to the bottom I couldn't believe some of the people starting out were only wear a t-shirt and shorts, but its deceptively cooler down there.

From the summit of Old Rag.

All in all a super fun day.  18 miles in just under 5 hours, and I set a new record for my slowest mile ever: 41 minutes!  Very happy to get in all the climbing and elevation in preparation for Terrapin Mountain!

RRCA Club Challenge 10 Miler: Race Recap

Just a quick little recap of the...

Race:  Club Challenge 10 Miler
Date:  Feb 23, 2014
Location: Columbia, MD
Finish Time: 1:11:36

The Club Challenge 10 Miler is an annual 10 Miler race put on by the Howard County Strides.  It felt like a small race but with over 700 finishers its more of a mid-size one.  When I think of "small" I think of like 300 participants.  This race was a haul to get to and started at 8:00am so that meant an early morning, but I'm glad I met up with my running club for a good hill workout!

This event is really about camaraderie among runners and seeing which clubs bring out the most participants.  The course was challenging and hilly, but I still knew several people who posted PRs that day.  Decidedly taking it easy, I was able to enjoy myself, get a good workout on the hills, and progressively push harder through the race.

DC Road Runners group shot!

Sitting at work on any-given-weekday, I'm surrounded by inactive people who think running is either crazy or just plain stupid.  Sometimes you start feeling weird, like you are out of place.  It was such a great feeling seeing so many runners that are active participants in area clubs, and so many fast runners!  In fact, there were over 40 sub-60 minute runners, and almost 400 who finished in 80 minutes or less!

Club numbers.

The weather was perfect out.  High 30s at the start, and even though it felt cold then one we started hitting the hills I had sweat dripping down me.  I went out at a conservative pace, maybe 7:30s, to warm up and get a feel for things as I haven't done much road racing lately.  The hilly terrain helped warm me up, and while the effort level felt high I was probably only hitting 7 minute miles.  A few more bursts of energy later and I was passing people with a couple miles to go, pushing 6:45 miles.  I happily finished in 1:11:36, though not before looking at the clock and remembering what it felt like to finish a 10 miler in much closer to an hour on a similar effort level.  Ultra specific training starts to make you slower, but you can't train for everything and I am at least retaining some of my speed at the shorter distances!

Looking a bit distorted pre-race.

Holiday Lake 50k++ Race Recap

The most miserable race you'll ever love!

The Holiday Lake 50k ++ - "plus plus" since its notoriously longer than 50 kilometers.  I've heard some estimates are at 33 miles.  However, that's the thing with ultras, the course "is what is it" (okay, I hate that saying but it seems appropriate).  Its true though, you can't really think in terms of a distance PR, its just your time for that course on that day.  And this certainly held true last week at Holiday Lake.

Race: Holiday Lake 50k ++
Location:  Appomattox , VA
Date: Feb 15 , 2014
Finish Time: 6:09:40

First off, this race had a great "Ultra" feel to it.  We arrived the night before at Race HQ, set up in a community center at a 4H camp.  Opting for the on-site accommodations we were treated to hostel (or kids' camp) style bunk beds with a central bathhouse.  I slept surprisingly well.  Once morning arrived I went through the usual race day routines and we set off at promptly 6:30am.

This isn't an actual course picture (I didn't carry a camera), this is actually the result of a Google Image search for "snow ice slush mud".  Surprisingly, its a pretty good depiction of what the course looked like (at least in the "easy" sections).

On the way out there was a little more snow, about a foot that had been trampled down by the front runners.  Soon it would melt enough to create a soupy slush for us to run through.  To my own surprise, I got hot enough trudging up some of the hills to debate ditching my rain jacket.  I'm glad I held onto it, and ended up leaving at the mid-point aid station.  There was also a creek crossing with water up to your knees that we had to wade through.  It was numblingly cold but at the same time refreshing.  Even more refreshing was realizing we would go through it on the way back!  Oh, and did I mention that it was dark and freezing rain for the first hour?!

Most of the time you had two (miserable) choices: run through the melted (and often running like a mini-stream) path of ice-mud, or run on the less traveled sides that meant crushing through a foot of snow coated with ice.  Take your pick.  Ultra running isn't supposed to be easy, but while I've enjoyed most of my trail running in warm weather this type of choice had not yet occurred to me.

The course itself went up a 3/4 mile of road before it entered the trail.  There was a mix of singletrack running, jeep roads, and power line pathways briefly around Holiday Lake and then winding through the absolute middle of nowhere Virginia.  We eventually got back to the lake and returned to base camp at the half-way mark, only to turn around and make our way back counter-clockwise.

For the most part it was uneventful, just the way it should be, filled with conservative, steady miles of running.  I did notice an extreme drop off in runners on the way back though.  Around the marathon mark it was really getting tough.  I wasn't out of energy, but my toes were physically going numb which had me concerned.  I would stop every mile or so and swing my legs to get the blood back in my toes.  I kept pushing on, trying to make progress, and hoping the sun would come out enough to warm me up.  It was just a giant mental push on until about 30 or 31 miles in, at which point the thought of finishing made me so happy I had a burst of energy.  Once we finally popped back out onto the road I sprinted the final 3/4 of a mile, passing 3 more people in the process!

The Runner

Who is this David Horton character anyways?  Well, he is a pretty badass ultra runner, not just for his accomplishments but kind of for his originality and forward thinking in the sport.  He started ultra running before it was a "thing".  He was setting the records just for fun, some of which would later be broken but only by sponsored athletes only out there to break a record.  He is one of only a handful of people to complete the über difficult and culturally underground Barkley Ultra-Marathon.

A brief bio from Liberty, where he teaches:

Since 1977, Horton has ran approximately 160 ultra marathons (any race that exceeds the 26.2 mile marathon standard), 30 marathons coast to coast of the continental U.S. (1995) and holds the record for running both the Appalachian Trail (1991) and the Pacific Crest Trail (2005). Horton’s record-setting completion of the Appalachian Trail took 52 days and nine hours to complete – an average of approximately 41.7 miles per day.

With all this he is surprisingly down to Earth, even a bit feisty, characteristic of an everyday southern Gentleman.  He doesn't just relish in his accomplishments, but also encourages other to run and puts on some badass trail races in Virginia along the way.  Most runners simply refer to these Ultras as "Horton races".  Check out "The Runner" for a recap of his epic run on the 2,700 mile Pacific Crest Trail.

Horton and I after the finish.

All in all it was a fun time, and a memorable race - as long as I can mentally block out miles 23 - 29.  Beast Series Race #1 Done!

Brooks Transcend: New Shoe Review

Brooks Transcend

Brooks recently released a highly anticipated new shoe, the Transcend (or at least highly anticipated by me).

While its easy to write this off as a Hoka rip-off, it has some key differences.  Okay - first off - lets be clear, this is a pretty obvious response to the success of the huge soled Hoka OneOne shoes, and yet another sign that the "minimalist" movement was only a passing trend.  Sorry to everyone who became a victim of minimalist marketing and got injured as a result!  I loved what Hokas were doing for everyone but they just weren't doing it for me.  People also have a psychological tendancy to latch on to an alternative solution, hold it high on a podium, and "swear by it".  I on the other hand, maintain a decidedly skeptical viewpoint on just about anything.  This outlook can be both a gift and a curse

A little background:  when everyone was going ga-ga over the minimalist movement, a mostly marketing generated strategy to mimic the "natural" running experience, along came Hoka OneOne.  Hokas were anything but minimal with a huge sole and yet a fairly simple upper.  Though they let you run naturally it was more about letting you float over the roads and trails.  Instead of your knees and hips absorbing that impact the maximal cushioned sole was doing the work.  They were embraced by the UltraRunning community, as a cool, "different" alternative that just works.

I wanted to love Hokas, and I have worn them with varying success along the way, but I found that the running roads in them just doesn't work for me.  They are too "squishy" and offer little (if no) lateral support.  They could be the miracle shoe for some runners, those light on their feet with that perfectly neutral foot strike, but I wasn't able to shed my road runners injuries with them just yet.  I needed some stability, and something closer to a regular road running shoe.  Enter, the Transcend.

So far, the Transcend has been awesome for me!!  Its just the road shoe I was looking for, lots of features without being bulky, plenty of cushioning, and a little stability (on all sides) when you need it.  Brooks was having a promo launch event so I was able to snag some extra goodies too!

Transcends with extra freebies: A visor, shoe bag, and dry ice-cream!

As told by Brooks - The Transcend features five key technologies that work together to provide its unique ride: 

1. Super DNA – this advanced cushioning material provides the ultimate smooth ride that smartly adapts to your every stride. 
2. Guide Rails – specialized plates built into the midsole revolutionize traditional stability by allowing your hips, knees and joints to move along their unique motion path while you run – all without any traditional posts. 
3. Ideal Pressure Zones – transform the traditional idea of comfort by minimizing localized pressure evenly in the heel, midfoot and forefoot. 
4. Rounded Heel – aligns your stride naturally and easily. 
5. Plush upper – a combination of premium materials conforms to your foot for a custom, plush fit. 

It doesn't force the support on you like an Adrenaline or Trance, its just kind of there when you need it.  As the pictures show, the bottom part is all the same type of foam, and the support comes in the form of "guide rails" that promise you a touch of support in whatever direction you may roll.  It has lots of cushioning, but not so much that you forget what you are doing.

They aren't a super lightweight shoe, but they felt just fine with me.  I think the sample size is listed at 11.2 oz (roughly the same as a pair of hokas).  While this is a far cry from the insanely light Saucony Guides I also enjoy running in (at under 9 oz), the Transcends felt anything but heavy.  I'm not sure how a heavy heal striker would fare in these.  They have a slightly rounded heal to encourage a mid-foot strike, or at least transition each heal-strike more naturally into the next step.  For me, they were a great compliment to how I already run:  a mid-foot strike with a slight roll-in that I just can't seem to shake.

I'm really excited to take these off-road and see how they perform on trails.  I hope Brooks comes out with a trail version eventually, but they already feel solid in the little trail running I have done in them so the road model might be adequate.  The only thing I'm worried about is their lasting appeal with buyers.  I don't think they had the kind of blockbuster debut Brooks was hoping for, and if people stay weary of a "different" looking shoe these might only be temporary.  I plan on wearing these in my upcoming 50k, so I should be able to evaluate their trail worthiness after that!  Until then, I'll continue to tear up the pavement in these babies!

Update as of April 1st (and that's no joke...)

While the Transcends felt great on my feet, after about a month of running I started to develop knee pain in my left knee.  Its hard to tell what is the root cause, it could be overtraining, general fatigue, and the ultras I have been doing.  After scaling back my mileage, stretching and yoga routines, strength training, and cutting out speed work the knee pain has started to go away.  The biggest difference though is that I went back to wearing my normal shoes, that is:  Saucony Guide and Brooks PureCadence on the roads, and Hoka OneOne Rapa Nui (with SuperFeet Orange insoles) on the trails.  Maybe the transcends had too much stability and structure all around?  I got probably around 150 miles in on the Transcends before the knee pain required me to rethink everything.  I've done about 100 miles since then and the pain is all but gone.

As the primary root cause of my knee pain I can't really recommend the Transcends.