trail-running

Hawk Trail Marathon

Published September 9, 2017

3 weekends of high mountain hikes, tough to get the marathon juices flowing again.

Saturday’s trail run one of 3 last-minute selections needed to reach magic #100 in Dublin. My third consecutive trail race – Tahoe, Steamboat & the Hawk. Better known for its grueling 100-mile race, 26.2 miles the shortest distance one can enter. 100 miles, 50 miles or Marathon. Seriously, that’s it. First time, I’VE been the late start at an event.

Organized by an upbeat group of local trail runners, the Lawrence Trail Hawks. What’s not to love? Direct flight (Denver to KC), cheap airfare, entire trip/in-n-out < 30 hours. ‘though Kansas in September, probably gonna be warm, really warm.

Hotel check-in, bib pick-up, dinner. Early to bed, early to rise.

Race Morning. Packed up the rental – not expecting to squeeze in a hotel ‘finish’ shower. No worries this day, scoped out a $5 shower at Clinton State Park (campground showers), 10-minute drive from today’s race Start. Like a Boy Scout, always prepared 🙂

Last minute race announcements, BAM – started on time. Similar to Steamboat last month, well organized event.

Whole lotta up & down. Root & rock trail, large leafy trees provided much appreciated shade. Special for Marathoners: an extra 1.2 mile loop thru fresh-cut grass, then UP Sanders Mound. Roughly 25 miles ‘round Clinton Lake.

Middle/back of the pack first 3 miles. Settled into pace by the first Aid Station. Sooooo much FOOD – FAVE difference vs road marathoning. Sweet, salty, crunchy, energy gels, granola bars – and PICKLES. Love me some pickles. Good on the stomach.

Single file track. Ran with an older guy first 12 miles. Military, his first marathon. Quick steady pace. Daughter was running 2^nd female, inspired Dad/Chuck to hit the trails. Conversation passed the time (no headphones this race). Second pass by West Park Road Aid Station & we said our goodbyes. Think he went out a bit too fast (first marathon).

Tough race – maybe all trail runs are? More mental for sure. Zone out & risk going down hard (aka 2nd leg Steamboat).

Last Aid Station stop, 7 miles to go. First humans I’d seen in quite a while. One deer, one snake – but no peeps. Wouldn’t see another runner ‘til the Finish. Pushed hard last mile, just missed 6 hours. Should have gutted a little sooner. Ho hum. Wasn’t ‘til Monday morning (checking results online) did I find I finished 11^th overall. WOW, I’ll take it. Eases the sting of missing 6 hours, right?

2pm Finish, came in hot. Laid long on the grass, folks brought over ice. 3rd finish in Kansas, ironically 2 on trail.

Campground shower, early evening flight home, church in the morning.

Marathon next (short 2 weeks away): Clarence DeMar in Keene NH. LOVE LOVE Autumn in New England 🍁

: third 26.2 in the Jayhawk State

: KC sunset, flying home 🙂

: church on Sunday

The Hawk Hundred

September 09, 2017

Lawrence, US

Race Summary

START TIME 8:00:17 AM

DISTANCE 26.2 Miles

OVERALL

Timothy Hazlett M Bib 1025 Lees Summit, MO 4:40:11

Carsten Giessmann M Bib 1021 Irvine, CA 4:49:33

Suresh Nagarajan M Bib 1048 Grover, MO 4:52:50

Nathan Goertzen M Bib 1079 Hampton, NE 4:54:03

Justin Douglas M Bib 1014 Lawrence, KS 5:01:28

Katherine Martyn F Bib 1040 Lawrence, KS 5:02:10

Jim Cozzi M Bib 1012 Geneva, IL 5:38:17

Randy R M Bib 1022 McMinnville, OR 5:46:52

Daniel Auten M Bib 1001 Colorado Springs, CO 5:48:50

Brian Forbes M Bib 1017 Spring Hill, KS 5:57:50

Keenan Haga M Bib 1023 Louisville, CO 6:00:46

Posted in Heartland, Marathons/Ultras | Tagged trail-running | Leave a comment

Steamboat Stinger Trail Marathon

Published August 13, 2017

Steamboat’s Yampa River

Bib pickup for tomorrow’s trail marathon cutoff at noon. 3 ½ hours door-to-door, Louisville to Steamboat Springs. Early Saturday a.m. trek, breakfast stop in Georgetown (fave diner tradition).

Arrived at BAP, aka ‘the Little Red House’ on Oak Street with an hour to spare. Steamboat-based Honey Stinger sponsors 2 races: Mountain bike Saturday, Trail marathon Sunday. ALL proceeds to charity – the ultimate giving-back event. 10 minute walk to Howelsen Hill ‘Start’.

Last Saturday, ran my first 2017 trail race at Echo Summit (Lake Tahoe’s high Sierras). Tomorrow would trek-up another ski summit. Similarities: high elevation, 4000ft+ vertical gain.

Bridge-walked over Steamboat’s Yampa. Early dinner/early to bed.

RACE DAY: UP UP UP Howelsen Hill, one of Steamboat’s 2 major ski resorts. Unlike last week, first 7 miles were a CLIMB. ALSO caliber of runners today, a HUGE notch up. Pushed hard, lotta energy expended before Angry Grouse (First Aid Station). Refueled, breathed deep, settled in.

UP UP UP thru evergreen & Colorado Aspen. BIG HIKE up Stairway to Heaven, series of switchback climbs thru No Mo’ Blues & Wild Rose, HALF-marathon turnaround/2^nd Aid Station.

Again, stopped/refueled/breathed. So different from road marathoning/super humbling. Mentally ON all race or risk tripping/going down hard. first-HALF GOAL: under 3 hours.

[7-hour time limit today, an hour faster than last weekend’s ultra finish.]

5 miles to Cow Creek (Aid Station to Aid Station). ALL downhill, fastest splits of the day. Flew past tens of runners (June’s REVEL Rockies training). ‘On your left’, jumping over rock. ‘On your left’, bending with tree-limbs as I hugged mountain curves. 11 miles in, 15 minutes under the 2 hour-mark.

Mile-half on dirt road, water stop – then 6 ½ miles of warm trail UP. More hike than jog. Switchback return’d UP to Aid Station 2, ran outta water this leg. Refueled, good 5 minute stop. 7 miles-ish to go. Not a lot left in the tank but well ahead of goal.

2 miles up/over Quarry Mountain then DOWN. Steep rocky drop: ‘Little Moab’, but remainder of the course, easy rolling trail. Let gravity carry my heavy legs forward. Exposed meadows last 3 ½ miles, quarter-mile past the rodeo grounds – marathon SUCCESS!

2^nd trail FINISH in 8 days. Just under 6 hours.

2017 STEAMBOAT STINGER TRAIL MARATHON

88 HAGA K R 5:52:18.29 Louisville CO

POST-MARATHON: Strawberry Park Hot Springs. Surrounded by Aspen, soaked for HOURS in 104-degree mineral water ❤

: Olympian Hall

: 1956 Winter Olympics (Cortina, Italy)

: UP UP UP Howelsen Hill

: 4000ft+ vertical gain (Strava stats)

: 2nd trail FINISH in 8 days

: TRAIL marathon

: Strawberry Park Hot Springs

: surrounded by Colorado Aspen, soaked in 104-degree mineral water

Posted in Marathons/Ultras, NoCo/Indian Peaks | Tagged mineral-springs, sport, trail-running | Leave a comment

Echo Summit Trail Challenge

Published August 5, 2017

After a weekend off from marathoning, back on the trail – literally.

Friday a.m. flight to Reno, scenic hour-half drive to South Lake Tahoe. Running on 2 historic trail systems tomorrow – the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) & XP (Pony Express) trails in California’s Sierra Nevadas.

Easy laid-back drive, radio set to classic 70’s – never turned the dial, all weekend.

Hotel check-in, then a rural 45 minutes on US 50 West to Kyburz (bib pickup). Located tomorrow’s trail Start at Echo Summit (1968 US Olympic high-altitude training center). Quick hello/goodbye. Back in the morning California redwood, Ponderosa pine ❤

First year event – read & re-read the course description PLUS snapped a shot of the map itself (nothing left to chance). More concerned being lost in the high Sierras than any wildlife encounters (only bear I saw/stuffed at Strawberry Lodge).

RACE DAY, SATURDAY: Cool & overcast. Mix of HIGH CLOUDS & MASSIVE TREES. Super thankful, appreciated the cover.

Most of the day, focused/eyes alert for PINK ribbons. 13.8 miles in, started the climb UP. Two HUGE hikes, over 4000ft vertical gain. Lovers Leap Trail: let’s just say, I know why they leaped. Crazy difficult hike.

but…the Panorama? (like being) Wrapped inside an Ansel Adams photograph. Just WOW! Every north-facing tree blanketed in vibrant green moss. Yellow-green: closest colour match in my Crayola box. That’s the memory I’ll take home to Colorado.

Only negative? Course went long. I know, I know, it’s trail. Folks: this course went long. My watch (& Strava app) died somewhere after 30.5 miles – my first ultra finish of 2017. (I say first ‘cause I haven’t yet given up on running a 50-miler this year.)

#94 in the books. 2^nd longest [amount of time] I’ve been on my feet (behind 2013’s Barr Trail hike UP Pike’s Peak).

TROY’S CALIFORNIA TRAIL RUNS

Echo Summit Trail Challenge – August 5, 2017

Trail Marathon Jude Archie M 06:40:28 1

Trail Marathon HAGA K R M 07:51:36 2

HIKE DAY tomorrow ‘round tourist-friendly paradiso, Lake Tahoe. Living well, lucky in life 🙂