trail-running

Sierra Vista Trail 50K, Las Cruces

Published March 5, 2016

Another Friday half-day work day, this weekend’s trail destination: Las Cruces NM.

Boarded a small plane to El Paso (anytime you walk outside to board a plane, ya know it’s a small ride) – easy 2-hour flight, landed in balmy 86-degree heat. Think I’m gonna cook tomorrow. Yikes!

Hour drive in the desert. Arrived at bib pick-up, 20 minutes to spare. Dollar Tree snack purchase (tomorrow’s an ultra, I’m comin’ prepared), Italian carry-out dinner, early zzz’s at the Sleep Inn-Las Cruces (good name for a hotel chain, huh?).

The race takes place 99% desert, single track trail! All races will begin at the northern terminus (Sierra Norte trailhead) of the Sierra Vista Trail. This is located off of Dripping Springs Road. All distances are out and back routes and actual mileages are approximate. The 50k is an out and back from Sierra Norte trailhead to the Vado trailhead.

Headphones are allowed but be aware that rattlesnakes may be out and you won’t hear them rattling if you’re rockin out! This is a trail run on challenging terrain and differs greatly from running events held on road. We are not responsible for any injuries sustained during the day of the event.

50K Finisher tile

Early Saturday a.m. start – ok by me, happy to log in as many miles as possible before the day heats up. 15-20 minute drive north to the Organ Mountains, parked off-road, half-mile hike to our trailhead Start. Been struggling with trail racing thus far, but LOVIN’ these small grassroots events. Pop a tent & 2 tables at a trailhead – and BAM you’ve got racing. Much more intimate than road races. 4-5 Aid Stations tops. Much more a thinking man’s run. Gotta stay alert or risk injury tripping over rocks, roots, downed trees, trail debris. Gotta manage hydration & food intake. Gotta be self-supportive. Hoping to improve endurance & nutrition over the next couple months – really diggin’ mountain trail racing (sport combining both loves, hiking & marathoning).

Met Hoosier-native Carolyn just before today’s 50K trek – she’d be key to [me] finishing with a smile on my face. Race director added .75 miles to today’s Start – an early extra loop to space out runners before we hit the single-track path in the desert. Started slow, stopped by my rental & peeled off a double-shirt layer…temps now mid-60’s.

Rolling hill terrain through sage, dirt & loose rock. Caught Carolyn early, slowed my pace & enjoyed the ride. Upbeat outgoing personality, this runner’s also chasing 50 States. Only three miles in, passed our first Aid Station – and we ate. Not this gal’s first rodeo, Carolyn’s finished multiple trail ultras – so today I stopped, looked & listened. Go out slow, eat early, stay ahead of hydration. Not JUST talk, we followed this strategy.

Temps continued to rise; we continued to hydrate. Terrain turned to open desert, miles 12-19. Dirt gave way to sand & cracked clay – even cactus grew sparingly.

Turnaround at 16.3 miles…today’s 50K was gonna run longer than 31 miles.

Clicked 80 degrees now, but thankfully ran a cloudy day. We’d catch a short breeze from time to time. Not glossing over details, it was warm – but appreciative not to be running when summer temps top 120, it IS the desert.

Barrel, hedgehog & prickly pear cacti, multiple varieties of flowering yucca – and POPPIES. Each spring (once a year), desert poppies garnish the sage-choked panorama. Truly BEAUTIFUL!

Spewed twice over the last 4 miles but moving in the right direction. Felt much better today. Transitioning to trail & ultra distances been more of a journey than originally visioned – been at it for just 4 weeks, gonna celebrate all small victories.

Stroke a pose at the Sierra Vista Trail sign (last Aid Station) – only 3 miles more. Steady pace, arroyo (dry creek bed) ups & downs, towering “needles” of the Organ Mountains poised directly ahead. Having already surpassed 32 miles, no way of really knowing when today’s race would end. Super excited when I popped up the last rolling hill & could see the Finish Tent in the valley below.

55^th marathon finish, 3^rd ultra distance – that’s 3 trail ultras in 4 weeks. FAAANNNTASTIC!

Sierra Vista Trail Runs – 50K – Las Cruces, NM Mar 5, 2016
Keenan Haga
Overall: 46 8:25:03

Received a Finisher’s tile (not a lotta medals in ultras) & snapped a shot with Carolyn before highway trekking back to El Paso.

Returning in 2 weeks to NM’s White Sands Missile Range, as a Bataan Memorial Death March participant – marathoning with our military in honor of service members who defended the Philippine Islands during World War II.

Bataan’s a HUGE bucket list event – much more than a Sunday 26.2. Can’t wait!

: small plane to El Paso, followed by an hour drive in the desert

: early crack of dawn Start

: SUNRISE COLOR over southern New Mexico

: diggin’ grassroots trail events

: cloudy, cool & SAGE

: rolling rock & dirt, still all smiles

: terrain change (less sage, more cactus) & SUN

: Yucca carnerosana, the “Giant Spanish Dagger”

: desert beauty

: blooming barrel cactus

: landscape dries & temps start to climb (miles 12-19)

: desert SPRING — once a year, POPPIES

: soaptree yucca

: photo opp: only 3 miles to go

: towering “needles” of the Organ Mountains

: shared 32 miles & 8 hours with this gal — thanks Carolyn!

Sierra Vista Trail Run

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

Post Oak Challenge, Tulsa

Published February 28, 2016

I get by with a little help from my friends” — the Beatles

2 weeks ago my first ultra, last Saturday marathon #53 – this weekend, BOTH. Before Moab, had never run trail nor finished an ultra distance (even in training). Big disconnect [in my head] between trying one & signing up for 5 this year, huh?

Maniac running buddy, Stacy hooked us up with a few of her running friends, Andrew & Elizabeth…and BAM, new friends for life. Easy hour-half flight to Tulsa, 6 hours of zzz’s, morning alarm confirmed wake-time for Saturday’s 50K.

Double-shirted early, cool start – however expecting day temps to top out near 80; gonna be a warm one. Tulsa-native Andrew forewarned today’s 4-loop course would be a tough one…finish estimate, 8 hours.

Day Highlights: ‘the Hill from Hell’ and Holmes Peak – climbing these two giants not once but FOUR times. Yikes!

circle of friends: awesome weekend of run & sun

Elected to take the early start – award ineligible, but outta day temps an hour early. No regrets, good decision. Started quick, held that pace for 14 miles. Well marked course, green-ribbons every 20-30 feet. Expended lotta energy; lapped by elites beginning of lap 3. Dropped to a single shirt & flushed fluids. Paced slower, started walking hills.

FAVE Aid Station – Oklahoma Oktoberfest (costumes, music, upbeat volunteers) – both sweet & salty snack-equipped. Sounds disgusting but…pickle juice, day’s best mate.

Haven’t ever been a marathon eater, so struggling running even longer distances with little/no fuel. Generally bonk after 5-5 ½ hours. Colder temps help extend the window — but 6 hours in, mental succumbs to physical & all falls apart. Pace, breathing, posture fail. Yeah, I become a hot mess.

3^rd go at ‘the Hill from Hell’, 1.7 kilometers further: lap 4 start. More pickle juice.

Snapped shots of an armadillo (don’t see THAT everyday) & pushed down a handful of salty Fritos at the Oktoberfest station. 15-year old elite runner, Brandon Plate, lagged just behind – struggling, just wasn’t his day (remember, he’s running a 50K [31+ miles] at just age 15). Asked if he wanted to jog the next hill…he wasn’t talking. Told him I was running up, expected he would pass me on the downhill – that’s just the way it happened. Kid came alive with conversation. Walked lotta the last 4 miles – at a good clip, but still walking. Only goal this weekend was to complete my first Double – 50K Saturday, marathon Sunday. Energy level UP, paced strong from Heaven’s Gate to the Finish.

2^nd ultra FINISH in 3 weeks!

Half-bowl of chili & a banana. Sink-washed salt caked ‘round my eyes, sides of my face. Met up with Stacy, Andrew & Elizabeth – shared the Tulsa skyline in our host’s rooftop hot tub. FAAANNNTASTIC! Fun sharing war stories & later, pasta (thanks Elizabeth).

Groundhog Day — all starts again Sunday morn.

No breakfast. Tired, wonky from prior day’s run in noon day sun, can’t eat. Today – 26.2 miles of trail. Again, 4 laps…flattened from yesterday, no Holmes Peak – but ‘Hill from Hell’ four times more.

Didn’t lead the pack this go-around but paced faster than expected, settled into fourth. In-n-out the tree-trail maze, stopped for Oktoberfest. Smell of pickle juice & Fritos turned my stomach (too much of a good thing I suppose). Sip of water, kept plugging along.

Long downhill stretch. Bounced, trail jarred – stopped, puked. Ugh. Gotta take in fluids, hold something down. Small cup of Powerade before ‘the Hill from Hell’, spewed blue near Heaven’s Gate. New plan: Run faster. Not hydrating, need to Finish sooner. Wooded oak section, stop: orange Powerade – puke. Ran steady with a group of Halfers – held pace uphill, briefly gapped on the downs.

2^nd time up ‘the Hill from Hell’. Dry heaving, struggling mentally (no food, no liquid, no fuel).

Started Lap 3.

First Aid Station, stopped. Legs ok but dizzy, spinning, oddly emotional. What to do? Radioed the Race Director, asked ’bout my options. I could downgrade to the Half, still complete the Double Challenge – not take a DNF. Ok, done.

Dehydrated, received an IV of fluids: virtual insta-fix. Nausea near gone, met up with Andrew & Elizabeth (who also ran downgraded distances) & finished a half-bowl of chili. Much better now.

Messaged an Oklahoma-based friend I hoped to see at the Finish. There she is – hadn’t seen Lory in 25 years. WOW! Same face, same laugh, same great sense of humour. Worked together a lifetime ago. She a 22-year-old bartender; I an underage waiter. Soooo instead of slogging 13 miles more trail, got to share time with a gal I hadn’t seen in light years. Everything happens for a reason 🙂

AND 3 of us picked up Post Oak plaques – DOUBLE SUCCESS!

Celebrated with Mexican [food] at a neighborhood restaurant, then airport returned to Denver. Awesome weekend of friends – both old & new! Wouldn’t have been the same without any of them.

2016 POSTOAK CHALLENGE

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28th, 2016

TULSA, OK

DOUBLE RESULTS – 50K & HALF MARATHON – MALE/FEMALE

Place Name City/State 50k Time Ha Time Net time Bib#

===== ========== ============= ======== ========

5 K R Haga Louisville CO 8:05:45 2:59:30 11:05:15 97

: 50K start (far right, white cap)

: 31 miles of deciduous woodland, Osage hills & Sooner prairie

: ARMADILLO!

: Oklahoma Oktoberfest [fave Aid Station]

: today’s Tulsa skyline WOW shot

: Holmes Peak 1030ft: quite the haul

: not one, not 2…but 4 monster climbs UP

: 2nd ultra in 3 weeks

: Day One Challenge SUCCESS!

: 25 years later, these faces never change 🙂

: faces maybe never, but fashion trends do (white pants/high collar, circa 1988)

: double Challenge plaque: 50K Saturday, half-marathon Sunday

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

Red Hot 55K, Moab

Published February 13, 2016

The Red Hot is located northwest of Moab, Utah just west of Arches National Park. Red Hot runners will have majestic views of the La Sal Mountains to the southeast and breathtaking views of Canyonlands National Park to the west. The course is beautiful but challenging this is why..it attracts elite runners like Ian Torrence, Karl Meltzer, Rob Krar, Anton Krupicka, Dakota Jones and many more!

We are a week away from race day an I would like to update on a couple of important issues for day of race. Moab has been experiencing a cold winter with a substantial amount of snow. Be prepared for possible ice and snow on the course especially in northfacing sections, but most of the course is exposed to the sun. With this said there can be a slight possibility the last aid station before the finish line could be 3 miles further from its intended location. I say slight chance because our jeep club has added wenching spikes at the infamous “waterfall” to pull their vehicles up this section. Our last aid station will radio their position to the Gold Bar aid station (55k a/s 4, 33k a/s 2). But it is the runners responsibility to be self-supportive between all aid stations and prepared for any changes during event. This is trail running not a road marathon!

Cutoff Time 55k: 12:00pm at aid station 3 (mile 17). Any runners who do not make this cutoff will be considered a DNF. You may not proceed beyond this time due to rules and safety of the runner. A course sweep will be pulling markings from Gold Bar/Golden Spike. You do not want to be on the SPIKE with no markings and eventually no light!

First trail race, my first ultra. Quick kiss goodbye [pup Ro], Friday half-day work-day, 6 hours of highway…destination: Moab UT. Bib pick-up, carbo-load dinner at Pasta Jay’s – 55K tomorrow a.m.

10 miles north of town, located Gemini Bridges trailhead right off State Hwy 191. Watched the sun rise over the red rock desert landscape. Quiet, so much colour. Cold morning, surroundings still covered in snow from an unexpected mid-week storm. ½ mile walk to the trailhead on frozen red mud – mental note: gonna get sloppy as morning sunshine wakes the ground.

7:30 instructions, 8am start. Shorts, double-shirted, SJ Ultra Vest 2.0 (first time racing with a hydration pack). Different crowd queue vs. my weekend Marathon Maniac posse. Trail ultras attract lotta Ironman athletes, participant age skews younger.

Quarter-mile of frozen mud, then UP – today’s run included 4500ft+ of vertical gain. Deep snowpack, ice, groomed snow, frozen mud, swampy slog, trail sand – before the first of 2 big sandstone climbs.

Conditions migrated from run to hike/climb – literally. Looked down on Canyonlands Nat’l Park, like peering into the Grand Canyon. WOW!

FOCUS – Aid Station 3 (mile 17) by Noon. Coming down from the 1^st bluff summit, steady, increased pace for 4 miles – conflicted inside, would my first ‘DNF’ be so bad?

Despite 50+ marathon finishes, today I was a poser – not a trail athlete. This race was way beyond my current skill level. HUGE difference from road marathoning – add the longer 55K distance (34+ miles) and yeah, today felt near impossible.

SUCCESS – Aid Station 3, 10 minutes to spare. Refilled my hydration pack, nabbed a PB&J sandwich. Another mile down, dodged off-road 4x4s making their initial climb of the day (roads were closed to vehicles ‘til noon cut-off).

18 miles of run, hike, climb – mount 2 loomed ahead. Reached the supply dump at Aid Station 4 & our loose team of 6 emerged. Me, guy from Fort Collins, 2 young women (both sported Ironman tats) & a Japanese couple, Tokichi & Kaho.

I drifted off trail 5x – 4 of those times it was Tokichi who called out. Absolutely no good at locating pink-n-black ribbons tied to snow-drenched trees in a state forest. Felt more like geocaching than marathoning.

Ran short of food, then water – I’m telling ya: COMPLETELY UNPREPARED. Again, Tokichi & Kaho came through. Mysterious powder (labeled ‘68’) to help with nausea; these two were a walking supply tent.

Last wall climb – my fingers cracked, bloodied from ice & barehand holds. Downhill trotted final 3 miles, stopped to dry heave every 4-5 minutes. Not an inspiring cinematic day. Wrapped the last canyon corner, FINISH ahead – teared up…couldn’t believe I was done.

9 hours, 2 mountains, ran/hiked/climbed in snow, ice, wind, sand & mud. Nothing left. Back-propped against a rock, nestled with a bowl of chili & waited for Tokichi & Kaho to cross – amazing couple, my Red Hot ultra trail heroes.

Whatta life experience – adventure I won’t soon forget.