Run Lake Tahoe

Rest in Peace, Cornelius

2011-09-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

After 17+ years of faithful mouse-hunting service, our cat Cornelius (Corn) died today.

The day we selected him from a litter of young kittens, he ran away and hid behind a large pile of firewood. We could have simply picked another kitten from that litter, but we really liked Corn, so I moved half a cord of wood to get him. The name Cornelius was actually picked a long time before he was born. One time, Vicky and I drove past Cornelius Ave. in East Nicolaus, CA and agreed that we would call our future cat Cornelius.

Corn loved to sleep in warm places, like on top of my laptop.

Corn certainly wasn't the easiest-going cat. He was a born hunter (on one occasion he took on an adult turkey vulture!) and made sure our place was always rodent and lizard-free. He had a bit of a wild side and would often hide in the grass and jump out. He had little time for staying on our laps; that's just the way he was and always remained. We would always warn kids that came over to be careful--he could strike at any time, as you can see in this video:

Corn in action

Corn was extremely curious and even checked out a few books on HTML5 late in his life.

Everything reminds us of him now.

We buried Cornelius in our backyard today in a spot overlooking the meadow. While we put some flowers down, a beautiful little white butterfly flew by and showed up one more time later. I think he is in a good place now.

"A stone I died and rose again a plant;

A plant I died and rose an animal;

I died an animal and was born a man.

Why should I fear? What have I lost by death?"

—Rumi

Rest in peace, Cornelius. You'll always be in our hearts.

Live: Two TRT Record Attempts

2011-09-09T15:26:00.001-07:00

Update 9/11/11:

Both attempts were abandoned at miles 50 (Aaron) and 87 (Michael). Better luck next time, guys.

The TRT is heating up. It turns out there isn't just one unsupported Tahoe Rim Trail record attempt (See my last post about Aaron Sorensen). Michael Popov (who at one time held the JMT unsupported record) is also running, but going the other direction. Both are going for the fastest unsupported time, which currently stands at 85h47m50s (by Adam Bradley), according to Peter Bakwin's FKT site (this also has details about the supported records).

Michael Popov in action

You can follow Michael live via his Spot tracker at this link.

It looks like Michael blazed his way through desolation wilderness already. Good luck guys!

Finally, David Wronsky is going to go for a TRT run in one-shot as well. Barefoot! You can read more about this on his site: www.helpdavidrun.com/LakeTahoe165/ We were both interviewed by Moonshine Ink about barefoot running recently (I will post details soon).

This weekend: Unsupported TRT Record Attempt by Aaron Sorensen

2011-09-08T03:30:00.001-07:00

This weekend, Aaron Sorensen is going to give the unsupported TRT record another try. He's got his backpack ready and he is starting Friday morning going counter clockwise from Tahoe City. Aaron knows the trail well (He and Michael Popov offered to help me on my supported run in 2008, but I fell behind schedule and missed them).

Aaron Sorenson

Complete details here: http://goo.gl/f1Hq5

Aaron: have fun out there and keep us posted—it will be epic!

Rocky's Eighth Grade Valedictorian Speech

2011-06-09T20:01:00.000-07:00

Déjà vu. Last night, almost exactly two years after Sean graduated as the valedictorian of his middle school class and after a year of hard work, keeping the perfect 4.0 GPA, Rocky followed in Sean's footsteps and became the valedictorian of his eight-grade class at MCAA.

During the graduation ceremony he first played Rondo alla Turca (Mozart) on the piano (perfectly) and then he gave a very nice speech. There was no promotion ceremony for Sean (he is now a junior), but he also kept a straight A score up for yet another year. Needless to say, some really proud parents here...

Here is the entire speech:

Good evening and welcome, faculty, distinguished guests, family, and friends. My name is Rocky Lubbers and I'm really exited to speak to you tonight.

A Zen Master once said: "When you reach the top, keep climbing." I particularly like this quote, because it is very true on so many levels. To me, this means that we are never done, but in a good way. You're never too old to learn something new. The question is: how can we keep climbing? And at the same time, how can we enjoy the ascent?

I remember when I just turned 10 years old. My brother and I signed up to run a half marathon in Lake Tahoe. The day before, the weather was very nice, but on the morning of the run it started snowing and there was ice on the road. We started slowly and kept running together. The early miles were easy, but then came the infamous “Hill from Hell.” From what I heard from my dad who ran it before, it was a killer. I wasn’t too scared however, because I knew when we reached the top, we would keep climbing. And so we did. We finished the half marathon in 2 hours and 55 minutes.

This year, my physical science teacher Ms. Ellsmore explained to me that an object in motion stays in motion, unless acted on by an unbalanced force. This means that, in nature, an object can either move forward or backward, up or down, but ultimately never stay in the same place (at least not for too long). And so is it in life, school, and everything else. We should strive to be going up and forward, and to learn something new, each and every day.

Climbing the highest mountains in the world is not a risk-free operation. You don’t just stroll to the top of Mount Everest, or casually walk up K2. In fact, you can't even take a helicopter to some of the worlds highest peaks—the only way to get there is with a lot of concentrated effort. And yet, every year, adventurous climbers take on the challenge. Why? They do this, as John F. Kennedy once said, “Not because it is easy, but because it is hard.” For the next years—my high school period—I have some bold and challenging plans: both academically and otherwise. Before I am 16, I want to run a full marathon (like my brother did last month) and I want to continue to do well in school and learn all there is to learn.

In his famous “mountaintop speech," Martin Luther King, Jr. told a story of how he was asked in which age he wanted to live. He could pick any age in history, and although some sounded very tempting, he finally picked a “few years in the second half of the 20th century”—the age in which he lived. I think today—in the first half of the 21st century—is an equally exciting time. Not everything is perfect these days. We have wars, natural disasters, and some rough economic times, but I don’t think I would trade this age for any other in history myself. We have so many opportunities and technological advances and if we can work together to get the most out of it, we will be able to do amazing things.

As Martin Luther King said: “Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be.”

Thank you.

Next up: the Tahoe Relay--this weekend!

Sean, Hayes, and Rocky Rock the Reno Marathon!

2011-05-02T17:29:00.000-07:00

During the Tahoe Triple in 2007, Sean and Rocky (then 12 and 10 years old) ran a half marathon and after recovering from that, Sean said that he would like to finish a marathon before his 16th birthday. About 4 months ago, Sean and his friend Hayes (17) decided to start training seriously for a marathon and asked me to coach them. Rocky joined in for the fun as well (he was going to try to run a faster half marathon this time) and before long some of their friends joined in and we now have a complete local relay team for the upcoming Tahoe Relay.

Police Escort at the Start of the Reno Rock 'n River Marathon

We looked around for a marathon, with the following criteria in mind:

Flat-ish
Not too expensive
Close to home

At first we decided on the River City marathon (my favorite), but found out that the date had moved up this year, so we would not have enough time to train. Then we found the Reno Rock 'n River Marathon on May 1st and after reading Gretchen's race report we decided we would try that one for a first marathon, just a few weeks after Sean's 16th birthday.

Rocky and Turi "Running Around Reno" Becker at the Start

The day before the race we went to the expo to pick up the race bibs. While there, we ran into Angel (Tahoe Triple RD) and we convinced a few people to sign up for the Tahoe marathons ;-) Pasta dinner at the Olive Garden tasted good and after that we went to bed early.

With Austin Angel in the Tahoe Booth at the Expo

The next morning, after months of solid training, including several nice long runs, and some almost-injuries, it was time to run! It was going to be a nice day: cold at the start, but not too hot later on. We caught up with Turi at the start, which was fun. Turi went on to break his own half-marathon record, paced by the lightning-fast Chris (1:28:12)--Go Turi! One person we half-expected to see at the start was the infamous Lynryd Skynrod, but he was missing in action.

Rocky at the Start

The marathon started at 6:30 a.m. and the half marathon started at 7. It was still very cold, but that would help later on. Sean and Rocky made good time, sticking to the 1-minute walk breaks after each mile that I had been telling them to take. We found a spot on the course where they would all pass several times and saw Turi, Chris, Sean, Hayes, and Rocky fly by several times.

The Easy Early Miles

Rocky came through at the 7 mile point at 1:35, feeling good. I estimated that it would take him at least another hour to make it back to the finish, but when we arrived (we stopped for a coffee and could not park right at the finish) we found out that he had already finished in 2:23! Sorry we missed that Rocky, but very happy you were able to crank up the pace to finish that strong! Rocky's finish time was good for a third place in the 11-15 age group and he received a nice big age group medal--this race is pretty serious about their hardware!

What's on the Other Side of "The Wall?"

We quickly drove to the Rock Park aid station at mile 23 and waited there for Sean and Hayes. All of the marathoners go through this aid station in both directions, but almost everyone had already passed on the way out. We did not know what to expect--finishing was the only goal for the day, but based on previous long runs, we were thinking of a finish time in the 5:15-5:30 range.

Proud Finishers

All of a sudden, they came around the corner, well ahead of this pace. This was mile 23 and both of them were clearly hitting the wall, but determined to keep pushing. A short walking break just enough to swallow a final gel, and they were off again. 3 miles to go with 45 minutes left to break 5 hours--the race was on! We quickly drove to the finish and waited there.

The Finish

Sure enough, with plenty of time to spare, they came running down the final straightaway. They must have even passed a few "bogeys" in the last few miles. They finished at exactly the same time in 4:48--good enough for a shared 2nd place in the 15-19 age group--more medals.

The Post-Race Meal

I'm obviously very proud of them. It was a great accomplishment and we celebrated with a very well-deserved, big meal before driving back home to rest and ice the legs. Thanks to all the volunteers for putting together a very runnable marathon!

Blast from the Past: Sean and Rocky Finish the Lake Tahoe Half Marathon in 2007

Next Up: The Tahoe Relay! Our team name is "The Extreme Falcons" ;-)

2010 in Review: Another Kind of Ultra

2010-12-30T14:55:00.001-08:00

My new "HTML5" license plates

Sorry about the lack of posts this year, but 2010 has been another kind of ultra marathon for me. As I mentioned at the end of 2009, it was time to write a book and this year, at the end of August, on my grandmother's birthday--my co-authors Brian, Frank, and I finally finished this massive project:

Pro HTML5 Programming is one of the first books about HTML5, which is the next major revision of HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) the language that all web pages--including this blog page--are written in. The HTML standard had not really been updated for 10 years, so it was due for a major update. HTML5 is really cool and it has many exciting and powerful features, some of which are starting to appear on web pages already.

Many people compare writing a book to running a marathon, but after finishing the book, I can honestly say I completely agree with Gretchen, who recently wrote (in a post about marathon metaphors): "Obviously, most authors don’t realize how easy running a marathon really is! Because, seriously? Finishing a book? Way, way harder."

As if writing the book itself was not enough (we wrote the book "on he side," on top of all our "regular" startup job work ), I also created a complete HTML5 training course based on the new knowledge gathered by writing the book and the timing for the course was just right. When the iPad was launched and Apple, Google, Mozilla, Opera, and even Microsoft (how often can those companies agree on anything?) decided that HTML5 was the future, the demand for HTML5 training skyrocketed, mainly, because our training course was, well... the first official training course in the world! We even partnered with Google to train their partners in preparation of the launch of the Google Chrome Web Store (featuring lots of cool HTML5-based web apps).

The rest of 2010, I spent traveling to all the corners of the earth--to cities like New York, London, Paris, Lisbon, Taipei, San Antonio, Vancouver, and Stockholm to name but a few--teaching training sessions and speaking at web conferences. In total, I traveled over 100,000 miles with United Airlines in just 6 months, stayed 97 nights at Hilton brand hotels and lots more at other chains, met lots of great people, and tried all kinds of great new food.

Apart from being away from home so much, I truly had a blast and look forward to visiting a lot more places in 2011. Next year, I will bring my running shoes. I hope to run into some of you somewhere along the way (Connect via LinkedIn or TripIt).

Since I had less running-related stories to tell (I did use some running examples in the book) and just less time to write period, I started posting more frequently on Twitter--you can follow me there at @peterlubbers. I am going to start training again in the new year and plan to be back in good shape for the Super Triple in September. Along the way, I'll keep you posted! For now I am enjoying a few weeks of relaxing vacation at home and in the snow with the kids.

Happy New Year everybody!

Why I did not go for a run last weekend...

2010-02-11T02:16:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, Sean and I learned a lot about the basic ideas behind genetics and the probability of inheritance, by creating (and color-coding) a Punnet square with over 1000 cells (5 traits) for his "Martian Mating" Biology project.

Part of the complete Punnet square

So what are the odds he'll become an ultra runner?

The Martian couple--the big Excel spreadsheet shows the traits (number of legs, eye size, antenna/no antenna, dull or sharp teeth) for all their grand kids

My Great Grandmother (by Rocky Lubbers)

2010-01-06T15:08:00.001-08:00

Recently, my son Rocky had to write a memoir about a person that has influenced his life. Although he had only met his great grandmother once at a very young age, her stories are alive and well in our household. Oma, as we used to call her, was a remarkable yet simple person.

World WarII played an important part in oma's life. Oma was a quiet war hero--without question one of the righteous among the nations. Her life story makes us remember what's really important in this world. I feel proud and honored to have known her for many years and her sayings and memories will live on forever.

Here is Rocky's complete memoir:

My Great Grandmother
By Rocky Lubbers (7th Grade Creative Writing 1)

“Wat ze je leren, kunnen ze je nooit meer afpakken”
(What you have learnt, nobody can ever take away from you)
—Gebbechien Lubbers-Katoen

22 February 1945
On a beautiful winter day, just after lunch, the sound of approaching airplanes filled the sky. Forty-three-year old, Bouwe Lubbers, rushed out of the house. “Quick, Geppy and Herman, let’s go outside until the planes are gone,” yelled Bouwe to his wife and his twelve-year old son. Herman followed his dad quickly. “Just a moment,” said Geppy. “Let me just wash this last dish.”

The noise grew stronger, almost deafening. To the relief of many people gathered on the streets, the planes were not German; instead, they bore the insignia of the Allied Forces, shimmering in the sun. The English bombing plane circled overhead. Once. Twice. When the plane emerges above the trees for the third time it is so close that Herman can see the pilot’s face.

The Allied forces had received a tip that Nazi General of the Luftwaffe, Friedrich Christian Christiansen, who was in command of the German Wehrmacht might be among the German soldiers gathered for lunch at the Nazi administrative headquarters located close to the forest on the east side of town, just down the street from Bouwe’s house. Taking out this hot-headed general and the administrative headquarters would be a blow to the methodical Nazi war machine.

The bomb destined to wreak havoc on the Nazi headquarters is released. Bouwe yells for Geppy to come out of the house. “Just a little bit more dusting...” The bomb strikes with a massive blow. Bouwe and Herman hold their breath as the world moves around them in slow motion. Instead of destroying the Nazi offices, the bomb has leveled Bouwe and Geppy’s house.

In an instant, Geppy is buried in the rubble.

A photo album and an illegal radio dangle from a tree, sixty feet in the air as a grim reminder of flashbacks and memories…

Early Days
My great grandmother Gebbechien Katoen (Geppy) was born on August 30th in 1907. She was the daughter of Hendrik Katoen (1876-1925) and Lammechien Tieman (1882-1911) and the older of two sisters. Jantje (later her name would become Janny) was her younger sister. My great grandmother was born in Emmen in the province Drenthe, located in the north-east of Holland, next to the German border. She would spend all of her life in Emmen.

Great Grandmother’s Mother--Lammechien Tieman*

At the age of 29, Geppy and Janny’s mother died. Great grandmother was only four years old. Her father, Hendrik, was a tailor and owned a hat store. He took care of the two girls. At an early age, Geppy and Janny started helping out in the store. When great grandmother was 18, however, her father passed away and the girls were left by themselves.

Great Grandmother's Father--Hendrik Katoen

Great grandmother and her sister continued to run the hat store that their father had left them. Her father had bought the house and the shop, so they were fortunate that they did not have to pay rent. The house was quite big, so they have would rent out rooms to guests—sometimes for several months and sometimes for just a few days.

Oma's Preferred Mode of Transportation--The "Gazelle" Bike

Great grandmother was very industrious. Apart from running the hat store, great grandmother would travel (often by bicycle) to nearby towns to by yarn and fabric that she would then sell for profit. Great grandmother always thought of creative ways to make a little bit money. For example, every Friday there was (and still is) a big market in the center of Emmen. In her days there were not too many cars. Instead, most people rode their bikes. Since it was not possible to take the bike with you to the market, great grandmother organized a place for parking bicycles behind her house. She crafted little cards that looked like raffle tickets and rented the parking space to the owners. It was a nice bit of extra income.

The Two Sisters—Geppy (left) and Janny (right)

Married Life
At age 23, great grandmother got married to Bouwe Jurrie Lubbers (1902-1968). They had one son, Herman Hendrik Lubbers (my grandfather, or as I call him, Opa) who was born on June 27 in 1934 in Emmen.

Great Grandmother with My Opa

After they got married, great grandfather took a job as finance department of the city of Emmen and eventually he would become the treasurer of Emmen. In those days it was not allowed for a woman to have a job when her husband was working at the local government, so they sold the hat store. You can see some historical pictures of their hat shop (The Iron Cap) on the Historic Emmen website.

Over the years, however, great grandmother had made some good connections with a big shop in the city of Groningen (about 60 km from Emmen). She would go there and buy all kind of fabrics for clothes and she would sell the fabric to her friends in Emmen.

To go to Groningen, great grandmother would not take the bicycle. Instead, she took the bus. Most of the time there were a lot of passengers and there was a long line at the bus stop. Over time, great grandmother became good friends with the bus drivers and sometimes, even though great grandmother stood in the middle of a long line, a bus driver would come to a full stop right in front of her so she could get in first.

Because great grandfather’s job included control of the “entertainment” (cinemas, theater, and so on) taxes for Emmen and the surrounding area, great grandmother and opa would often be able to get into shows and movies for free.

World War II
In 1940, the Nazis invaded Holland and after they bombed Rotterdam for a few days, the Dutch surrendered. The Nazis set up administrative offices in a lot of towns, including Emmen. Living in the rural countryside in the north east of Holland, life was slightly better than for the people in the cities in the west. Over time, the Nazis became more and more oppressive. They started their systematic killing of all Jewish people, by sending Jewish people to concentration camps. One of these camps was located in Drenthe (Westerbork).

A lot of families in the countryside offered housing for kids from the cities and through this program, my grandmother—oma—came to live with a family that was close friends with great grandmother and great grandfather—this is basically how my opa and oma first met.
The Nazis were after a lot of people, but two groups in particular stood out: Jews and Resistance fighters. In all of Holland, and also in Drenthe, the resistance was an underground group of people that would free prisoners (from the Nazis) and try to derail the Nazi plans in general, by blowing up train tracks and creating false papers for Jewish people. Some of the resistance fighters had a price on their heads. In Drenthe, the main resistance group was called Knokploeg Drenthe (Fight-Team Drenthe).

At the same time, not all the Dutch people were fighting the Nazis. A group of people called the NSB (Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging)—a fascist political movement in the Netherlands—supplied the Nazis with information against their fellow Dutchmen. In other words, they ratted out their countrymen by spying on them and informing the Nazis if they saw somebody do something that the Nazis had ordered the Dutch not to do (for example, hiding Jewish people to save them from deportation)

Great grandmother and great grandfather did what they felt was the right thing to do and they provided shelter for a lot of Jewish people and resistance fighters (specifically the ones from Knokploeg Drenthe). They did this without question, yet risking their own lives. Some of the most prominent figures of the resistance were placed in their care as they moved from one house to another trying to escape the Nazis and the NSB tipsters. Hiding people was a very risky business. If the Nazis found out, the people sheltering the Jews could be sent to a camp or be shot to “set an example.”

Because food was heavily rationed, it was very hard to get enough food to feed the people that great grandmother and great grandfather were hiding in the attic. Therefore, great grandmother would bike all around Emmen to go to farms to pick up food and milk. She had to routinely stop at German road blocks and explain what she was doing with all the food she was carrying, but she always came up with an excuse and she would alternate where she was going to avoid suspicion. Above all, they would keep their resistance support efforts completely secret. To avoid nosy NSBers finding, they did not tell anybody. Even my grandfather—opa—who was only 10 at the time, did not know much.

For their efforts, great grandmother and great grandfather were written up as heroes in the book titled “Knokploeg Noord Drenthe.” They were the quiet and modest kind of hero that never raised a fist or a gun, but quietly made sure that their county’s honor was defended. The book also tells the story about one of the biggest Nazi prison breaks in Assen, Drenthe (the town were my father was born). Great grandmother and great grandfather hid some of the key resistance fighters that masterminded the prison break.

The book that Mentions My Great Grandparents

The allied-forces decided to bomb the Nazi administrative offices in Emmen. Unfortunately, the English plane dropped the bomb a few seconds too late and it was accidentally dropped on great grandmother and great grandfather’s house and the house of their neighbors’.

At that time two young girls (two my opa’s cousins from the town of The Hague) were staying at great grandmother’s house because there was not a lot of food in the west of the Netherlands. Just before the bomb was dropped, they all had lunch and one of the girls went next door to play with the neighbors’ daughters. The oldest cousin stayed with my opa and great grandfather and joined them outside when they heard the planes.

When the bomb struck, the two houses were instantly ruined. The neighbors’ two children and opa’s youngest cousin died instantly and great grandmother was buried in the rubble. Outside, opa and his cousin were also covered by pieces of debris and ashes. Things were flying all over the place. Great grandfather did not get hurt and started looking around for Herman and saw a small piece of his jacket sticking out of the debris. With supernormal strength, he pulled Herman out of the debris. Herman had broken his arm, but was otherwise all right. The cousin that had been with them was fine, too.

In a bizarre turn of events, the father of the two cousins, Remmert, who worked at the train station in The Hague, had decided to visit his girls, because he missed them. In those days, the only way to get around was by bicycle and even many bicycles had been repossessed. Remmert made the almost 300-kilometer journey from The Hague to Emmen by bike and arrived at the end of the great grandmother and great grandfather’s street just hours after the bomb had been dropped. The street was closed off by the Nazis, and when he said where he wanted to go, they waved him through. Showing up only an hour after this tragic accident was an incredible shock for Remmert.

One very fortunate event was that some of the major resistance fighters that had been staying at great grandmother and great grandfather’s house had just been moved to another location a few days earlier. At the time of the bombing their attic was empty—something that was quite rare.

Great grandmother was declared dead by the rescue workers that came to assist. As the bodies of the dead children were hauled out and placed in boxes, the rescue workers and a doctor gave great grandfather their condolences. Great grandfather, however, wouldn’t have any of it! “Take her to the hospital,” he insisted. “It’s no use, she’s dead” replied the rescue workers. She looked dead and her jaw had been fractured. The fact that they were able to pull her out from under the collapsed two-story house was amazing enough by itself. The rescue workers and the doctor tried to carry her off again, but great grandfather insisted once more and, because he was a very well-respected member of the community of Emmen, they finally gave in and transported great grandmother to the hospital.

Two months later, great grandmother woke up out of her long coma. She lived until she was 94 and survived her husband and her sister…

After the War
After the bombing, Great grandmother and great grandfather temporarily moved to another house in Emmen and over the years, they rented many different houses in Emmen. All in all, Great grandmother lived at 11 different locations in Emmen.

My great grandmother and great grandfather were happily married and Great grandmother spent her days as a housewife and looked after her son, Herman (Opa). Great grandmother loved to cook and bake. Her pastries were delicious and very famous among family and friends. My great grandfather died in 1968 in Emmen. He was a smoker and died from lung cancer. That was very hard for Great grandmother, but she pulled through it and adjusted to life on her own.

Great Grandmother Loved to Read

She loved to take extra good care and pamper her family. For example, when the family would stop by before going on a trip she would give them bags full or sweets for the whole trip. She even had a special “goodies-closet” filled with cake, cookies, chocolates and other tasty delights. She also canned vegetables and kept a big supply of pickled vegetables and cans in the basement of her house to be eaten in winter.

Great grandmother was very fond of flowers and she would always have some in her house and in her garden. Saving was also one of the priorities in her life. They were not rich, but great grandmother and great grandfather never borrowed money.

Great grandmother was a member of the reformed protestant church and she would always go to the church services on Sundays (twice a day). She followed the church rules, but every once in a while she would make a small exception. For example, members of her church were not supposed to have a Christmas tree, but great grandmother bought a (small) tree when her grandchildren came over, because she knew they would love it. “It can’t be in the tree” she would comment.

Later in Life
Great grandmother kept bicycling until she was around 80 years old. There was a four-day, 160K bike tour once a year in Emmen and great grandmother rode and finished that event until she was in her late seventies! She suffered from Rheumatism and it became harder and harder for her to move around.

Great Grandmother and my Oma on the Bike

Great grandmother also enjoyed speaking the dialect of the province of Drenthe, which almost sounds like another language. There was a special club (‘t Aol Folk) for mostly older people that organized game nights, folk dancing, theater, and other fun events and they celebrated the Drenthe dialect and life in Emmen and the surrounding areas in general. Great grandmother really enjoyed meeting with the other people that she had known for decades. Because she lived to such an old age she saw many of her friends die and that caused her a good deal of suffering.

Until the end, Great grandmother remained very sharp mentally and she would always quote her father and her mother in law and other wise sayings. For example, “Nobody is ever too old to learn something new,” and “He who saves something, always has something.”

Great grandmother died on August 26 2002 In Emmen, just a few days before her 95th birthday.

My Meeting with Great Grandmother
When I was very small (1 year old) I met my great grandmother. It was in September 1998 in Emmen. Unfortunately, I don’t remember it, but I am told that great grandmother was very overjoyed to see both me, my brother Sean and my cousin Gabriella (my other cousin Elektra had not been born yet). Until the end of her life great grandmother had all kinds of pictures from her family and her grandchildren on her cabinet.

Since we live in America and my aunt and my cousins live in Sweden, we were not able to visit great grandmother that often, but when we did it was always very nice. And of course she continued to pull delicious treats out of the goodie-closet!

The Author (Rocky), Reaching for the Pictures on Great Grandmother’s Cabinet

* Photographs courtesy of Herman Lubbers

Vote for Rocky's Green Day Mashup!

2009-12-31T16:11:00.000-08:00

Rocky's Green Day Music Mash-up!
Vote for this mash!

Plans for 2010: Another Kind of Race!

2009-12-15T11:00:00.001-08:00

Sorry it's been so quiet on the blog lately. After finishing the ultrarunner.net grand prix series this year, I took of some time off from running to recover from the many miles. I also had to travel to Europe a lot for work. I'm finally back home for the holidays though.

For the next couple of months, I am going to focus my energy on something non-running related: Together with some of my colleagues, I am going to be writing a kick-ass book for Apress titled Pro HTML5 Programming. It's really exciting, because we're going to be one of the very first books on this cutting-subject and we're even going to incorporate a few running-related example applications ;-)

Before anyone gets any ideas, though, this book is due out in March/April 2010, so I'll have plenty of time to ramp up my training to come back and defend my title at the Super Triple at the end of September next year! I am also planning to run a few more relays with Sean and Rocky, including the Redding marathon Relay in January.

The Seven Secrets to Winning a Grand Prix Running Series

2009-10-25T23:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend's Jenkinson Lake Fall Trail Runs 50K was the season finale of the ultrarunner.net grand prix series. The series kicked off with the Pony Express race at the end of February and consisted of 9 races with distances ranging from 20-miles to 12-hour runs.

I am very happy to report that I clinched the series title for the second time!

In 2007, I learned a few lessons about what it takes to win a grand prix series. That year, the series became a mano-y-mano duel with my good friend Scott Dunlap, and I ended up winning the series--and the associated $3000 supersonic mattress grand prize--by just one and a half points (out of 282 total points). In the end it all came down to the last race--if the overall 50-mile winner had run just a few minutes slower, I would taken second place. Way too close!

Jethro Smith Wins Second Place Overall in the Grand Prix

Some people have asked, so at the risk of shooting myself in the foot for a future grand prix series title attempt in 2011 (I am not running the entire series next year), I'll share with you my seven secrets for winning a grand prix running series. Actually, most of these concepts are so basic that they can hardly be called "secrets," but make a few mistakes and your series title hopes can be toast. There is some strategy behind it.

Lainie Callahan-Mattoon Takes Home Hardware for Winning First Place Overall in the GP

Having run quite a few of these series, I know now that it is actually possible for a non-elite runner (like me) to do quite well or even win. You don't have to be a mountain goat or even super fast. A firm aim coupled with some smart strategy and some hard work (and a little luck) is all you really need. It is true--the tortoise can beat the hair.

Go For It!--That is, make the conscious decision to compete in the entire series up front, train for it, and add the races to your schedule. Entering one of the early races with a let's-just-see-what-happens attitude leaves a lot to chance.
Start Out "Guns Blazing"--Once you have decided to really go for it, you want to create the biggest gap on the competition as you can in the shortest amount of time. You want to kick butt and take names starting at race number 1. This doesn't mean that you should show up at the first race and start running like a 10-year old, however. It does mean that you ramp up training well in advance of the first race and taper properly. The first series race is often early in the year and many people will skip running in the cold winter months; instead using the early races to get in shape. It certainly helps if you can be in great shape at the start of the very first race.
Show Up--This, you could argue, is one of my specialties. As I mentioned before, you don't have to be the fastest runner or the best climber. If you're not at the starting line at 7 a.m. all those great strengths won't do you much good.
Finish--David Goggins recently said: "It's not about winning; it's about not quitting." That's true. You really don't have to win every race outright to do well, but you have to actually cross the finish line at some point for your results to count towards your overall points.
Every Minute Counts--While you're in a series race, keep moving forward. In the end, the series could be decided by just a few minutes, so you don't want to think back with regret about that time where you leisurely sat down at an aid station, chatting it up with your friends. For an hour. Also, if you really want to do well, organize a crew that can keep you moving. You can save a huge amount of time with a seasoned crew that is aware of all your preferences. (A huge thank you to Chris, Rebecca, and Troy for coming out to crew for me this year!)
Read--Carefully read the series rules, and the individual race details, including course maps for races that you have not run before and scout out the race course before the race if you can. Your best race time is usually achieved when you run the most even pace throughout the race. Knowing the course will allow you to set specific time goals for a course.
Super-Size It--Sometimes races offer a variety of distances. For example, a 6 or a 12-hour run, offering a series point per mile. Always run the absolute longest distance you can to pick up the most points possible. You never know. Sometimes things come up and you may have to miss one of the races (I missed one due to a nearby forest fire this year). Running the longest possible distance every time you can will put some points in the grand prix bank. Occasionally, however, it may pay off to run a shorter distance for some reason. Again, being familiar with the race details is key here.

And... don't forget the other half: hard work and luck. At some point, competing in series race after series race and always trying to be on top of your game can wear you out and it starts to feel a little bit like a job. You have to grind out some miles here and there on tired legs and isn't always fun. Of course, there is a certain element of luck involved as well. To stay injury free, to pick the right race--you never know how things will work out. Oh, and, try to have some fun while you're out there, too. One thing I really enjoyed during the series was meeting old and new running friends at every race.

Yesterday's Race--The Season Finale
Here's a quick report about yesterday's Jenkinson Lake Trail Run 50K.

The race offers a choice of up to four 8-mile, 95% single-track trail loops around Jenkinson Lake. It uses the same course as the Jenkinson Lake Spring Run, except that it was run in reverse and had an extra half mile.

Adventure Racer Mats Ready to Run (and Win!) the 24-Miler

There were some new faces at the start along with some die-hard grand prix racers trying to get some final points in the final race of the season--Gretchen, Lainie, Jethro, and Matt. The race started out fast, I led for the first 4 miles or so and then let the 16-milers set the pace. I chatted briefly with Swedish adventure racer Mats Jensen (last name?) who was running the 24-miler and then it became pretty quiet.

I cranked up some tunes on lap 2 and 3 and was in first place in the 50K, but slowing down a little bit each lap and walking more of the steep hills. The last month of less than 10 training miles and eating danishes was rapidly catching up to me. I plodded my way through the third lap and then, finally, it was time for the victory lap that I had been envisioning since the beginning of the year! The ultra series title was mine unless I fell into Lake Jenkinson and drowned.

Matt Thau Ran Every Single GP Race this Year and Takes Third Place Overall

Ed Walsh and a friend of his were manning the first aid station and Ed kindly kept me posted on where I was relative to the other 50K runners. A lot of runners dropped down to the 24-mile race and apart from Lainie, who was about five minutes behind me, there was nobody in sight. With the series win in the bag, it was hard to get motivated to pick up the pace significantly.

Ed Walsh (right) Won the 60-69 AG

Lainie, who was running another strong race, passed me at the final aid station of the bell lap--both of us were happy to be done with the race and the series in general. Lainie went on to win the 50K and she also won the female grand prix title, followed by Gretchen and Jennifer Dicus.

Lainie Wins the 50K, and the Overall Grand Prix Title

I just kept running at my own pace until I reached the finish line, where Lainie, Jethro, and their parents, Matt, Robert, and Linda were all cheering. It was great to finish what I had started so long ago. A huge congratulations to all the other grand prix finishers and their support crews. Next year has even more races, including a new race at Bullard's Bar Dam that I will be designing the course for. Stay tuned for more details on that.

We had a short awards ceremony and the top-three winners overall, as well as the age group winners, received a truckload of goodies and prizes. For winning the series overall, I received an all-expense-paid vacation package worth $550 (the real reason my family was so supportive of these monthly races!) and another $200+ worth of useful other running-related goodies, like two pairs of Inov-8 shoes, Hammer gel, a Fuel Belt hydration pack, and more.

Jethro (2nd overall), Matt (3rd overall and only one to run every race), and Yours Truly--Watch Out For These Guys Next Year!

Thanks to Robert and Linda, Ed Walsh, and all the other great volunteers, and to the grand prix sponsors for making this an exciting (and rewarding) series. I'll take a break next year, but I may be back for the hat-trick in 2011! So far, in the series history (since 2004), only Beverly Anderson Abbs and I have won two series titles.

Next up: Relaxing... and a few interesting bike rides around Lake Tahoe and around the Sutter Buttes.

Book Review: Running Across Countries

2009-10-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

With Russell Secker at the Tahoe Triple

This summer, I stumbled upon Russell Secker's blog and I have been following it ever since. I read his daily reports from the 2800-mile Trans Europe Race with great interest and wondered what it must be like to run 40+ miles a day for two months. In the eyes of a Transcontinental runner, the Tahoe Super Triple would simply be two short and easy stages and one long one!

Last week, after the Tahoe Triple race buffet, I finally had the privilege to meet Russell in person. He was in Tahoe to help coach some Texas runners to a successful Tahoe Triple finish. I also met Russell's German stage-racing friend Hans Drexler who was running the Tahoe Triple as a "short stage race." Russell was promoting his new book, Running Across Countries and he was also going to run a quick lap around the lake (this was, of course, canceled so he ran the 10K instead).

I bought a signed copy and Chris and Rebecca quickly devoured this 177-page book while they were waiting for me at the different crew stops along the lake. Before I knew it, they were yelling "inspirational" quotes from the book as they were pulling alongside me on the road. "Toughen up, Buttercup" had to be their favorite quote!

Running Across Countries is a book about Russell's favorite kind of race--the ultra stage race. Russell is definitely qualified to tell the story, having finished several runs across Germany, France, and to top it off, the 2009 edition of the Trans Europe Footrace, from Italy to Norway.

The book describes what it takes to run ultra stage races, what you can win (not a red cent), and it chronicles Russell's adventures at the stage races that he participated in--including the 2003 Tahoe Triple, and the 2008 Tahoe 72-Mile Ultra--in Russel's unique, light, and very humorous writing style.

I thoroughly enjoyed Running Across Countries; it's a real page turner and a must-buy for any ultrarunner (especially considering its attractive price). Running Across Countries provides a unique look into ultra stage racing. As an ultrarunner, I was very surprised at how much new information this book contained. It's definitely a different beast than the hundred-miler or any other "one-shot" ultra for that matter. The big difference is that you have to get up at 4 a.m. the next morning again to grind out yet another 40+miler.

64 days in a row.

Nutritional demands change, too. A normal prerace pasta dinner results in extreme fat and protein cravings. Running that long really seems to strip people down to their essence and the book explains that a few minutes of extra rest, a cup of hot Ramen noodles at an aid station, or an extra sandwich in the morning are the sort of thing that transcontinental runners long for the most. Running through pain is inevitable, even for the front runners, who amazingly cover 2800 miles at roughly a 3:30 marathon race pace.

The Trans Europe Stages

I also appreciated Russell's approach to DNFs. He writes that "quitting is harder than keeping going," and to avoid a DNF (Did Not Finish) at all cost. "Never, ever drop out unless there is a compelling medical issue like a broken leg, or a heart attack." That exactly sums up my approach to ultrarunning. I know this is a very controversial issue in the ultrarunning community. It's the "Never-DNF" approach against "Save -it-for-another-day" and nobody is right, of course.

I do think that there is a mental "DNF treshold" though, which is slightly lowered every time a race is abandoned (this is just my take on things--to each his own). Being absolutely convinced that you can and will finish is even more important in long stage races, because you are bound to go through some pretty bad lows and your mind will start playing tricks with you. Not even having the mental option to DNF can be a race-saver in those cases.

In the beginning of Russell's book, he credits another book about stage racing--Running the Trans America Footrace by Barry Lewis--as the source of inspiration for Russell's trans-continental running, and now Russell has passed it on. Running a long ultra stage race sounds like a great adventure to me--definitely on my list of things to do. Now I just need to strike it rich and retire early, because transcontinental racing is not exactly cheap and I don't think I want to wait until I am 65!

Gold Country 20-Miler

2009-10-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

Karalee Morris (first overall in the 20-miler) and I

On Saturday, I had to fly to Denmark for work. However, I also wanted to run the Gold Country 50K (and pick up some ultrarunner.net grand prix points to stay in first place) that day, but knew I would never be able to finish it in time for my 1 o'clock flight (it is about a 45-minute drive to the airport from Auburn). Skipping the race would be risky though (I just might lose my first place overall).

Robert Mathis (RD) Explains the Course

Fortunately, there was also a 20-mile option. I had run the course before and estimated that it would take me about 3:15 to run 20 miles and that would leave me exactly 15 minutes to get changed and book it to the airport.

Jethro Smith (Second in the Grand Prix) Gets Ready

I started out fast on the four-mile downhill section to No-Hands Bridge, where Lainie was running the aid station. I could still feel some residual fatigue from the Tahoe Triple in my legs, expecially on the flats and the uphills.

Ray Sanchez pulled past me on the first uphill (K2) and soon after that, Aaron Summerhayes passed me as well. Aaron had marked the course, but he was patching up the flagging as he went, because a lot of the flags had been taken down and thrown on the ground.

At one point, Aaron and I came to an intersection that had been vandalized. Somebody had changed the tape around altogether and that had sent Ray the wrong way. Fortunately, Aaron quickly corrected it for me and all the other runners, and Ray could run the loop in reverse without losing time. I really don't understand why someone would do this. Let's just say it was a good thing we did not run into these pranksters (Ray being an ex-golden glove boxer and... let's just say it is hard to outrun any of us). So, vandalize at your own risk!

Aaron Summerhayes Marked the Original Course and Marked it Again While Running!

The rest of the run was pretty uneventful. It was a great day for a morning run, but I kept looking at my watch to see how I was doing for time. I made it back to No Hands bridge with 45 minutes to spare. I was in first place in the 20-miler at that point. I slowed down a bit on the uphill sections and this is where Karalee passed me like I was standing still. She ran a great race and finished in first place overall.

I finished in 3:17 and that's when the real race began. For winning the male race, I received a shoe certificate, I ate about ten pieces of watermelon, and then Vicky and the kids helped hose me off, and I changed in less than 5 minutes. Then we were off to the airport! I made it in time and made it safely to Aarhus Denmark where I will be presenting a training session at the JAOO conference this week. And, guess what? The conference is going to put on a 7.5 kilometer run on Tuesday night. That should be fun.

The 2009 Tahoe Triple

2009-09-28T23:00:00.000-07:00

Check Out the Animoto Slideshow!

We just came back from another Tahoe Triple Marathon weekend. Here's the recap:

Pre-Race
Training and organization for the Super Triple started long before the actual race. I took a little break from running after a great series of spring races and kicked off my training again in July. My goals were to (a) run sub-19, (b) run sub-20, or (c) just finish the race. Goals a an b would probably be enough for a fourth straight win. A good run at the Lake of the Sky trail marathon two weeks before the race proved (to me) that I was ready. I put in the training for this target race. Unfortunately, for reasons beyond my control, these goals will have to wait for next year to be realized.

Thomas and Sean Speak at the Pre-Race Buffet

Chris, Rebecca, and I headed down to the Horizon Casino for the annual pre-race briefing. There were lots of familiar faces to catch up with: RD Les Wright, Triple coordinators Angel and Lucia, fellow 3-time Super Triple finisher Keenan Follis, and many other runners that I had run with in previous years.

Sean Meissner and Thomas Reiss gave the now oh-so-familiar--but still very entertaining--pre-race speech about running the three consecutive marathons and most of the first-time triplers were soaking up the information. Speaker Bart Yasso told us some funny anecdotes from his long running career, and after the pre-race dinner, I met Russell Secker, who had recently run across Europe (check out his new book titled "Running through Countries").

Day 1
It was a pretty hot day (with temperatures near record highs), so I held back a little bit in the second half of the marathon, walking some of the uphills. I ran 3:30--a little slower than I had hoped for, but OK given the warmer weather. I was first in the Super Triple with Lambert Timmermans 15 minutes behind me.

I decided to buy some ice and soak my legs in the bathtub instead of standing in the lukewarm lake (less time in the sun). The rest of the day we spent relaxing. Vicky and the kids joined us in the evening and she brought some killer home-made lasagna for dinner.

Just before dinner, I decided to quickly check my mail and, just like that, my race was over.

Lambert Timmermans (LT) Lines Up for His First Super Triple

As it turned out, the Lake Tahoe Marathon (LTM) organization had applied for a permit too late and Cal Trans and NDOT, being the running fans they are, had denied the permit to run the race. For LTM to continue to host the race would be a pretty bad violation, so everyone was offered a refund or a "downgrade" to the marathon. Super Triple runners could simply run the kids' run, er I mean the the Triple, instead, since they had already finished Day 1. The only alternative was that runners could run an unofficial "72-mile jog" around the lake by themselves.

Rudy Montoya and I at the Finish of Day 1

Some other runners suggested I run the unofficial run, but honestly, that did not make sense to me. If I wanted to just run around the lake at night for fun, I could do that any time. I felt a bit confused; mad and sad at the same time. Mostly, I was wondering what I should do now. Should I go after a certain place in the Triple or just have fun?

The regular Triple, felt like a 5K in terms of raw speed. When I trained for my sub-3 marathon in April, I had done a lot more speed work. Now the focus for the Super Triple had been much more on long runs and perfecting long distance power-walking. I can now easily power-walk 12-minute miles for hours on end and I think that is one of the keys to Super Triple success. You know you're not going to be able to run the entire distance, so the key is to cover lots of ground while you're walking.

Day 2
I decided to at least finish the regular triple (this way, I'll have three regular and three super triple finishes), but--for once--have some fun with it, too. Why not back off the pace just a little bit, and enjoy the scenery, the mountain air, listen to some music?

Having Fun With Chris on Day 2

At the start of the second marathon, I did just that. The first 10 miles is mostly downhill from Spooner Summit to Incline Village. I cranked up some music on the iPod and flew down the hill. Suddenly, an rare runner's high kicked in that lasted pretty much throughout the entire run.

The Finish of Day 1 (Kids on the Sidewalk and the Other Runner Out of Sight Right Behind Me)

With about ten miles to go, a couple of runners passed me. One of them was running just the Saturday marathon (The LTM offers a-la-carte marathons on Friday and Saturday). With three miles to go, Vicky and the kids drove by and Rocky yelled out of the window that it was time to "catch some bogies." Sure enough one of the runners came back into sight. First 300 yards out, then 200. Maybe I could still pick up one more place.

With Vicky after the Race

We entered the downtown area of Tahoe City. Maybe too much distance to cover, maybe not. I sped up some more and kept inching closer and closer. With about 100 yards to go I surged past the other runner and blasted to the finish with Rocky and Sean running next to me on the sidewalk. I finished in 9th or 10th place overall and would have been first again in the Super Triple. I heard LT pulled out with some knee issues in Incline Village--I hope that heals up before you next 100-miler in two weeks, LT!

Blood and Sweat, and... Pavement

We had planned out a good routine for after the second marathon. In the Super Triple, you only have about 10 hours until the start of the 72-miler, so it is important to be efficient. Now that I would have a full night of rest, we could afford to take it easy. I stuck around and chatted with some of the other runners and I spent the rest of the day relaxing and icing the legs in the bathtub again.

With Chris, Rebecca, Rocky, and Sean

Day 3
The final marathon of the Triple is run with the regular (single) marathon and thus with a much larger crowd. Before the race started I caught up with Oswaldo Lopez, who looked like he was in great shape to go after a fast time in the 72-miler. Maybe he could even get close to Rae Clark's 9:06. His attempt will also have to wait another year, due to the 72-mile ultra run cancellation. Oswaldo was going to run the marathon instead.

With Oswaldo Lopez

Before the start, I met Gretchen and Turi. I had run with both of them only two weeks earlier in the Lake of the Sky trail marathon. Sean Meissner looked ready to go, but he would definitely have some tough competition. For example, Lynryd Skynrod, who was first in the Triple had been cranking out some very fast times (2:43 and 2:54 on days 1 and 2) and Ian, and English runner, had been pretty close behind him.

With Turi and Gretchen at the Start

I paced a few miles with Gretchen, who had been out with a cold all week. She was not sure if she was going to run until the day before the race. Well, it was a good thing she did, because she went on to win the marathon--Go Gretchen! (Oh, and I am now adjusting your target time for the Helen Klein 50-miler to sub-7:00, Gretchen!)

Sean Meissner Before the Start

I had fun chatting with some of the marathon runners, including a runner from Costa Rica, who was running his first marathon. I am pretty sure he made it sub-4. I also ran with Dr. Jeff Shapiro, talking about the negative effects of pain killers and too much food during a race. Jeff is a co-organizer for the 200-mile Relay in Napa, which might be a fun race to put on next year's schedule.

With a Runner from Costa Rica

Having fun and running three marathons on three days are not often found in one sentence, but I was enjoying the beautiful weather and the fantastic scenery. It was nice to run with one of the lanes of the highway closed for a change, too.

Female Triple Winner Leslie Stallings Powers Up the Hills

That said, It was bit hard to get a good running rhythm going on the flat parts of the course, but as soon as I entered the hills, things felt better. I would power-walk the uphills and run all the downhills hard, making up for the slower pace on the flats. Sure, the legs were feeling it after so many road miles, but overall I felt OK; the end was in sight.

Power-walking the Uphills

Troy crewed for me on day 3 and kept me fed and watered throughout the race. It was another hot day and it was nice to have some extra water and Gatorade between aid stations. The volunteers on the course and at the aid stations were also doing an awesome job keeping everybody hydrated.

With Jeff Shapiro (Napa Relay)

Once you reach mile 72 in the Triple, at Inspiration Point, you have run around the entire lake. The final 6 miles after that are mostly downhill. First steep downhill and then more gradual and flat.

With Switzerland's Nedis Della Chiesa, a Great Power Walker

I could still make it under 4 hours if I kept going steadily and I made it with a minute and a half to spare. I saw Turi at the finish, who had finished just a few minutes ahead of me. Gretchen had won the female title and, as expected, Sean Meissner had come in first in the marathon. A great win on a hot day.

Keenan Follis and I, We'll Be Back for the Super Triple Next Year to Keep the Streak Alive

Florida's Leslie Stallings won her first Triple, even though this was her first ultra and her only goal was to finish. She pushed hard and it paid off. Lynryd Skynrod won his second Triple and smoked a celebratory cigarette almost immediately after crossing the finish line. Rumor has it that he is considering the much gentler and more lucrative sport of cage-fighting instead of running another Tahoe Triple.

With Blue Benadum (RD for the Malibu Marathon, 3rd in the Triple)

We hung out at the finish on Pope Beach for a while, catching up on race stories and picking up the awards. IRunFar's Bryon Powell was there as well, getting ready to pace Kilian Jornet's TRT-165 speed record attempt. I would have loved to come out to pace or crew for that as well, except, doing that the day after the Triple would probably not be the best idea.

With Ryan Flynn After the Race

Finally, a huge thank you to Vicky, Sean, Rocky, Chris and Rebecca, Troy and Zimfira, and Rory for helping me even though the event we planned for never happened. You rock and I simply could not have done it without you. Thanks!

Sean and Gretchen Finish First in the Regular Marathon. The Masters Winners Jim George and Vickie Lau Next to Them

Next Up: The Gold Country 50K This Saturday!

Tahoe 72-Miler, Super Triple Canceled...

2009-09-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

I just found out that tomorrow's Tahoe 72-mile run is canceled. Cal Trans and NDOT have denied the permit to run the race. Race organization will automatically convert all entrants into Sundays regular Marathon (so, Super Triple --> Regular Triple).

Since the 72-Miler is the last leg of the Super Triple, this unfortunately ends this year's attempt to win my fourth straight Super Triple. For what it's worth, I ran a 3:30 "warmup" marathon today (7th in the Triple, 1st in the Super Triple) and came in 15 minutes ahead of the next Super Triple runner, Riverside's Lambert Timmermans. It was a really hot day, with temperatures hitting near record highs around the lake.

It's a really weird feeling to be sitting here after so much preparation. At this point, I suppose I'll join the Tahoe Triple "fun run" tomorrow. Not sure if I'm going to go hard or just have fun. By the way, thanks to everyone sending me good luck wishes before the race--that really meant a lot to me!

Ready to Roll! (Tahoe Super Triple 2009 Edition)

2009-09-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of year again. Time for our annual running party! I'm excited and looking forward to another Tahoe Super Triple. Chris, Rebecca, and Troy will be crewing again and Vicky and the kids will join us on Friday afternoon (and she promised that she would cook her famous spaghetti and buffalo meatballs pre-race dinner!)

All Set!

I'll try to post some updates over the weekend and send me those positive vibes!

The Lake of the Sky Marathon "Training Run"

2009-09-15T11:42:00.000-07:00

I suppose the subtitle of this blog post could be "How a training run turned into a race." On top of that it turned into a race against... my own imagination.

With two weeks to go before the Super Triple, it was time for a final long run at elevation, and as luck would have it, the Lake of the Sky Trail Runs, which is part of the ultrarunner.net series, was held on Saturday.

Course Profile--The Marathon Had 4050' Elevation Gain and Loss (Courtesy of LOTS Website)

Matt Thau and Jethro Smith showed no signs of slowing down their pursuit of ultrarunner.net series points, so having missed the Hotter than Hell race in August due to a forest fire, it was important to pick up some points in this race. Also, it would be fun to chat with running friends, old and new.

I had run this section of the Tahoe Rim Trail before--once in the 2007 version of the Lake of the Sky 50K a week after the Super Triple and once during my TRT thru-run (mile 91-110)--and thoughts of this section were always associated with keywords like "pain," "suffering," "slow," and "exploding lungs." This time, of course, I was fresh, but I still had a healthy respect for the serious elevation changes on this section, especially the steep start.

Cruising Down My Favorite Trail (Photo by Turi)

My shoe choice for the race was, for once, an actual trail shoe--the Saucony Progrid Xodus. I had recently won a pair in Dave "Running Trails in Atlanta" Schoenberg's blog shoe give-away and this would be a good test. Typically, I run a lot of the trails in road shoes, but I knew this section of the TRT was going to be very rocky, so I wanted a little bit more support.

The Saucony Progrid Xodus After the Race (with Balega Socks, of Course)

The Xodus shoes are very light for a trail running shoe and they provide excellent cushioning and traction thanks to their super-grippy Vibram soles. I was really happy I picked these shoes and will definitely use them again for trail races.

Fellow TRT-165 Club Member Turi Becker (3rd in the Marathon) Before the Race

Just before the race started, I ran into Turi "Runnin' Round Reno" Becker, who is training for the Lake Tahoe Marathon in two weeks. Turi decided to run this race on a whim, instead of a self-supported training road run around the lake--a good choice (I think).

Like me, Turi was running "just-the-marathon." But wait, if that was the case, why did we have different bib colors? It was a good thing Turi noticed this, because I had accidentally been given a 50K bib. We straightened that out and it was time for the 7 a.m. start.

Turi at the Finish

I tried to start my Garmin Forerunner, but it would not cooperate. It has been harder and harder to start it lately, but I think it has finally died for good. No worries though, because my plan was to simply run a nice, easy long run--I did not really need any mile splits.

Second Place Marathon Finisher Jamie Cogley (Watch for his Son in Future Races!)

Close to 90 runners lined up for four different events: the 36-mile "50K," the Marathon, the 2-Person Marathon-Relay, and an 8-mile race. For the first 7 miles, I paced a while with female GP points leader Lainie Callahan-Mattoon, who had recently won the Hotter than Hell 6-Hour run. We caught up on our fall race plans. Lainie is signed up for the Sierra Nevada Endurance Run (a double marathon), which is one of my favorite races. The only problem with that race is that it is usually held on the same weekend as the Tahoe Triple. Good luck at SNER, Lainie!

Lainie Before the Race

I paced a few more miles with Alan and Caroline Barichievich from South Lake Tahoe--two very strong uphill runners--and after the second aid station (9 miles), I ran by myself to the turnaround at Watson Lake.

Alan and Caroline Barichievich from South Lake Tahoe

Before I reached the turnaround, I met two marathon runners that were already on their way back. One of them was Tahoe City's Chris Luberecki. I had seen Chris's name in a lot of local race results and it was nice to finally meet Chris in person.

Tahoe City's Chris Luberecki at the Finish

Chris was running in the relay with his wife Elisa, but unfortunately, she got lost on the way back. To my surprise, the volunteers at the Watson Lake aid station told me that I was the first non-relay marathoner on my way back. Mind you, this was a fairly small event with only about 20 runners in the marathon and about forty runners in the 36-miler.

The other runner I had met on my way to the turnaround had been part of Tyler Curley's winning relay team from Auburn (Their winning time was 3:57:59). Hmmm, running up front was not the plan. I was here to cruise in a training run, not to race. That said, there was only a half marathon left and I definitely had not gone out too fast...

Elisa at the Finish After Getting Lost for an Hour

I set my stopwatch to see how far I was ahead of the second and third place marathon runners and it looked like I had a 6-8 minute lead shortly after the turnaround--too close for comfort. I turned it up a notch and started going faster on the downhills and powerwalked the hills at a faster-than-normal pace. I knew that if I could make it to the 20-mile mark, or to the aid station at mile 22 in first place, I would have the win in the bag--I love downhill finishes--but I still had quite a few miles to go.

Ivy and Chuck After the Race

On my way back I ran into a runner going in the other direction. She shouted "I read your blog," but before I could register what she said, I was already 50 yards ahead. Thanks! I found out after the race that it had been Ivy "Strong Legs and Pancakes" Chastain--a runner from Reno whose running blog I've been following myself. Ivy is planning to run the entire TRT next year and she's scouting out a lot of the individual sections already.

Ray Sanchez and Tyler After the Race. Tyler Hill Ran his First Ultra and Finished Strong in 6th Overall (He Might be Hooked on Utras Now)

I kept looking over my shoulder every 5 to 10 minutes, but to my surprise there were no challengers. I cranked up the iPod with some tunes from my favorite DJ (and fellow Dutchman) Tiesto (his Club-Life podcasts, available on iTunes, are great, free, and great for running).

Sport Store Owner Jefff Halligan (2nd in the 8-mile race) and his Wife Jeni (50K) Came from Idaho to Run the Race

At the 22-mile aid station, I grabbed some water and a last gel and continued to rocket down the final downhill section, covering 4 miles in less than 27 minutes. Like I said, I love those downhill finishes! Speaking of which, can't we reverse the Rucky Chucky 50K (at least every other year)?

Gretchen at the Finish of the 50K

I stuck around a bit and watched the other runners finish. I talked to Jefff Halligan who had come up from Idaho for a training run and I also met Erin Lenzi, who was also running the relay with her husband as part of her final preparation for the Tahoe Triple (they came in second).

As it turned out, my looking over my shoulder had been completely unnecessary, because the next marathon runner showed up more than 40 minutes behind me. Oh well, it had been good motivation to get done quickly!

Wicked-Fast: 50K Winner (Doctor) Cameron Berg After the Race

I thoroughly enjoyed Linda's post-race buffet and talked to some of the other runners. Then decided to soak my legs in the lake and have a nice latte at Tahoe House Bakery, before heading home.

Thanks to Robert, Linda, and all the volunteers for the well-run event and special thanks to volunteer George, who spent 9 hours marking the course perfectly!

Next Up: The main event--The Tahoe Super Triple! Defending the title for the fourth time. Wish me luck!

Interview with Rae Clark--Tahoe 72-Mile Run Speed Record Holder

2009-09-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

Rae Clark at the California International Marathon (Photo by Chris Hosmer)

Tahoe City, 1982. A group of runners toes the starting line of the Lake Tahoe 72-Mile ultrarunning race in front of the fire station. It is early in the morning, cool, and still a bit dark. The race instructor keeps the directions clear and simple: Take a left turn (on Highway 89 South) and run one lap--Go!

One of the runners at the front of the pack is Auburn's Rae Clark. He knows the course by heart, having run the race--but not won--the previous two years. He is ready and focused. Rae has his mind set on the win and a new course record. Will the third time be a charm?

Mentally, Rae has broken up the race into three pieces--the beginning game, the middle game, and the end game. In the first section, Rae runs smooth and in control. This section contains the steep hills around D.L. Bliss State Park and Emerald Bay, but it is early in the race and these hills don't phase him. He is now running by himself, far ahead of all the other runners.

The second section takes Rae through South Lake Tahoe, where he cranks out 6:15-6:20 minute miles, after which he slowly makes his way to the top of Spooner Grade, a relentless climb around mile 50 (he hits the 50-mile split in around 5:30). On the long climb, Rae feels the first signs of fatigue set in, but he pushes on.

Today will be his day. Once he makes it over the top of Spooner, he opens it up, hammering the long 10-mile section down to Incline Village. Rae is tired, but does not stop or even slow down. He just puts his head down and grinds out the smaller hills on the final section, speeding up on the downhills.

In the final ten miles, he drops the hammer and he races to the finish, knowing he has left it all on the course. It was a good day. One lap around the lake in 9:06:11--first place and a new course record. It will be a while before the second-place finisher shows up. It will be a lot longer before anyone breaks that time.

27 years later, the record still stands.

Ever since I started running around Lake Tahoe (I ran my first Triple in 2004), I've been wondering about how fast I could make it all around the lake in one go. I've completed the 72-mile race three times now, with a 13:39 as my best time, although that was always part of the Super Triple (which includes running two marathons prior to the start of the 72-miler), so I know I could definitely go faster. The question is how much faster.

Since the Tahoe 72-Mile Ultra was revived in 2006 by Les Wright as part of the Lake Tahoe Marathon week events, nobody has broken 10 hours. The "modern record," if you will, is Oswaldo Lopez's 10:03:48--an amazing time, yet almost an hour slower than Rae's time. Four-time Tahoe Triple winner Sean Meissner has the second fastest time with 10:27 (2006).

Clearly Rae Clark was running at a different level. Even his great 1982 performance in Tahoe pales in comparison to some of his later successes: Rae went on to set the American 100-Mile Road Record (12:12:19) in 1989 and in the following year, he set the American Record for 24 hours on the track (165.3 miles). Just like the 72-mile Tahoe speed record, both of these records are still standing today.

What does it take to run such an amazing time? What are Rae's secrets and how do you train for that? I could not find much on the Internet, so I decided to get a hold of Rae to ask him these questions myself.

Rae is an old-school guy that is not fond of computers and likes to meet people face to face. Needless to say, it took me a while to track him down, but finally, with Tim Twietmeyer's help (Thanks Tim!), I got a hold of him. Apart from being an amazing athlete, of course, I was struck by his generosity and willingness to help other people; without ever having met me, Rae immediately offered advice and gave me a rare insight into his world.

I feel privileged to have talked to him and look forward to meeting him more often. One thing is for sure, it's going to take a lot to break that record and it is probably wise not to even give any serious thought about breaking that record until you can easily run a sub-10 or even a sub-9:30 lap around the lake.

An entire book could easily be written about Rae and his amazing accomplishments, but here, at least, is a small chapter. The following is my interview with Rae about his amazing 72-mile speed record.

Peter Lubbers: What do you do these days, Rae?

Rae Clark: I am a teacher and a coach in the Placer County area and I work a lot with special-needs children. I coach athletes of all levels. Not over the Internet though--just face to face. I still do a lot of bicycling and running. For example, I am a marathon pacer at the California International Marathon. Basically, I just like helping people.

Peter Lubbers: Apart from your success in road and track racing, I see you also raced Western States 100-miler multiple times. Do you prefer the trails or the road?

Rae Clark: Yes, I raced Western States and did OK there, but I have always been a track and road guy, that was my specialty.

Rae (4th from the right with black cap) at the start of the 1983 Western States 100 (Photo courtesy Western States 100 Archives)

Peter Lubbers: Tell me a little bit more about your 72-mile Tahoe speed record. Was it part of a race?

Rae Clark: I ran the 72-mile record time in 1982. I finished in 9:06:11 (averaging about 7:35 minutes per mile). I ran it as part of a race. In those days (the late seventies, early eighties), the Tahoe 72-Mile Ultra was an annual race that started in front of the Tahoe City fire station and circled around the lake counter-clockwise. It was a fairly small event, but it drew in some pretty good runners like Jim King.

Elevation Profile of the Tahoe 72-Miler

Peter Lubbers: Had you run the race before?

Rae Clark: Yes, I had completed it twice. In 1980, I finished top-five in about 9:37, which was good enough to break Don Choi's existing course record but not good enough to win. In 1981, I led the race for 62 miles until I was passed by Jim King with 10 miles to go. Jim and I went on to finish 1-2, running around 9:30, which prompted me to train even harder for my third try.

When I showed up in 1982, Jim King was not among the starters, but even if he had shown up, I was ready to give him a run for his money. I led the 1982 race from start to finish. Jim and I still joke about that time--if he had not beaten me in '81, I might not have trained as hard as I did.

Peter Lubbers: Did you ever run it again?

Rae Clark: Actually, no, I thought I'd let the record sit for a little while, wait until it was broken to take another shot at it. I love the race and the distance, so I had always expected to come back to it and break 9 hours. Then I started racing in Europe on the national 100K team and I also started focusing on other distances. Even at that time, there were many races to pick from and I simply could not run them all. To my surprise, the record was never broken.

Peter Lubbers: You set the national 100-mile road record in 1989. How would you describe your running shape in 1982?

Rae Clark: In 1982, I was 30 years old and I just started coming into my prime, but I had not peaked yet. In the following years, I gradually became faster. I ran my fastest marathon (2:28) in 1988, and then had my best races in 1989 and 1990 (the 100-mile road record and the 24-hour track record). In the mid-80s I also ran a sub-7 100K and a 5:17 50-mile PR. My marathon time in '82 was somewhere in the 2:35-2:36 range.

Peter Lubbers: So, if you had run Tahoe in the late eighties, you could have easily broken 9 hours?

Rae Clark: Yes, but of course that is just talk and talk is cheap. Talk does not break records; running does. Still, I know for myself that I was a lot faster in '89 and '90. I did not run it then, but I had always thought that a time in the 8:30 range would be a possibility for me.

Peter Lubbers: What was your race strategy?

Rae Clark: Whenever I went for a speed record, my motto was pedal to the metal. I did not want to give a half-hearted effort and then have to come back again--I basically wanted to walk away feeling I had given it my best possible effort. Giving it a 90-95% effort, that was my approach to all of these races and in this particular case (and a few others) it worked out well.

That said, I did have a definite race plan. I divided the race in three stages and ran easy and in control for the first third, harder on the second part, and I really hammered the last third. This race has a lot of hills, so most of the time I would run based on perceived effort. For example, on some of the flat sections in South Lake Tahoe I ran 6:15 miles, then on the hills I would focus on maintaining the same breathing pattern, the same effort. Similar on the downhills, I would speed up a lot, so the pace would vary a lot, but the effort was similar for each stage.

Peter Lubbers: What did you eat and drink?

Rae Clark: In those days, I did not eat all that much during race that would last 12 hours or less. I've never been a big fan of the liquid food like the gels they eat these days. If I ate, I would tend to stick to solid foods, especially boiled potatoes (I like the small red ones) and power bars, which were not too bad those days. I carried a water bottle and a friend of mine drove ahead on a bike and would give me a new water bottle at the different aid stations, so I could just blow right through and not have to slow down.

Peter Lubbers: Did you run the entire way, or did you walk some sections? Did you take breaks?

Rae Clark: I never stopped running. In fact, I never stopped running on any record attempt for that matter. Well, actually, that's not true--I did take a 5-minute break while I set my 24-hour track record. I had a quick leg massage at the 100-mile mark and then went on for another 65 miles. Again, pedal to the metal, all the way.

Peter Lubbers: What was your secret to success? What sort of training did you do to get ready?

Rae Clark: I specifically attribute my success to two things: Strength and Hill training.

First, strength training is important so that you can keep your running form in the later miles. I feel this is a critical element that is often overlooked. In ultras, it is more important that raw speed. You could run a 2:20 marathon, but that would not necessarily mean that you could do any better in ultra runs [Note: Rae's best marathon time was 2:28]. Upper body and core strength is critically important so that your body does not collapse 40 or 50 miles into the race. The longer you can remain upright and focused the better. You don't have to be a body builder though--Just working out with light weights and your own weight (push-ups and sit-ups) is all you need.

Second, it is important to train in the hills if you're going to run in the hills. I don't mean short hill repeats, but long mountain miles. Tahoe is at altitude, so it is important to get some altitude training in, too. I loved mountain climbing, so I would go for long runs in the mountains. For example, on weekends I would run 30 to 35 miles on the trails in Yosemite. To break it up I would climb Half Dome, or some other mountain. I loved doing that and it gave me the base I needed for the long-distance races.

Peter Lubbers: How many miles did you run per week, leading up to the race.

Rae Clark: I built the mileage up higher and higher over the years. In '82, I would start with a week of 100 or 110 miles and then build up to 140 miles over 4 weeks, put in an easy week, and start all over again. When you put in the high miles in your training, it prepares you well for the later stages of the race.

Later on (in the late eighties), I would routinely run 150 to 160 mile weeks and in the months before I ran my 24-hour record I ran more that 200 miles on several weeks. Racing was almost the easy part then, since I had already done the homework I simply showed up and hammered it out.

It works differently for different people though and I would not recommend running that many miles to everyone. It's very personal. Also, you can't rush this. You must build up your mileage gradually.

Peter Lubbers: What was the hardest part of the race for you?

Rae Clark: Spooner Summit. Mainly, because starting in Tahoe City, you get there around 50 miles, which is a natural point for your body to start aching and slowing down. There is a relentless three or four mile section to the top of Spooner. I kept running, but that was a hard section.

Peter Lubbers: OK, here's a different kind of question--I am 39 years old and I can run a 39-minute 10K, a 2:59 marathon and an 8:34 100K (and like to dream big). Realistically, could I ever get close to or even break your 72-mile time?

Rae Clark: Yes, it's definitely possible. You're probably not going to get a whole lot faster at the 10K distance, but you can greatly improve in the longer distances. If you can shave another 10 minutes off your marathon, it would make a world of difference at the 72-mile distance. You also need to work on upper body and core strength and you're going to have to ramp up the miles. You'll have to do this gradually though, but it is possible. You'd probably have to do this in the next 2 or 3 years, too. I hope you'll give it a try. Treat any race with due respect and you can make it.

Well, I guess that means there is hope for me yet!
Thanks for the interview, Rae! It was great to talk to you.

Race to End Hunger 10K

2009-08-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I ran the first annual Race to End Hunger 5K/10K run--a new race in the Gold Country Grand Prix. I picked the 10K option to get some speed work in.

Troy, Robert and Callan Warner Before the Race

My training for the last month and a half had been focused on the Hotter than Hell 6 and 12-hour run; in other words, lots of slow and steady miles. Unfortunately, the day before the Hotter than Hell race, a massive forest fire broke out only about 6 miles from our house and we almost had to evacuate (talk about hotter than hell!).

Sid Heaton (middle) and Other Course Marshals Before the Race

Needless to say, I skipped the HTH race, allowing Jethro Smith and Matt Thau to come dangerously close in the overall points in that series. Congrats to both of them for clocking some serious miles in the 12-hour run and also to Lainie Callahan-Mattoon for winning the 6-hour race overall and setting a new CR in the process! Just don't get any ideas, Matt and Jethro, I'll be back for the next run ;-)

Ryan Ogliore and Jesse Bloom Cross the 10K Finish

I am happy to report that the fire is now contained, but unfortunately it left roughly 4000 acres burnt, including a lot of my favorite trails. The estimated price tag for the damage is 11 million dollars.

Larry Defeyter (4th Overall) Powers to the Finish Line

Back to the race. First of all, hats off to RD and local runner Ariel King Lovett and all the volunteers that made this race possible. You could not tell that this was a "first annual" race. From beginning to end, this race was incredibly well organized. There were great goodie bags, multiple aid stations, Taiko drummers (like the ones that line the climb up to Hurricane Point in the Big Sur Marathon), lots of volunteers on the course, and a fantastic finish line spread with gourmet coffee, pastries, and more. It certainly left me hungry for more and I hope the race will be back on the calendar next year.

Approaching the Finish

The course might have been a bit short (I measured 5.90 miles on my Forerunner), but there was no shortage of hills, starting right away with a steep 1.5-mile climb through Nevada City.

42 Flat

I think that it was on this first hill that the race went south for me; In trying to at least keep the fleet-footed front runners in sight, I went out too fast, covering the very hilly first mile in about 6:30. In the remaining 35 minutes, I could never quite recover from the deficit that I incurred in the first mile and a half. The damage was done and I just kept running as fast as I could and I finished in 6th place overall in exactly 42 minutes.

Neel (center) Took 3rd Place

Not a great time, but not too bad either, considering my primary training goals--I have about five weeks left to train and sharpen up before the Tahoe Triple and I am just a few pounds over my ideal race weight.

With Larry Defeyter (4th Place)

Larry and Neel ran a great race. Either one could have won the race on a good day, but we had two fast visitors from out of town--Ryan Ogliore and Jesse Bloom--that ran away from the local field.

Ryan Ogliore from Berkeley Wins the 10K Race

Ryan Ogliore had come up from Berkeley for the weekend to get married on Sunday. He won the race in 37:02--a great omen for the upcoming wedding. Congratulations, Ryan! Or, as some of my southern-Italian relatives would say, "Auguri e figli maschi." (Congratulations and may you have male children...)

Mike Buzbee (5th), Troy, and a (Fast) New Face on the Local Running Scene

Next Up: The Lake of the Sky 50K--a final long training run before this year's Tahoe Super Triple.

The Petzl Ultra Headlamp--Is It Worth $500?

2009-08-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

The Petzl Ultra

Some of you might know that for a long time, I have been a big fan of the 85-Lumens Brunton L3 headlamp. I do a lot of night running and after trying out several headlamps for last year's Tahoe Rim Trail record attempt, I settled on this mega-headlamp as the lamp of choice to light up the trails in the dark. The only downside of the Brunton is that it is a bit heavy and that it does not come with a top head strap to distribute the weight more evenly.

In addition to the Brunton L3, I also wear a custom-made Brunton runner's belt with two bright Princeton Tec lamps. I find that the waist lamp gives you better depth perspective and the combination of these three lamps has kept me going smoothly on many night-runs. One additional advantage of running with multiple lights is that you have a backup plan in case one of your lights fails.

My Current Setup: Brunton Headlamp, Customized Runner's Belt, and Princeton Tec Quad Waistlamp

And then there was light.

I recently browsed the headlights section at REI recently and was shocked to find that there was a new, superbright 350-lumens headlamp--the Petzl Ultra. Initially, I was shocked by the fact that this new lamp packed so much more power than mine, but then I was shocked, again, by its equally stunning $500 price tag.

Mind you, this light monster was not on display with the regular headlamps (I found this information in REI's headlamp comparison brochure), but that's probably because REI still has to install a glass security case for this new breed of headlamp.

At first I thought the $500 price-tag must have been a typo, but some further research showed me that it wasn't. Sure, Amazon sells them for about $450, but still that is about $300 to $350 more that all the other high-powered headlamps on the market with the possible exception of the Silva Alpha 6, which does not seem to be available in the US. And then there are still some additional assecories, like spare batteries, a custom harnessm and more. Adding those can make the price rocket up to around $700. Wow.

Total Price: $445 + $49.95 + $125 + 49.95 = $669.90 (Add $64.95 for an Accu 4 Battery Pack).

So now the big question: is it worth it? Despite the outrageous price, I might still consider buying this headlamp if it was truly that much more powerful. The truth is that in night-running, more light translates directly to a faster time. Then again, 350 lumens vs. 85 sounds like a lot, but I don't know what that really works out to in reality and, unfortunately, I could not try the headlamp at REI.

Has anyone tried this headlamp? Please post a comment if you have or if you have tried out some other killer headlamps lately. Or simply let me know if you would consider buying this lamp if it would give you a significant edge in a night running race.

Petzl: I'd be more than happy to write up an elaborate ultrarunner gear review if you send me one to try out during the Tahoe 72-Mile Ultra, which starts at 10 p.m. this year (an additional two hours of night running)!

Who Needs Energy Gels?

2009-08-03T18:40:00.000-07:00

Blackberries--(Photo by Ragesoss)

It's that time of the year again. Time to leave the energy gels and flavored sports drinks at home. These days, there are so many ripe blackberries to pick along my favorite local trails that it is hard not to stop and grab a handful.

Nutrition Stats for One Cup of Blackberries

Just make sure you bring some extra water so you can wash your hands after you're done picking and don't forget to watch your step in the blackberry bushes. The other day, I almost stepped on a rattlesnake while I was reaching for some tasty berries!

Here is the (remainder of a) blackberry pie that Vicky made the from the fresh berries we picked after a recent run. Yum!

The Starbucks Bear

2009-08-03T18:04:00.000-07:00

You might expect an encounter with a bear like this one while turning a corner on one of the many rugged single-track trails in the Tahoe area, but, sadly, you're probably more likely to see one on your next coffee run.

As we parked at the Incline Village Starbucks recently, we saw this bear right behind the dumpster, looking for some leftover frappucinos (and bear claws?). Fortunately, nobody had left any trash around. Let's keep it that way.

Visit Tahoe Wild Bears for more information about keeping bears wild and alive.

Palomar Mountain Run Speed Record Attempt

2009-07-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

Palomar Observatory (Elevation 5586')

Palomar Mountain Run Stats

Distance: 11. 76 Miles
Start Elevation: 2,674'
Finish Elevation: 5,586'
Elevation Gain: 4,499
Elevation Loss: 1,586
Net Elevation Change: 2,912
MotionBased Details: Here
Fastest Time Run: ? (Post a Comment if You Know)
My Time: 2:11:13 (7-1-2009)

Intersection at Mile 7 (Follow S-6 to the Observatory)

We recently went on vacation to San Diego where we spent many days on the beach. San Diego is also a great place for running--the weather seems to always be just perfect and there are lots of great locations like Torrey Pines (great for 1-mile hill repeats) and along the coastline on Coronado Island.

Start of the Run: (Corner of Hwy 76 and S6 (South Grade Road)

We had visited San Diego four years ago and during that vacation we took a trip to the Palomar Observatory--an astronomical research center located on Palomar Mountain, about 80 miles northeast of San Diego in the Cleveland National Forest.

Palomar Mountain in the Distance

Palomar Observatory sits at an elevation of 5,586 feet above sea level and the last 3000' are condensed in the 11.75-mile long County Road S6 (also known as South Grade Road).

The Run's Elevation Profile

To reach the observatory, you first climb for seven straight miles, you then run back down for two miles to the bottom of a second mountain range, and finally you climb for three more miles to the top.

Motionbased Elevation Details

This road is the Southern California version of the Alpe d'Huez--an uncategorized climb and one of the most technical roads around, making it a very popular bike and motorbike route.

View from the Start of the Run

There is a nice three-mile trail (the Observatory Trail) that takes you from the Observatory Campground, located just a few miles from the top of the mountain, to the observatory. We hiked that trail during our last visit and as we drove back down I told myself that I would one day return to run the entire road to the top as fast as possible. And what better day to do this than on my 39th birthday!

Click the Map to See It in Google Maps

We arrived at the corner of Hwy 76 and County Road S-6 around 2 p.m. and it was already pretty hot. Prior to the run, I had looked at a few maps but none of them had provided very accurate information, so I was under the impression that it was going to be a 7-mile run to the top. The SHARP CURVES NEXT 7 MILES sign at the bottom of the road only helped to further confirm this (incorrect) notion.

I'm Off!

Even though it was hot, I decided to carry just one bottle. How long could this possibly take? Vicky and the kids dropped me off and they would meet me at the observatory with some tasty sandwiches.

The Run Starts at About 2,674'

My goals for this run were to (1) run to the observatory as fast as possible and (2) not to take any walking breaks. I did not (and still don't) know what the fastest time for this run was (comment away if you know), but I would give it my best shot. The climbing started almost immediately and I settled into a slow and steady running rhythm. To make it to the top without walking, I had to keep it in first gear.

This Sign Should Have Said Sharp Curves Next 12 Miles!

As the road snaked its way to the top, it offered some great vistas of the mountain and the surrounding area. The mileage was marked every 0.2 miles, which helped me ration my water nicely--I would take a sip at every sign. I was not the only one enjoying the challenge of this mountain; at least five motorcycles were screaming up and down the mountain while I was running and I had to jump out of the way a few times to avoid running into them.

Handy Mile Markers Every 0.2 Miles

I climbed and climbed and found a really nice sustainable rhythm. I did not use an iPod on this run. Just running--moving higher and higher and enjoying the new views around each sharp corner, listening to the sounds of the mountain on a hot afternoon. I can highly recommend this run if you're ever in this area.

The Views Get Better and Better the Higher You Climb

At about 6.5 miles, I finished my water. Almost there, I thought. Imagine my surprise when I rounded the final corner and saw an intersection with a store, a post office, and... a sign that read "Observatory 5 Miles." Ouch!

Time to Summon the Power of the Mountain Goat!

It was time to regroup. I had not expected to run 12 miles up the hill and had definitely gone out too fast given the new distance, but then again, I had come this far and I was not going to walk the rest of it now!

More Scenic Views from the Road

The first priority at this point was to get some water. I filled up my bottle in the bathroom behind the small general store and then, to get an energy boost, I ate an entire package of Powerbar gel blasts that I had (fortunately) stashed in my back pocket. These gave me just the energy boost I needed to hit the road again.

Relentless Climbing

The next section started with a long downhill section. It felt great to run downhill for a change, but that feeling was overshadowed by the knowledge that every step down had to ultimately be made up again to get to the summit at 5586'.

Palomar Mountain General Store at the Intersection of S6 and S7 (5 Miles to Go)

The last three miles of the run were all uphill again. I passed the Observatory Campground and knew it would only be a few more miles. Then, tired but extremely happy, I reached the end of the county road and entered the observatory parking lot.

County Road S-6 Ends at the Observatory Parking Lot

My son Sean joined me in a final sprint to the observatory building and at the very end we stormed up the steps. I stopped my watch the moment I touched the observatory doors: 2:11:13. What a great run!

The Final Sprint!

I was quite happy with my time, especially given my distance miscalculation, which was a bit of a mental blow. If I were to do it again, I would run it early in the morning, of course, to avoid the heat. I also lost a few minutes getting water at the store. Having a fresh water bottle stashed there (or having a crew along the way) would have shaved off a few minutes as well. Given all that, I think that I could run sub-2 houron this course, but that would be a pretty aggressive time for me. I wish I lived closer so I could try it sooner. Unfortunately, it may be a while before I'm back there again.

At the Observatory

I am sure there are (much) faster times out there for this epic run though.

Has anyone else run this or do you know someone who has?
What is the speed record (fastest known time) for running up Palomar Mountain?
Did anyone run it up AND down?
Any times for other versions of this course?

If you have any information, please leave a comment. Thanks!

Pacing at the Tahoe Rim Trail 100-Miler

2009-07-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of pacing (safety-running) my friend Sean Lang for the last 24 miles of the Tahoe Rim Trail 100-miler, which was this year's national trail 100-mile championship race.

My kids and some of their friends were busy with their own endurance event--they were trying to stay up for three straight days and nights (a Tahoe Triple of sorts)! More on that in an upcoming post...

Heidi and Dog Gordy Wait Patiently at the Aid Station

Sean's wife, Heidi, was crewing and kept me updated during the day. Sean ran the first half really well and made it to Tahoe Meadows (mile 26) in exactly five hours and back to Spooner (mile 50) in ten.

I stopped by the start and finish area around three o'clock, but Sean had just left. I also just missed Turi, who ran a great first 50 miler, but I did get to see Gretchen, who finished in second in the 50-miler, Mark Gilligan, who cruised to a 50-mile race victory, Jon Olsen, and quite a few other running friends who were either out pacing, volunteering, or running.

Erik Skaden at Mile 76

I arrived at the Tahoe Meadows aid station (mile 76) just before eight o'clock. Eventual 100 mile winner Eric Skaden came in and left in first position with his pacer Mark Lantz. Soon after Erik left the aid station, Rob Evans, paced by two-time TRT100 winner Jasper Halekas, came rolling in. Rob looked strong and went on to finish in second place.

Rob and Kate Evans at Mount Rose (Team Ultra Signup)

While I was waiting for Sean, I also had the privilege of meeting Rogue Valley Running's Hal Koerner in person. Hal was pacing Ian Torrence, who had paced Hal to his recent Western States 100-mile victory.

WS100 Champ Hal Koerner at the Tahoe Meadows Aid Station

Not surprisingly, the mid-day heat and the accumulated miles slowed Sean down a little bit on his second loop, but he did not lose that much time and came in around 9:40. I turned on my lights and we were off.

Despite having already run 75 tough mountain miles, Sean ran very well and we made good time on the first 9-mile section down to Tunnel Creek, walking some of the steeper uphill sections and running all the downhills. Sean's Rho-Quick teammate, Pierre Yves, flew by us on this section, running very strong, and this put us in 6th place overall.

Ian Torrence Regroups at the Mount Rose Aid Station

We blew through the Tunnel Creek aid station and continued to Hobart, power-walking the steep switchbacks. Sean managed his energy very well; every 30 or 40 minutes he would take a gel. Knowing the course pretty well, I was able to give Sean some estimates and information about remaining mileage and so on--the mental fuel runners need to stay motivated and keep moving.

Pacing requires you to tune into the pacee's physical and mental state, carefully rationing their remaining energy, and not push too hard because you're feeling fresh yourself. Too much red-lining on the runner's part can be dangerous and result in being forced to walk the remaining miles. I like to listen to the breathing and look at their running form. Pushing a tough, yet sustainable pace will keep the runner breathing hard and let out the occasional, deep "phew, this is hard" sigh. Having this constant push is where a pacer can make a difference. It can be the difference between power-walking at 18 minutes per mile versus 22 minutes per mile. Spread out over many miles that can add up.

View from the Pacer's Perspective

Running this section of the Tahoe Rim Trail again brought back many memories from last year's through-run. My friend Troy paced me on the section we were running and he really kept the pressure on. I remember barely being able to talk and feeling like I was constantly at the edge of my ability. I would have gone a lot slower without that extra pacing push. It was great to be on the other side for a change and to help Sean accomplish his goals .

It was a beautiful, warm evening and we ran quietly for many miles. Just before the aid stations we would briefly discuss splits and what we were going to do when we would get there to minimize our downtime.

Close to the highest point of the course--Snow Valley Peak--Sean suffered a short bout of altitude induced nausea and he slowed down a little bit. Immediately, we were passed by two runners but fortunately Sean recovered quickly and on the downhill from Snow Valley we pushed really hard to maintain our 8th place position. Sub-24 was now in the bag but sub-23 would be tough. We kept pushing forward until, at last, the finish line was in sight and Sean crossed the line in 23:15--an awesome time and a textbook race on Sean's part. Congratulations Sean and good luck at your upcoming Cascade Crest 100!

Watch Out! A Fake Snake Greets the Runners at the Scale at the Finish

Next Up: The Hotter Than Hell 6 or 12 Hour Race.

2009 Western States: Views from the Michigan Bluff Aid Station

2009-06-28T00:15:00.001-07:00

Troy and I spent a nice day at Michigan Bluff, recording the times of all the runners who entered the aid station. It was a hot day on the trail, but everyone seemed to be having fun. Here are some of the pictures:

Hal Koerner made his move right after he came into the Michigan Bluff Aid Station. He came in in second place, just five seconds behind Dave Mackey, but did not waste any time. He left the AS immediately and never looked back. He went on to win the race in 16:24--his second straight WS100 victory.

Reno to Rim Trail Ready to Rock Next Summer

2009-06-26T01:41:00.000-07:00

According to this article in the Sierra Sun, the Reno to Rim Trail will be ready by the end of next Summer (2010). The approximately 15-mile long trail will run from Mount Rose to Hunter Creek (South of Reno).

Can you say new speed record? ;-)

Speaking of speed records, Aaron Sorenson is heading to the Tahoe Rim Trail this weekend to start an unsupported TRT record attempt on the most beautiful 165-mile trail around. He's in great shape and has his sights set on my time from last year (57:54).

Good luck, Aaron, and don't forget to drink a milk shake at Echo Lake!

Interested in trail running speed records? Check out Peter Bakwin's great speed record site Fastest Known Time (FKT).

Lance Armstrong Rolls into Nevada City, Wins the 2009 Classic

2009-06-22T00:43:00.000-07:00

Pretty cool to have Lance in our backyard! Unfortunately, I had a deadline at work that kept me glued to my desk, so hopefully he will come back next year.

Instead of the usual 3000 spectators, more than 20,000 lined the course today. The race runs right through downtown Nevada City (Broad Street), which is also home to the Run through the Colors 5 and 10K. Lance apparently cranked out the 1.1 mile loop in about 2.5 minutes!

The 2009 DeCelle Memorial Tahoe Relay

2009-06-14T16:04:00.001-07:00

As you can see in the movie, we had a blast again this year at the DeCelle Memorial Tahoe Relay. Weather-wise, we had all four seasons in one day, but for the most part it was great for running. We managed to break last year's time by 33 minutes, easily breaking 11 hours (10:52 and 64th overall out of 116 teams). Next year, we'll try to go sub-10!

This year, we had the following leg assignments:

(9.6 Miles) Sean--Started us out and ran nice and even to finish in 1:42
(8.2 Miles) Chris--Blew by about 50 runners (a.k.a. bogeys) in an incredible 55 minutes and change on the steepest leg of the course
(10.3 Miles) Rocky--Battled altitude sickness and cramps, but never gave up and finished in 2:28
(12.3 Miles) Peter--The first of two--finished this sunny section in 1:30
(10.6 Miles) Turi--Paced really well and kept passing people, finishing in 1:19
(10.5 Miles) Peter--Back for more--finished this rainy section (including the infamous 'Hill from Hell') in 1:28
(10.5 Miles) Hayes--Anchored the race, ran all the way up to Inspiration Point in the rain and then finished strong in 1:26

Check out the blogs from Chris and Turi for more pictures and stories.

Next Up: Volunteering at the Western States 100 Miler in two weeks.

Sean's Eigth-Grade Valedictorian Speech

2009-06-11T11:01:00.000-07:00

Last night, after a year of hard work and keeping a perfect 4.0 Grade Point Average (G.P.A.), Sean became the valedictorian of his eight-grade class at the Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts (MCAA).

During the graduation ceremony he played a very nice piece on the cello (Humoresque, by Dvorak) accompanied by his strings teacher and then he went on to address the crowd in his valedictorian speech.

Here is the full text of Sean's speech:

Hello and welcome families, faculty, and friends. I would like to thank you all for coming here today. My name is Sean Lubbers. I’m afraid I couldn’t find anything to copy from Wikipedia, so I’m just going to give you an original speech.

I would like to start out with my favorite quote from President John F. Kennedy (Watch it on YouTube).

“We choose to go to the moon in this decade, not because it is easy, but because it is hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”

This quote relates to the choices we make in our everyday life. Whether it’s fulfilling a life-long dream, acing an Algebra test, or simply finishing a level in a video game. We should strive to take the harder path—the challenge—in whatever we do. Whether we succeed or not, ultimately does not matter. What is important, however, is that we try our very best.

Looking back over my last two years at MCAA, fills me with many good memories. We had some great performances, dances, and fun parties. I have great friends, teachers, school staff, and an amazing class.

I remember arriving at school on the first day in 7th grade. It took me about ten minutes to find the infamous “room 11.” The first thing I thought after looking at the class was “Wow.” It looked like a tornado had just touched down in 1st block History. There was such a diverse population—from the Goths, to the Nerds, to the Preps—that I could not imagine how I would fit in. Well, we are here now and I am friends with, or at least know, everyone in my class.

This year, I had to make a tough decision: leave MCAA and go to Nevada Union (NU), or continue with high school here at MCAA. Some of my older friends are already attending NU and some of my 8th grade friends will be heading to Nevada County next year for their continued education. I wanted to wait to make this decision at the very end, but my dad, being his usual self, gave me an ultimatum: I had only until the end of February to make up my mind. [Thanks, Dad!]

In the end I was leaning towards NU. What happened next was very interesting. I asked Brenda for my transfer papers and will never forget the reactions I received from all the people in the office as well as from my friends that were with me at the time. At that point, I realized how much the school really meant to me and I decided to stay—at least for another year.

When John F. Kennedy spoke about going to the Moon, he had an aim. He did not know whether he would succeed or not, but he started with a lot of determination. A few years later, astronauts landed on the Moon and since then, many more great things have been accomplished.

I think we should continue to strive for great things to happen and we should set bold goals and give it our best shot. My dreams are for wars to be over, to end global warming, and to find a cure for diseases such as aids and cancer.

Once you have a breakthrough or when you accomplish a great goal, it is easy just to kick back, relax, and say “Well, I think that’s enough. We don’t need to go any further.” Is that the right attitude? No! We have to keep discovering, keep learning, and, most of all, keep asking the hard questions. We have to take a step further and move forward from where we were standing before.

What we could hardly imagine just ten years ago in science and technology is reality today. We don’t know what the future will hold, but we do know what attitude we have to bring to it.

8th grade graduation is a big step for all of us. We have finished a great part of our schooling, but this is really only the beginning. We will now be moving on to high school and we look forward to it eagerly—willing to accept all the challenges that await us.

Before I go, I would like to thank my family for their support, all my teachers for opening the doors to my education, Mr. Pimentel, Mr. Skeffington, Bonnie, and Brenda for always being there and doing such a great job.

Thank you for your time.

And of course I have to mention that Rocky did a great job in his sixth-grade year, too. He was the only one to graduate to 7th grade with three straight trimesters 4.0 GPA (Principal's List) and he will be attending Sean's school next year.

Well, we are really proud of Sean and Rocky's academic achievements. The kids are, of course, excited that Summer vacation is finally here and to start it off right, we're all going to run the Tahoe Relay this weekend with their friend Hayes and Chris and Turi!

Auburn Trail 50K and Fitness in the Foothills

2009-06-08T21:37:00.000-07:00

Rocky Wins the Fitness in the Foothills Triathlon!

On Saturday (D-Day!), we decided to use a divide-and-conquer race strategy, Vicky was taking our youngest son Rocky to the first annual Fitness in the Foothills triathlon, our oldest son Sean, was studying his brains out in an effort to become valedictorian of his eighth grade class (we'll know the results of that on Wednesday), and I would run the 5th straight ultrarunner.net series race--the Auburn Trail 50K.

Let's start with the least impressive result of the day: mine. I had not been feeling too well all week and if it was not for my insatiable appetite for grand prix points and the fact that I had already preregistered, I probably would have stayed home. When I stopped at Starbucks at 6 a.m. for a much-needed extra jolt of caffeine and it felt like an effort to just walk 50 feet from my car to the store, I knew this was going to be a long day...

Winner Van McCarty and Thomas Reiss (4th) Before the Start

I had run the Auburn Trail 50K race last year, but the course had been changed significantly. This year, the race would start at Overlook Park in Auburn (Not at the Cool fire station), bomb down the hill for 4 miles to No Hands Bridge, then do a double loop of the dreaded "K2" climb and the Olmstead Loop, and finally head back up the steep hill to the finish at Overlook Park. This course change also made the race quite a bit longer than 50K. In the end I measured the course to be 33.62 miles. Maybe this supposed to be payback for the very short Jenkinson Lake 50K course--ouch!

Before the start, I caught up with lots of running friends. Thomas Reiss and his friend (and ultimately the 50K winner) Van McCarty, Gretchen Brugman, Lainie Callahan-Matoon, Matt Thau, Jethro Smith, Austin Violette (crewing his friend), Joe Palubeski, Greg Bomhoff, and many others. Many runners were doing a last training run before Western States (some sections of the course run on the WS course) and others were simply taking advantage of the unseasonably cool weather to go for a nice long run.

Jethro Smith With his Very Supportive Parents Before the Start

In an effort not to completely kill myself, I settled in at about 15th place and just kept a steady easy pace. To save some weight, and because it was so cool, I decided to run without any water bottles. This strategy would have been foolish on a normal day in June, but it worked out pretty well this time. I just stopped a little longer at the aid stations, but enjoyed running blue-tooth style. If this weather stays like this for another three weeks, we could see a new course record at Western States!

I ran a few miles with Gretchen and even the downhill miles felt like work; I was just not feeling it. Yet, I did get the sense that breathing the fresh air and being outside was actually doing me some good and I felt re-energized and quite a bit better the next day.

After about seven miles I caught up with Lainie, the women's leader in the ultrarunner.net series. Lainie is now running for Team Inov-8 and I am sure she will make a great addition to their team. We pretty much paced together for the rest of the race and finished together, which was fun and it made the miles go by quite a bit faster.

That's the great thing of the ultrarunning community: you go out and enjoy the day, and meet interesting people like Lainie, a mother of four, who had some excellent stories to share and even gave me tips on how to save a bundle of money on my favorite Starbucks drink (Iced Venti Mocha)--yes, the one I have been buying for the last ten years!

The course was extremely well marked and the aid stations were close enough together for my bottle-less approach. In the final miles, we passed another five runners. As expected, the last 4.2 miles were tough and it was a long grind up the hill from No Hands Bridge. Lainie and I finished the race together in tenth place overall in 5:55, with Lainie finishing second female just ten minutes behind Gretchen who won the women's race.

As far as the ultrarunner points go, I picked up another handful of points, further increasing my overall lead in the series. Matt Thau started the race, but unfortunately had to stop halfway through the race and Jethro Smith, who finished strong despite having some stomach issues during the middle miles, moved from third to second in the overall points division. Note, however, that a new race (The Jenkinson Fall 50K--this time a real 50K) has been added to the 2009 series, so it ain't over till it's over!

Rocky on the Home Stretch

After lounging around for a while, enjoying Linda's great barbecue, I headed home (stopping at Starbucks on the way) and called home to see how Rocky had done in his age group in the triathlon. Great news: he had won! Using a smart race strategy, Rocky had paced himself on the bike, coming in second place after the bike leg. He then floated by the bike leg winner who was throwing up from going out too fast, and went on to finish the obstacle course in first place.

Part of the Obstacle Course

Due to a lack of clean swimming water, the swim leg of this race had been replaced with an obstacle course. After that, the kids had to run a mile and Rocky ran pretty much all the way and completely blew away the competition in his age group, winning by about a half mile! Next year, we'll come with the whole family!

The Bike Ride

And Sean? Well, he studied for his finals the entire weekend, so let's hope he can keep up that 4.0 GPA for a few more days!

Next Up: The Tahoe Relay with the Sean, Rocky, Hayes, Chris, and Turi this weekend. I'm already looking forward to it.

Run for the Community 10K

2009-06-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

Hayes, Sean, and Troy Ready Themselves for the Race

After the Jenkinson Lake Trail Race, work took over and I had to travel to London to give my first three-day training course, which went very well. After that, I went to visit my parents and some friends in Holland. I was able to get one nice run in around the Bosbaan in Amsterdam, but that was about it for training. I did, however, enjoy lots of the great food and drink that Europe has to offer...

Larry and Maxson Defeyter--Larry Placed 2nd in the 5K and Maxson Ran the Kids' Run

The Run for the Community 10K would be my first race after a few weeks off. Sean and Hayes ran the 5K as a training run for the upcoming Tahoe Relay. Troy came out to run the 5K as well. The race was, once again, organized superbly, with tons of volunteers helping out. This year also featured a delicious post-race barbeque for all the participants.

"Run Lake Tahoe" Spotted in Grass Valley...

It was a hot day and I was still recovering from jet lag. After some initial positioning, V "Neel" Neelakantan slowly pulled out of sight, and won the 10K. I started out conservatively, which paid off in the end, but I could not quite keep up with Neel. Surprisingly, I was still able to hang on to a second-place finish, just ahead of Mike Buzbee. In the 5K, Dominic Castro-Wehr won, just ahead of Larry Defeyter and Thomas McAtee.

Next Up: The Auburn Trails 50K

Running the Jenkinson Lake "50K"

2009-05-08T17:58:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, I joined about 60 runners for the Jenkinson Lake Trail Runs. Three distances were offered: 9.7 miles, 19.4 Miles, and a (short) 29.1-mile "50K." Always hungry for more ultrarunner.net series points, I signed up for the 50K.

Hoa Tran (1st overall in the 2-Lap Race) Before the Start

Before the race, I met up with Hoa Tran, who was running the 2-lap race. Hoa would have probably won the Pony Express 30K race earlier this year, but accidentally missed the start. This time, he was definitely going to start on time! I also met up with Marathon Maniac Ed Walsh, who has run three out of four races in the series this year.
I did not have any pain, but I did not quite feel completely recovered from the recent racing at the River City Marathon and the Spring Run 10K, which made the Sports headlines in our local paper.

Marathon Maniac Ed Walsh, Ready for Another Race

Chris, who had participated in last year's Run on the Sly, which also includes a loop around Jenkinson Lake gave me a last-minute rundown on the course: lots of rollers and a few decent climbs on mostly runnable single track and horse trails around a beautiful mountain lake at about 3500' elevation.
I also found some interesting YouTube videos on the Jenkinson Lake website, so I felt somewhat prepared. Based on what I had learnt about the course without actually running it, I concluded that breaking 4 hours would pretty much be impossible; it would probably be great to finish in less than 5 hours.

The Boat Ramps Close to the Start and Finish Area

The race started promptly at 8 a.m. and Truckee's Shannon Rahlues (the eventual overall 1-lap race winner) took off like a gazelle. Nobody else made a move, so I settled in behind Shannon, in second place and soon lost sight of her.
We ran the first 4.5 miles (to the Hazel Creek Aid Station) on fairly smooth, but sometimes slippery single track hiking trails. After that, the course followed some much rougher and steeper horse trails to the Miwok Aid Station. The last 1.5 miles were run on a hiking trail again, and included a double creek crossing in which it was almost impossible not to get your feet wet. All in all, it was a great venue for a trail race and, surprisingly, there was quite a bit of shade on the trail.

Aaron Summerhays, Big Smiles After Winning the 50K

Before I knew it, I finished the first loop in about 1:05, in second place overall (first in the 50K). Wow, I'd better slow down a bit. Now, before you check the final results and call USATF to place me on the national 50K mountain trailrunning team, I must tell you that there was a problem with the length of the course...
Originally, the 50K was going to be slightly long with four 8-mile laps. Then, the course had been remeasured to be 9.7 miles and the race was shortened to three laps, resulting in the short 29.1-mile 50K. On race day, however, the marked course measured only about 8.1 miles long, resulting in something closer to a 24-miler, or 40K. Next year, RD Robert Mathis told me, the 50K will be adjusted to have four-laps. So despite my fast first lap, this was not the breakout performance that a glance at the results might lead you to believe it was!

Already Done? Female Winner, Lainie Callahan-Mattoon

In the beginning of the second lap, Aaron Summerhays passed me and slowly pulled away from me. Aaron was looking strong and he had done his homework: He and Brad Lael (winner of the 1-lap race) had come out a few weeks prior to the race and run the course. Aaron is a familiar face on the ultra scene; he volunteers almost as much as he runs.

The Evans' Dog Watches as Kate Devours a Post-Race Hamburger

When I finished lap 2, Team Ultra Signup runner and Pollock Pines resident Rob Evans who was crewing for his wife Kate, informed me that Aaron had built up a three to five minute lead. I grabbed my water bottle, turned on some music, and started running a little faster. Aaron's lead was about the same when I arrived at the Hazel Creek Aid Station and it was unlikely that I would make up a lot of time on the steeper sections in the second half of the course. There were two steep climbs on this section that I ran on the first lap, but walked on the last two.

Matt Thau Relaxes After Finishing His Fourth Straight ultrarunner.net Series Race

I started passing some of the 2-lap runners and finished in 3:36, about 9 minutes behind Aaron, who ran a great race. Lainie Callahan-Mattoon turned in another strong performance by finishing 1st (3rd overall), followed by Kate Evans, Jason Dumars, Jethro Smith, who survived a fall on the trail, and Matt Thau, who, like me, finished every single race in the ultrarunner.net series this year and will now most likely move into second place in the series overall standings (complete race results here).

Jason Dumars (5th Overall)

From one angle I was happy to run a shorter race given my short recovery period since the last race, but on the other hand, I think I would have done better in a real 50K, and we would have had the opportunity to gain more points for the same price ;-)

Rena Schuman (volunteer at the Hazel Creek Aid Station) and Some Other Runners at the Finish

The post-race BBQ was great, as usual. It was great to catch up with Jason Dumars and I also finally got to meet Matt Thau in person. I had seen Matt's name in all the series' race results, but had not yet met him in person.

Thanks to Robert, Linda, and all the volunteers for putting on this race and for the perfect course markings. I'll probably be back for four laps next year.

Next Up: The Auburn Trails 50K.

Shoe Review: Nike Air Zoom Vomero+ 4

2009-04-28T10:01:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again! Nike released yet another update to the lightweight Air Zoom Vomero+ (part of the Bowerman line of shoes). The Air Zoom Vomero has been my favorite shoe since 2006.

For me, it's a reminder that the Tahoe Super Triple is coming up again.

Note: you can sign up for the Triple now with a 14% discount using the "MayStimulus14" promo code.

The Vomero versions line up nicely with the Tahoe Super Triple editions. I ran the inaugural Super Triple (2006) in version 1 of the shoe, the second in version 2, and I set last year's course record (20:32) in version 3. This year, I plan to break that record again in version 4 of this super comfortable shoe, which has become a sort of lucky charm (aiming for a sub-19 finish).

I tried out my brand new pair of Nike Air Zoom Vomero 4s at the recent Spring Run 10K in Nevada City and they did not disappoint. I did not like Air Zoom Vomero version#3 as much as version#2, but version#4 feels as comfortable as version#2 again, with an even better fit. My version#3 shoes (and I wore quite a few pairs) wore out faster than version 2. Since I only just bought the new version, it is too early to tell how these will hold up.

Here is my review:

Cushiness: Excellent. Or, as Sean Meissner likes to call it, "uber-excellent!")
Fit: Excellent. This shoe is ready to race the minute you put it on.
Toughness: Good. This shoe is not super-protective, but the cushioning protects the bottom of your feet really well.
Flexibility: Excellent. This shoe is very flexible.
Side-to-side Stability: Excellent. This shoe is very light but still provides the excellent side-to-side stability you would expect in a road shoe. This part was better in version 2, not as good in version 3, but back again in version 4.
Grip: Good. This shoe handled great on the road and dry trails. They are not trail shoes, but to give you an idea, I ran the entire 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail in one go in one pair of Air Zoom Vomero #2s (I picked them mainly for the light weight and superior cushioning).
Switchback Handling: N/A. I have not taken this out on the trail yet, but this should be OK.
Weight: Excellent. This is the lightest shoe I have come across that you can ultra-distance road and trail distances on.
Price: OK. A bit high at $130, but worth every penny of it. Check the Nike outlet stores for better prices. Nike sales reps: contact me for my "free samples" mailing address ;-)
Overall: This is a great update!

Version 4 is not on Amazon yet, but here are some links to some good deals on versions 2 & 3

Turning on the Afterburners at the Spring Run 10K

2009-04-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Sean and I drove to Nevada City to run in the 23rd Annual Spring Run 5K and 10K. This was already the second race in the Gold Country Grand Prix. I had missed this year's first run--the Daffodil Run--last week, because I was running the River City Marathon that day.

Before the Start

One interesting thing about consistently recording data about training runs and races is that you can see trends and patterns. Something that I started noticing only this year is that I typically run a really fast 10K training run five to seven days after a long race (marathon or longer). For example, I ran some very fast 10K training runs exactly 6 days after the Pony Express 100K and the Rucky Chucky 50K earlier this year. Those runs were not supposed to be tempo runs or speedwork, but everything just felt good and I was able to easily handle the fast pace.

Larry Defeyter (4th in the 5K) Rounds the Final Turn in the Steep Uphill Finish

Since the Spring Run 10K was held just 6 days after the marathon, I could put this "afterburner" theory to the test in a real race setting. I felt recovered from the 2:59:50 marathon, but had not run that much yet, so it was hard to tell how everything would hold up at race pace. Either way, it was a gorgeous day and it was great to see all the familiar faces from our local running community and fun to catch up after a long winter.

Thomas McAtee Wins the 5K in 18:34

I warmed up with Larry Defeyter who was running the 5K. We caught up with Andy Harris, who has run every single one of the 23 Spring Runs. Wow! This was (only) my fourth straight year of running this race, but that was enough to know the hilly course pretty well (See elevation profile).

Steve Bond Powers Up the Final Hill to the Finish

Chris sat this race out to install a dining room floor, so I actually had a shot at winning the 10K overall. The race started out fast with a steep downhill and after a little more than half a mile I found myself in first place at the 5K/10K split. I ran the first mile in 5:45 and then hit mile 2 at exactly 12 minutes and mile 3 at 18 minutes, clocking 6-minute miles comfortably. At the turnaround, I saw that Neel was not too far behind me, followed by Nevada Union's XC coach Sarah Freitas.

Sean on His Way Back in the 5K.

Mile 4 came in 24 minutes (still running 6:00), but keeping that pace would not be possible due to the steep hills on the way back. I hit the 5-mile mark in 31:10. Hmm, it would be cool to run this course in sub-40, but then again, the last part was mostly uphill and there was nobody pushing from behind to give that little bit of extra motivation.

Mike Buzbee Picks Out a Tomato Plant, Included in the Race Entry--Very Cool!

When I hit the 6-mile mark in 38 minutes, I knew I really had a shot at breaking 40 minutes (according to Andy Harris, only about 20 people had broken 40 in the history of the race) and I started speeding up. Larry joined me for a few minutes and he kept an eye out for people coming from behind (Thanks Larry!). I crossed the line in first place in 39:58. I guess my afterburner theory of suddenly running fast a week after a long race is correct; I might just plan some more short races like that in the future!

Chatting with Neel and Sarah Freitas (2nd and 3rd in the 10K respectively)

Sean, who just started running again after a long snowboarding season, finished the 5K in about 30 minutes. After the race, we picked up the hardware and joined Steve Bond and Andy Harris and his girlfriend for a great breakfast at the South Pine Cafe (voted best breakfast in Nevada County for good reason!

Steve Bond and Andy Harris (Finished the Spring Run 12 and 23 times respectively)

All in all, it was a fun way to spend Saturday morning. Thanks to all Terry Boyer and the volunteers that made this race a success. I'll be back next year.
Next Up: The Jenkinson Lake 50K in two weeks.

Sub-3 at the River City Marathon!

2009-04-21T01:16:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I joined about 135 marathoners and around 225 half marathoners for the first annual River City Marathon/Half Marathon in Sacramento. This point-to-point race was held on the bike path along the American river from Negro Bar in Folsom to Discovery Park, close to downtown.

My one and only goal for this race was to break 3 hours for the first time. Training went well and at one point I was playing around with the idea of shooting for an even faster time, but I really wanted to "knock the bastard off" first, before attempting anything even faster only to hit the wall and miss both targets. Add to that a prediction of roughly 90-degree heat (the race started at 7, so the heat would only play a role in the last hour or so) and sub-3 would be challenging enough.

I did one 13-mile training run on the course two weeks prior to the start and I had run other sections of the trail in past Helen Klein 50K/50M races, so I knew what to expect: a flat and fast course.

The Finish

Prior to the race, I was fortunate to get training and racing advice from all kinds of great runners. Alan and Scott shared some of their training schedules and George Farmer and V. Neelakantan turned me on to some interesting training techniques such as the fast-finish progression long runs. Marathon Junkie Chuck Engle, who actually runs sub-3 pace teams, recommended not to bank seconds or minutes but instead shoot for dead-even splits all the way, with a 1:30 first half and so that's what I set out to do. I soaked up some final advice from Haile Gebrselassie and I was ready to go!

The marathon started promptly at 7 a.m. In the first 5 or 6 miles I moved from 12th place to 4th and then moved into 2nd place at the one and only climb of the course (a bridge over the American River). First place was out of sight at this point, but I could care less--I was just focusing on maintaining even 6:52 spits and any sort of placing would be a bonus.

I hit the half marathon at exactly 1:30 and had to weave my way through over 200 half marathoners. By mile 16 or 17 I caught up to the front runner, who had slowed down a bit. From here on I would be paced by the "lead-bike," operated by super-fast runner and volunteer Brad Lael, which was kind of exciting.

I continued to pick up some half marathoners and got into a great rhythm, always hovering right around 6:52. I chatted briefly with Brad, but then tried to focus on my breathing again. Vicky, Sean, and Rocky would meet me at the finish line and Sean had brought his bike and he met me with some Gatorade with about three miles to go, which was just what I needed. Two weeks earlier, Rocky had volunteered to crew for me on his bike for the entire marathon, but unfortunately he broke his arm snowboarding.

The Hardware...

Miles 18 thru 24 felt the easiest of the entire race for me, but I had to give it my all in the last two miles to make it under 3 hours. with 1 mile to go, I started speeding up in order to make sure I would not need yet another marathon to break 3 hours. I ran a 6:10 mile and knew I had it locked up when I made the last turn with the clock in sight. I almost missed the turn to the finish chute, but fortunately Rocky yelled out that I had to make a right turn off the bike path and I crossed the line with 10 seconds to spare (2:59:50)! Naturally, I was really excited about the time (mission accomplished) and it was a nice bonus to win the race overall, of course!

Nachos!--a nice second (or third) post race meal at Dos Coyotes in Folsom

Although the course is USATF certified for the distance, it appeared to be roughly 0.15 miles longer on my GPS watch and I heard others say the same. (distances ranged between 26.35 and 26.66). It turned out to be a hot day, so even though this was a fast and flat marathon, hats off to all the finishers (especially first-timers) who were out there in the heat for many hours! Thanks to Robert and Lisa Mathis for putting on another great event on a much larger scale than the usual ultras and to all the volunteers who came out to help.

Next Up: The Spring Run 10K in Nevada City on the 25th of April.

"Insider" Treadmill Maintenance Tips

2009-04-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, it was time for our annual treadmill checkup, which is part of the extended service contract we bought with our treadmill. The repairman that came out was very knowledgeable and let me in on a few bits of interesting information that I thought I would share.

Most surprisingly, your treadmill works the hardest--and draws the most power--when you're walking between 3 and 4.5 miles an hour (both feet hitting the deck at the same time provides more friction). Treadmills apparently love speed, but I have always avoided speedwork at 11 MPH on the treadmill out of fear that I would break it. Well, those days are over!

Tips:

Wear clean shoes--preferably a dedicated treadmill pair--to avoid dirt accumulation under the rollers and other parts.
Use a dedicated electrical outlet. For example, don't share your treadmill's outlet with a fridge, freezer, or an entertainment center.
Increase and decrease the speed gradually.
Unplug the treadmill after use to stop the electrical charge from heating up certain parts of the motor.
Keeping the treadmill outdoors or in an outdoor garage may void your warranty. This is why the first question you are asked when you call for service is "Where is your treadmill located?"
Plug the treadmill into a single-outlet wall surge protector (not in a surge protected extension cord with multiple outlets). If your treadmill breaks due to a power outage or power spike, it is easy for the repair folks to see that it was "surged" and that can void your warranty.
And...if you are a treadmill repair person, try to use those treadmills once in a while. Ironically, a high percentage of fitness equipment repair people seem to die an early death due to heart failures.

Here is another interesting fact: Apparently, the fitness industry banks on the fact that a whopping 85% of the equipment they sell will never be used. Wow! At least I am putting our treadmill to good use. Yesterday, I had a great treadmill training run: 2 miles warmup at 6.5MPH, followed by 2 miles at 9.1MPH, 1@6, 2@9.5, 1@6, 2@10, 1@6, 0.5@11, and 05. cooldown.

After all, I prefer to run outdoors, but sometimes the treadmill is a good alternative. Especially for flat speedwork, because there simply aren't that many flat places around here.

Sub-5 at the Rucky Chucky 50K

2009-03-21T23:08:00.000-07:00

Yesterday turned out to be a good day for the Lubbers family! In Marysville, my sons Sean and Rocky placed first and third respectively in their age groups in the 13th Annual Tri-Counties Music Competition and in Foresthill, I placed fourth overall (first in my age group) in the Rucky Chucky Roundabout 50K in a time of 4:52 (almost an hour faster than last year).
Of course, my wife deserves "honorable mention," because she cooked the pre-race pasta dinner, baked the post-race pancakes, drove the kids to countless rehearsals, and made sure everything was properly organized.

The American River

Last year, I did not have such a great day at this race. It was pretty warm that day and we had to carry a lot more water due to an inaccessible aid station. This year's forecast called for cooler weather with a chance of rain and there would be an extra aid station, so times would probably be faster.

Lots of vertical feet on the course

Based on some recent training times, I decided to shoot for a sub-5 hour finish. The course is a very steep out-and-back trail run. You start at Foresthill Elementary School (3300'), follow the Western States trail and bomb down to the famous Ruck-a-Chuck river crossing (750'). Then, you turn around and crawl back up to Foresthill.

Before the start

Last year, I started out a bit too fast and arrived at the turnaround at 2:15, but then the wheels came off. So this year my plan was to run a more conservative first half, leaving enough in the tank to actually run most of the return trip. My projected splits were:

Sandy Bottoms aid station (mile 13.9)--2:00
Rucky Chucky turnaround (Mile 15.8)--2:15
Mile 22--3 hours
Finish--sub-5

This schedule would leave two hours for the last ten (very steep uphill) miles and it would take into account being in better shape and running without a CamelBak.

Andy Anderson on his way back

Training had been going well. After recovering from the Pony Express 100K for about a week, I ramped up my training and focused exclusively on steep mountain training. I ran 111 miles with roughly 30,000' vertical in 11 straight days before tapering back down for Rucky Chucky. On day 6, I ran my usual 10-mile mountain training loop in my fastest time ever: 1:10:38, so I knew I was ready for some fast mountain miles. The main thing was not to go out too fast. This race is mostly about being able to run back up the hill.

Chatting with CJ Callans

Troy offered to crew for me, although there was really only one place where he could meet me on the course (The Rucky Chucky river turn-around). Nevertheless, it was good to get a little bit of race intelligence and, most importantly, a ride back home! Thanks again, Troy.

With Dave before the race

Before the race, I finally got to meet Dave "Atlanta Trails" Schoenberg in person. Dave lives in Berkeley these days and came out to explore the Western States trail.

Dave in action

I also caught up with Gretchen and met Mike Scammon plus a few other runners who were going to do their first ultra. They sure picked a challenging run for a first ultra, but then again, if you're going to run an ultra, you may as well go all the way.

Checking out the elevation profile with Dave and Mike

I started out a little bit more conservative than last year, holding back more on the steep downhills, in the hope I would be able to run a lot more of the return trip. This proved to be a good strategy. Mark Lantz, out for a training race a week after running the Way Too Cool 50K a week earlier, set the pace from the start and slowly pulled away with the very positive (and fast) Andy Anderson on his tail.

I spent the majority of the downhill section chatting with Oregon's JC Callans, a very fast marathon runner (2nd in the Redding Marathon this year) who was running his first ultra. JC would pull ahead of me occasionally, but I would catch up with him again at the aid stations. Although he was new to ultrarunning, JC had received plenty of good ultra advice. He lives close to the Rogue Valley Runners store, which seems to provide employment for about half of all the top ultrarunners in this country. JC even carried a good luck charm-a Gu Roctane, rung up by Anton Krupicka himself.

Some of the great volunteers

I hit the 14-mile mark at 1:52 and the turnaround in 2:05 (both earlier than expected, but feeling pretty comfortable), and then started making my way up the hill again, exchanging "good job" and "looking-good" with all the other runners coming down the trail. I hit the 22-mile mark a little behind schedule at 3:05. At the last aid station (with 8.7 miles to go) I found out that Andy Anderson had a commanding lead, Mark Lantz was about 10 minutes ahead, and JC was only about 3 minutes ahead.

Mark Lantz powers back up the hill

Some of the uphill sections were insanely steep and almost impossible to run. I took a few walking breaks, but tried to keep a running rhythm going as much as possible. For the longest time I was not sure if I would make it under 5 hours, but once I hit some of the familiar trail sections before California Street, I knew sub-5 was within reach. I sped up a little and crossed the finish line in 4:52 (4th overall and 1st AG), still 3 minutes behind JC, who definitely has a future in ultra running (his wife was running the 50K as well). I was quite happy with the result and stuck around for Lisa Mathis's excellent post-race buffet.

JC Callans cruises into the Sandy Bottoms aid station

Andy Anderson easily took first place in 4:18, just 5 minutes off Lon Freeman's CR and Mark Lantz came in second in about 4:30 (great time for a training run!). Though perhaps not a familiar name on the ultrarunning scene (yet), watch out for Andy Anderson. He's an avalanche forecaster, who logs about 30 miles on cross-country skis in the Tahoe Truckee area every day in addition to some low-volume high altitude running--wow!

Andy Anderson (1st place)

After the lunch, I found out that Sean and Rocky had won first and third place in the music competition and that they would be performing in the winner's concert/award ceremony that evening. I rushed home, took a shower, and made it just in time for the final concert, which was a real treat. All their hard work and practice had really paid off. Rocky played a Die Harfe (Mayer) on the piano and received a $50 third place prize and trophy, and Sean played Humoresque (Dvorak) on the cello and received $100 and a trophy. Hmm, there seems to be more prize money in music than in ultrarunning...

Sean and Rocky with their prizes

Next up: the River City Marathon on April 19th. Aim: sub-3.

Four Personal Records and a Course Record

2009-03-01T08:43:00.001-08:00

Yesterday, I ran the Pony Express Race. This race offers a 30K, 50K, 50M, and 100K option and I picked the 100K. Having run the 100K in 2007 and coming in second to Scott Dunlap, I knew what to expect.

Before the start

The race is a 1.25-mile loop course around Cameron Park Lake (50 loops for the 100K) and this format allows friends and family members to come out and crew for their runners while enjoying a nice day in the park.

Sunrise at Cameron Park Lake

My training had been going well and the last day of dry and cool weather would make this a great day to break some records. On Friday, my friend Troy decided he would come out and crew for me, which would be a great help, too. Some days everything just goes right and this was one of those days.

The new Chocolate#9 chocolate agave gel

Today, I was going to try out a new gel--Chocolate#9 Chocolate Agave. I had been looking around for a healthier alternative to the basic assortment of gels and reading about these gels (sweetened with Agave, no artificial ingredients, no refined sugar, vegan, etc.) it sounded like I had finally found the right one. These gels are some of the best-tasting gels ever. Think of a rich Starbucks chocolate truffle drink in gel format, but without any sugar and other bad stuff--a chocolate-lover's delight. I ate one every 4 laps and they gave me plenty of energy. Definitely a winner!

Jon Olsen flies by on his way to the 50-mile win in 5:58

In my training I had experimented with different speeds and decided to shoot for an 8:30 finish time. The splits for that break down as follows:

8:12 per mile
10:15 per lap
51 minute 10K
3:35 marathon
4:14 50K
6:50 50M
8:30 100K

John Souza wins the 50K

To be successful, it would be critical not to start out with the lead pack, particularly because there were runners in 4 distances. I immediately tried to settle into an 8-minute mile pace, which felt ridiculously slow. Sure enough, about 12 runners took off fast and formed a pack up front. The "Modesto Trio" (Jon Olsen (50M), John Souza (50K), and Hao Tran (30K) was leading the pack and after a few short laps, the pack was no longer running together.

Hao Tran and Ray Sanchez (Team Pandemonium) pass through the start/finish area

My pacing strategy paid off. The first 50K felt super comfortable and I did not feel like I was working hard until about 45 miles. I was nailing the splits, one after another, almost within a few seconds. I never broke stride and just kept a cruising at a steady pace. I hit the marathon in 3 minutes fast, in 3:32, the 50K in 4:07 (my first PR of the day). By this time I had reeled in most of the people that had lapped me earlier, except for the eventual 30K, 50K, and 50M winners. Jon Olsen was really tearing it up, going faster as the race went on. He finished in 5:58, just shy of Brad Lael's 5:54 50-mile course record. Congrats, Jon!

Round and round we go...

At 45 miles it became harder to keep the pace, but it was still doable. I hit the 50M in 6:40 (PR#2) with 10 laps to go. After about 55 miles, I was unable to keep the pace no matter how hard I tried, dropping about a minute or more per mile.

Another race around this place (Eiffel 65)

Before the race, my son Sean had asked what the longest distance was that I had ever run without taking a walking break. That was a 50K and I had just increased my PR for running non-stop to 55 miles. It felt silly to stop now, somewhere in the no-man's land between 50 miles and 100K, so I kept on running, grinding out those final miles.

Finished!

Troy joined me for a few final laps and the company helped. By this time, there were not too many people left on the course and all of them were suffering, yet determined to finish. With the end in sight, the last two laps felt surprisingly easy again.

With R.D. Robert Mathis (and my Inov-8 Shoes Gift certificate)

In 2007, I ran 9:36, and with one lap to go, it was clear I would be a little bit slower than my projected 8:30, so it would be fun to at least break my old record by an hour. I had twelve minutes left to do that and cranked out one more lap at the old 10-minute-per-lap pace to finish in 8:34 and change (good for another two new PRs--longest non-stop run and 100K).

Kicking back after the race

I also set a new course record (The CR was 9:06). However, I have to add that I won the 100K by attrition, because there was an overall 10.5 hr cutoff and the people that had signed up for it ended up dropping down to the 50-mile race. Nevertheless, my splits would have been good enough for (I think) a second place in the 50-miler, and a top-spot in the 50K.

Loading up on Linda's famous post-race buffet (There was still plenty left!)

After the race, we enjoyed the post-race buffet while watching the other runners finish. All in all it was great day and weather-wise it worked out perfectly, because a huge storm moved in at night and it is supposed to rain for a while now.

Rick Santos ices the legs after a strong finish, Troy talks to Western States/Pony Express volunteer Brad McGoo

Another great benefit of having a crew with you: you don't have to drive home after the race! Thanks a lot Troy for coming out with me--I owe you one!

Jose San Gabriel with 200 yards to go

A huge thanks a lot to Robert and Linda Mathis and Brad Mcgoo for putting on the great race and keeping track of all the laps!

Keep Run Lake Tahoe Blue

2009-02-25T17:36:00.000-08:00

I received a mysterious package today from Running 'Round Reno's blogrunner Turi and to my surprise I received a stack of personalized Run Lake Tahoe stickers that look a lot like the famous Keep Tahoe Blue stickers!
Though normally I am not much of a say-it-with-bumper-stickers guy, this one went on the back of the Xterra rightaway! Thanks so much for the thoughtful gift, Turi!

Ready to run?

Next up: As my first 2009 race, I'll be running the Pony Express 100K in Cameron Park this weekend. I had to miss the Jed Smith 50-miler because of a cough and a cold, but I feel better now and have put in some solid training miles. Will it be a walk in the [Cameron] Park? We'll see. Stay tuned for a report on that race and on a great new gel that I have been trying out.

Blue Planet Blogger Showcase

2009-01-29T12:01:00.001-08:00

Check it out! Chris, Turi, and I are featured in the Blogger Showcase on the Blue Planet Run website.

"Peter Lubbers and friends, Turi and Chris, blogged about the 30-mile challenge as they ran to bring water to Tanzania"

The Gold Country Grand Prix Awards Ceremony

2009-01-14T16:35:00.000-08:00

The awards ceremony for the 2008 Gold Country Grand Prix was held last Sunday. Since I did not run all the races in '08, I was only able to scrape together enough points for 3rd in my age group at the last race of the season.

Before the race, I joined Chris, Gretchen, and Robert for a nice 12-miler on the pioneer trail. It was great to see everyone again. Good luck with your marathon in a few weeks, Gretchen!

Gretchen, Robert, and Chris

Chris, undefeated in the 2008 season, deservedly won the Grand Prix series (overall) and took home the $100 grand prize while Larry came in second in the 30-39 age group.

Chris Wins the 2008 GP, Well Deserved!

Next up: I am postponing my sub-3 attempt a little bit, so I am not joining Troy for the Redding Marathon this weekend. Good luck, Troy!

Tagged: 2008 in Review

2009-01-03T17:43:00.000-08:00

I was recently tagged by Alan to answer a few questions about my 2008 running season, so without further ado, here are my answers:

1. What was your 2008 running highlight and running low?

High:
Without a doubt, running and finishing the Tahoe Rim Trail 165-mile run. That was my most epic running adventure ever! Winning my third straight Tahoe Super Triple was a close second, of course.

Low:
No terrible lows really, but the last few miles of the Rucky Chucky 50K and hitting the wall pretty hard at the marathon of Spijkenisse (Holland) come to mind.

2. What race are you secretly planning on doing (or contemplating) for 2009 but haven't made it known to the public....until now?
My work takes me to London at the end of May and, surprisingly, that coincides with... the Grand Union Canal Race 145 Miler! The course record for this mostly flat run is 27:01. This one might just play to my strengths and sounds very exciting.

3. Where would you like create and direct an ultra that (to your knowledge) none exists?
I like Alan's idea of running the Death Ride course (Death March?), and I would love to see an actual race covering the entire 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail, possibly in stages.

Another great venue for a race would be Bullards Bar Dam Reservoir, where I do a lot of training. That place has miles of great trails. One day...

4. What is your "primary" race for 2009?
The Tahoe Super Triple, going for a sub-19 finish and hopefully a fourth straight win.

5. What is the most exciting thing about your upcoming race schedule?
Trying to first speed things up a little to try to run a sub-3 marathon and then going longer and longer.

6. List your planned races for 2009:
Depending on my schedule I will try to run some of the Gold Country Grand Prix races and some of the Ultrarunner.net series races (this series has a lot of new races, which sound like fun).

Apart from those, I am thinking about running the following races:

Redding Marathon (Jan)
Jed Smith 50K or 50M (Feb)
Ruth Anderson (April)
GUCR-145 (May)
Tahoe Relay (June)
TRT 50K (July)
Cool 12 Hour Night Run (August)
Tahoe Mini Triple (3 training half marathons around the Lake Tahoe on Labor Day Weekend)
Tahoe Super Triple (September)

All in all, 2008 was a great year and I am looking forward to the 2009 races.

Next up: Back to work on Monday, some more snowshoeing on weekends, and then the Redding Marathon.

Meeting the Man with the Hammer at the Spijkenisse Marathon

2008-12-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

I just found some time to post this story about the Spijkenisse Marathon. I ran this race while I was in Holland for work a few weeks ago. (I'll post a reply to Alan's blog-tag next week).

I happened to be in Holland and Belgium for work, so a quick look at Marathon Guide's international race calendar showed that the Spijkenisse Marathon would be held that weekend--of course my wife and kids did not believe me and maintains that I probably organized my entire trip around this marathon (Yes, I am sure the Devoxx conference organizers had this in mind as well)!

A Rare Double Rainbow Above My Parents' House in Amsterdam

Although it had been (mararaining the days before (very common in Holland), Sunday was going to be a nice dry day. This was the third annual marathon in the city of Spijkenisse organized by track club Spark. Spijkenisse is located close to Rotterdam in the Netherlands and my friend Bjorn and his wife from Crazy Pianos, who live pretty close to the course, graciously offered me a ride to the marathon start. There were over 700 people running different races (marathon, half marathon, and I think they also had a 10K). There were about 200 marathon participants.

As I found out during the 4x50K I participated in earlier this year, races in Holland tend to be a lot cheaper (This one was only about $22), but they don't give you any goodie bags, race T-shirts, etc. The entry fee still included a very nice medal, so I'd encourage the US marathons to follow the European lead--who needs those t-shirts anyway?

Photo Courtesy of Theo Peters

For work, we had a big release that coincided with our Europe trip, so I had been working almost around the clock for the ten days or so leading up to the marathon. Then, after getting off the airplane in Holland, I spend another day and another all-nighter to wrap things up. Needless to say, this was not going to be the sub-3 performance I had been training for.
With that in mind, I decided to just try to hold a 6:52 pace for as long as possible to get a feel for what it would be like to hold a sub-3 pace and not worry about the overall time. This would probably mean blowing up somewhere along the way, but there was nothing at stake, so it would be a good experiment.

And so, when the gun went off at 11:00 a.m (a great time to start a marathon on a cold day, by the way). I immediately tried to settle in to the right pace, but that was pretty hard. Instead, I was running between 6:30 and 6:40. The course was flat and it was hard to slow down any further. I passed the 10K mark in 40 minutes--definitely too fast.

The weather was great--it was pretty cold and not too windy. Many of the Dutch runners wore tights and I was one of the few wearing shorts. The course was very flat with the occasional up and down over a "dijk" (levee) or a bridge. What actually made the course challenging was the long stretches of "polder" (reclaimed land--yes, the saying God created the world, but the Dutch created Holland has some truth to it) that just went on and on and even though there was not a lot of wind, you could definitely notice it if you were running against it, because there were no trees or hills to protect you.

After the 10K mark, I started (unintentionally) slowing down a bit and I was finally hitting those 6:52 splits, but not for long. I passed the 20K mark in 1:23 and the half marathon in 1:28 and change, but I was slowing down even more. For a minute I thought I might be able to make it, but deep down I knew that the damage was already done--there was no way I could keep up the pace for another half, so maybe it was going to be 3:03 or 3:05. Things kept going well for a little while longer, but I was now running between 7:10 and 7:30 depending on the wind.

It was nice that the course was marked every kilometer. It made it feel like it went by very fast--there were just a lot more of them and doing the math started getting harder and harder as the marathon dragged on. Overall this was a perfectly-organized marathon. At 30K, I passed someone and got a little bit of a second wind, but a few kilometers later I finally ran out of fuel and I hit the wall. The aid stations (every 5K) only provided water and the Dutch version of Gatorade, but what I really needed to stay in the race was a gel or two. Unfortunately, I had left those at home.

The last part of the race started winding its way through the town of Spijkenisse, back to the track where we had started. A few very windy sections in the last three miles combined with a climb over a major bridge offered a meeting (and plenty of face time) with "de man met de hamer" (the man with the hammer), as the Dutch like to call "the wall." The runner that I had passed earlier sped by me like I was standing still and I did not have anything left. Going for a hold-the-pace-until-you-break strategy inevitably makes you run into a brick wall and does not make for many fun-filled final miles--I could not wait for this run to be over.

With aunt Maria and uncle Frank

As I turned onto the track, I looked behind me one more time and saw another competitor gaining on me. I sped up a little bit hold my position and after about 300 yards on the track I crossed the finish in 19th place overall in 3:12:08. Not bad, considering the circumstances. Also, this is a new PR and a Boston Qualifier, but still a long way from the elusive sub-3.

The Winners

My aunt and uncle (they took all the pictures for this post--thanks!) had come to the track to see me finish and I caught up with them after the marathon, which was great. It was a great time to be in Holland, because it was "Sint Nikolaas" (the Dutch version of Santa Claus) when I arrived (Dec. 5th). We had many chocolates and traditional holiday pastries, including my mom's famous apple pie.

Oma's Famous Apple Pie--Yum!

The winner of the marathon was the German runner Ralf Preibisch (2:32-CR) and Belgian runner Bart de Grove, who was very helpful in explaining the course to me prior to the race, came in second (2:42).

Next Up: Taking a little break now and will pick it up after the holidays again to try it once more (hopefully with more rest) in Redding (Jan 18).

Mission Accomplished!

2008-11-28T15:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, on Thanksgiving Day, I joined hundreds of people for the 3rd annual Michael Bratton II Turkey Trot in Nevada City. My goal was to run my first-ever sub-40 10K (see previous post). With 1300' elevation gain as well as loss (per the Garmin, which may be a little on the high side) the course was far from a PR course. In previous years it had been a bit short, but this year they added extra out-and-back sections to make it a full 10K. (Fortunately, because I did not want to go all out only to realize I had run a sub-40 six-miler!)

This was the last race in the Gold Country Grand Prix series. I was in fourth place in the 30-39 AG, four points behind Mark Epperly. Since this was the biggest race in the entire Grand Prix (last year, there were over 1000 participants), I could still get enough points to sneak into third place, because only the first 5 finishers get extra points.

On top of the elevation gain, there were two more things to deal with, which would make this a tough course to PR on. A good portion of the race was run on single-track and double-track trails and it had rained the day before. It wasn't too slippery, but there were lots of wet leaves on the course.

Also, the 10K follows the 5K course and then makes an extra loop and finishes by joining the 5K course again. By the time the 10K joins the 5K course again there are tons of walkers that you have to zig-zag your way through. Some of them oblivious to the fact there is a race going on. On the single-track this can really slow you down.

Troy Finishes 3rd Overall, 4 Seconds Ahead of Zach Stoll

I went for a good, two-mile warmup. Not sure why, but my legs did not feel too springy and I started to get worried about breaking the magic 40-minute mark. I told myself that that's exactly why I was warming up and decided not to waste time worrying about it. Trust the training!

Zach Stoll Finishes Fourth Overall

The start was fast and furious. Everyone tried to get in a good position to avoid the single-track traffic jam and I settled in in about 10th place, right behind Larry Defeyer. Brandon Nied, Andrew Primrose, and Chris (last year's top-3 overall in the 5K) charged up the hills ahead. Chris was running the 5K today, because he was slowed down by a hip problem recently.

10K Winner Andrew Primrose (Left)

At the 5 and 10K split, most people ahead of me turned left onto the track to finish the 5K. As it turned out, Andrew Primrose was running the 10K, but by the time I hit the split, he was already out of sight, so I was not sure if I was in first or second place overall. I decided not to waste any time asking the course volunteers--just keep running!

Neel and Daffodil Run RD Joan Bumpus at the Finish

On several of the out-and-back sections, I could see I had a fairly comfortable lead on Zach and Troy, so I just kept pushing forward, trying to speed up on the flats and the downhills. On the final downhill, while zig-zagging through the walking crowd at high speed, In my quest to "shave" a few more seconds off the downhill time, I almost ran over my hairdresser, Julie from the Mane Event hair salon and rolfing magician Kona from Rolfing in the Sierras--not a great idea to take out those key members of the race support team!

Larry Defeyter , Me, and Some Crazy-Looking Guy Who Won This Year's Grand Prix's 30-39 AG

I hit the final uphill that leads to the track at 38:51. The race finishes with a about 200 meters on the track and I felt I had the sub-40 locked up, but just kept running as fast as I could. I finished in 39:51, second overall and first in my AG--mission accomplished!

Robert and Callan Warner after Callan's first 10K--great job!

We hung out at the finish for a while. Unlike the previous Grand Prix run, awards were handed to all top-three age group winners and I even received a delicious pumpkin pie for finishing in the top-three overall!

Chris, trying to keep Hannah off the Football Field

The results are not in yet, but with an extra 10 points and Chris and Larry finishing first and second in the 30-39 AG respectively, I think I have 3rd place in the GP locked up as well (Thanks guys!). Chris won the Gold Country Grand Prix 30-39 AG and Larry finished second. I believe Chris came in second overall in the Grand Prix (congrats, Chris!)

Troy Takes Home Some Hardware

Thanks to all the volunteers for making this such a succesful run in only the third annual running. It was a nice season finale. It would be interesting to see what the 39:51 would translate to on a fast and flat course, but I don't want to go too far out of my way to try it, so I think I'll wait for the (local) Daffodil Run next year to try it again.

Troy and I Enjoy a Well-Deserved Snack and "Hemp-Milk Latte" at the Broad Street Cafe

Next up: Well, that's basically it for this year in terms of racing. I am going to Europe for work next week and if there is a fun run somewhere I'll run it, but the next race goal is a sub-3 hour marathon in Redding on January 18th. I'll write another post about my other 2009 plans soon, but a fast Jed Smith 50M (you better get out of bed to start training, Michael Kanning!), a sub-19 hour Super Triple (Yes, Jon, you read that correctly!) and a very interesting mega-ultra are on the list, so stay tuned!

Sub-40 or Bust!

2008-11-25T18:23:00.000-08:00

This Thursday, I'll be making another attempt at a sub-40 10K at the Michael Bratton II Turkey Trot 5 and 10K in Nevada City. Last year, I ran a 41:51 (9th overall) on this course , which has quite a few ups and downs in it.

Turkey Trot Elevation Profile

I have tried to break the sub-40 mark a few times over the past years, and I think I would have made it on various occasions if I had picked a flatter course. The problem around here is that there are hills everywhere. This time, however, I feel like I am ready for it despite the terrain.

I surprised myself at the Run through the Colors recently by running a 40:01 and I have been running Yasso-800 workouts weekly to improve my leg turnover for my upcoming sub-3 marathon attempt (planning on going for it at the Redding Marathon in January).

The speedwork is going really well. I started with four 800 meter repeats and have now built up to 10 of these speed workouts at about 2:46 average pace on the track and 2:58 on a flat trail close to my place. I have been adding one to two repeats every week and it has amazed me to see that an effort that feels almost seems impossible one week feels quite easy the next week. I tried to talk Michael into joining me at the Homewood track last week while I was in the Bay Area, but he opted to stay in bed instead--well, you snooze, you lose!

As far as the Grand Prix points go, we'll just have to see how it pans out, but I am still hopeful that a good place in the 10K will allow me to edge my way into the top-3 behind Chris and Larry in the 30-39 age group. I don't think I'll have a much better shot at GP points if I run the 5K, so trying to break the elusive 40-minute mark this year will be much more fun.

Interestingly, Turi will be shooting for his sub-45 10K on Thursday, so wish us luck!

Rain, Mud, and Elevation at the Monster Trail Run 10K

2008-11-03T10:07:00.000-08:00

2960' of elevation gain and 2960' elevation loss in just 10 kilometers! That's what my Garmin Forerunner registered for the Monster Trail 10K Run last Saturday (Note: The Garmin readings tend to be on the high side). To top it off, torrential rain had turned the course into a giant mud-slide, making for some very treacherous descents and slow uphill running. Fun, but not fast!

Despite the rain, there were lots of die-hard Gold Country Grand Prix runners at the start. I decided to run the 10K, knowing that this would probably hurt my chances of getting a higher Age Group place (currently in fourth place, 3 points behind third) in the Grand Prix with just two races to go. Bottom line: I did not really intend to go for points in the GP this year, so why start now? It was better to run the maximum distance and enjoy the trails.

I knew Chris was running the 10K and Larry Defeyter was running the 5K, so an overall win was unlikely. Fortunately, the race flyer promised awards for the top three overall so I was pretty sure I would be able to go home with some hardware. Or would I...

Chris and I went for a two-mile warmup, which gave us a frightening sneak peek of the course's first major downhill. Some parts were like a sheer cliff, made of mud. You had to grab trees to slow down or risk an epic wipe-out.

So, when the race started, I took the lead so I would be one of the first to go down the steep section of the slick trail (at least on the first of the two 5K loops). Once we arrived on a flatter part of the trail, Chris, Larry, and Zach passed me and I maintained 4th place for the rest of the otherwise uneventful run. I felt good most of the way and pushed it to the finish line to break 48 minutes, arriving in 47:54.

As usual, Chris won the 10K, despite having a back-ache (Check out his blog post with the race pictures here). the up-and-coming national class runner, Zach Stoll, who ran an incredibly good race took second (did I mention he is only 13?), and I came in third overall. Larry won the 5K easily. A quick dip in the nearby lake helped get all the mud of our clothes.

Chris and I Wash Off in the Lake After the Race (Photo courtesy of Abby Badolato)

Many thanks to the awesome volunteers that braved the storm to show us where to go. As for the awards, I received my age group ribbon, but I was surprised to find out that they were only giving awards to first overall male and female for each distance (not the top-3, as promised)!

When I raised the fact that the flyer, which I had unfortunately handed in when I registered, had said top-3, I was told that I was wrong and had misread it. Well, I went home and looked it up again and here is the exact text:

Shirts/awards:
Awards for top 3 overall, age groups, and additional prizes. Event shirts included if pre-registration received by 10/7/08; other registrants will receive shirts while supplies last.

Note the serial comma after "overall." So, you tell me. who is right...
Now, I don't do this for the hardware, but it's a matter of principal; you have to live up to your promises. I e-mailed the RD, so I hope this will be resolved somehow (Now a week later, I still have not heard back yet, but I'll post a comment if I do).

Motionbased Details:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/7089510

Next up: I am skipping UltraCentric 24Hr in Texas this year. If you add up all the travel costs, it's just too much money for yet another weekend away.

Blue Planet Run on the Tahoe Rim Trail

2008-10-27T16:35:00.000-07:00

Note: I forgot to bring the battery for my camera, so all of these pictures are shamelessly pilfered from Chris and Turi's blogs. Check out their blogs for additional footage:

Chris's Blog
Turi's Blog (includes movies!)

In the spirit of the Blue Planet 30-Mile Challenge, Chris and I had already run the first 6 miles at the Run through the Colors 10K last week (Chris won and almost set a new course record) and to finish it up we had planned to run a 24-mile run on the Tahoe Rim Trail, from Tahoe Meadows to Spooner Summit.

It was a beautiful weekend around the lake. On Saturday, the kids and I went for a 12-mile bike ride starting in Tahoe City and at night we had dinner with Chris, Abby, and their two-year old daughter.

On Sunday, I parked at the Spooner Summit trailhead and Abby graciously offered to drive us to Tahoe Meadows, where we met Turi and John Ostezan. We took off from the Tahoe Meadows trailhead at exactly 8 o'clock.

I had expected it to be very cold, but the temperature was actually really nice. This section certainly brought back a lot of memories from this Summer's 168-mile trek. This section was part of the last 40 miles of that run and as soon as it started getting dark, I started hallucinating like crazy.

Looking at the trail during the day with fresh eyes made it clear just how much I had been hallucinating. I had actually imagined a few houses along the course that were obviously not there. There were no backpacks, dome tents, and guard rails anymore along the trail, either.

We had a great run. Chris and John sped up (or maybe I just slowed down) after we reached Hobart Road and finished the run in about 4 hours, while Turi and I finished in just under 4:30. After the run we iced the legs in the lake and had lunch at King's Beach. Chris even brought some oatmeal stout-flavored Gatorade. All in all, a great day out while at the same time providing some much needed relief for 1200 students in Tanzania!

Next Up: The Monster Trail Run in Grass Valley on Saturday, November 1st.

Taking the Blue Planet 30-Mile Challenge to the Tahoe Rim Trail

2008-10-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

I just signed up for the Blue Planet Run 30-Mile Challenge! As a "Team Blue" member, I will run 30 miles (approximately 50K) to raise awareness and help support a special project that needs immediate attention in Tanzania, East Africa.

Although this is not much of a "challenge" for any self-respecting ultrarunner, it is a great initiative and certainly one that makes you appreciate all the luxuries we have in our lives.

To reach the 30 miles, I will first run a 10K race (Run through the Colors 10K in Nevada City) on the 19th of October. After that I will run a 24-mile trail run on the Tahoe Rim Trail on the 26th of October (from Tahoe Meadows to Spooner Summit) with my friends Chris and Turi and anyone else that would like to join. Note: this is a self-supported run, so bring food and... water.

Check out the event details here.

Unsafe water is responsible for more sickness and death than AIDS, cancer and wars combined. Yet it is a simple problem for us to solve. My efforts will help bring safe drinking water to three schools in Tanzania which will provide 1,200 students with healthy water and allow them to attend school instead of walking long distances to collect water each day.

Part of the 24-Mile Course

Join me or create your own 30-mile challenge! It's easy. For more information on the program and the water project, visit http://blueplanetrun.org/30-mile. Remember, no effort is insignificant. This is an easy way to improve another person's life in big ways! Water is life. Pass it on.

Tahoe Super Triple Hat-Trick

2008-10-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how about a short movie:

As you can see, this year's Tahoe Super Triple was a real blast!

I ran the first two days a little faster than expected. Really, I did not know what to expect, because I had not run any actual marathons since last year's Super Triple. I had noticed that my endurance had improved quite a bit since the big TRT-165 run; I was simply able to keep a good running form for a lot longer. I was also logging some fast training runs on paved roads with about 8% incline and I won the Draft Horse Classic 10K the weekend before the Super Triple. So, coming in I knew I would be faster, I just did not know how much faster.

With Chris at the Midnight Start

I felt recovered from the 165-mile run six weeks earlier (in fact, I had planned it with the Triple in mind) and this year, I did not run a 53-miler the week before the triple, but a major deadline at work had kept me working till deep in the night in the two weeks leading up to the race, preventing me from getting all the sleep I really needed. I guess there's always something, but at a minimum, I'd be used to doing something in the middle of the night!

The Start of the 72-Mile Race and the Last Leg of the Super Triple

I was surprised that, compared to last year's times, I was able to knock 22 minutes off of my first marathon time and 16 minutes off of my second marathon. As it turned out, I really needed to have those minutes in the bank for the final 72-miler, which came down to a duel with San Francisco's Jon Burg, who had run a fast time in the Vermont 100-miler (20 hours and change) only two months earlier.

Sean "4-Minute Mile" Meissner Can't Believe I am Wearing Tights

Jon had trouble with heel spurs during the first two marathons, but showed up fresh-as-a-daisy at the midnight start of the last leg--the 72-mile loop around Lake Tahoe. This year, I really wanted to make it to the 8:30 a.m. start of the regular Tahoe marathon. I had been unable to get there in the previous years and it is a bit demoralizing to just follow the trail of empty Gu-wrappers and water cups for the last 26 miles while the aid stations are being broken down just ahead of you.

Jon Burg, Going Strong

Still, covering 46 miles in 8.5 hours at night after two marathons is easier said than done. My aim was to go out very easy and run and power-walk the first 20 miles to Spooner Summit without ever pushing it. I watched Jon disappear into the dark. From one angle this felt a little bit risky, but on the other hand it was too early in the race to make any sudden moves, departing from the tried-and-true race strategy--so I decided to just stick to the game plan and get to the top of Spooner as planned.

Tony Torres (Three-Time Winner of the Tahoe Marathon)

I reached the Cave Rock tunnel at 2:00 a.m. and Spooner Summit at 3:15. Next was the long downhill to Incline Village. That went pretty well considering I was running in the middle of the night. I reached the highway (at the end of Lakeshore Blvd) at 5:40 and took a quick 5-minute break to change shoes and drink some coffee. With 2 hours and 45 minutes left and 13 miles to go to Tahoe City, it dawned on me that I was really going to make it by 8:30, even though Chris and Rebecca had been assuring me all along that I was on track.

I reached the 46-mile mark (the marathon start) at 8:13 and immediately took off for Pope Beach (Ultra runners don't have to wait here). Chris and Rebecca told me I was trailing Jon by 12 minutes.

Lynryd Skynrod Flies by at His Early 5:55/mile Pace

Soon the marathoners started passing me. First the front runners: Lynryd Skynrod and eventual winner Tony Torres, and then the two top-Triple runners: Marathon Junkie (Chuck Engle) and Blue Benadum. Chuck and Blue had two (or more?) glasses of wine the night before the race and they were flying. They would end up in 3rd and 8th place in the regular marathon and first and second in the 78-mile Tahoe Triple respectively. Way to go guys! Very impressive. I might just have to try that wine-and-race strategy soon!

Blue and Chuck With 20 Miles to Go

After the rabbits disappeared, a steady stream of runners passed by. The remainder of the race was accompanied by a constant stream of cheers and support from the crowd and the hundreds of fellow runners who passed by. Running those last 26 miles in a bright orange Super Triple singlet, I felt like a (minor) celebrity! Most runners that passed by actually seemed to know what the Triple and the Super Triple were and some people even wanted their picture taken!

We'll Get There Eventually!

reached the 50-mile point in 8:52 and noticed I was gaining on Jon--the gap was down to only 6 minutes. About four miles later, I finally caught up to Jon and we power-walked for several miles together. Jon had been running a very smart race and though I pride myself on being able to out-walk most of my opponents, it was immediately obvious to me that power-walking was also one of Jon's strengths. We were consistently walking faster than 5 miles an hour (between 11:30 and 12:00 miles) and even passing some of the slower runners. On a long, paved course like the Tahoe 72-Miler, that is a key ingredient to success.

Triple Finisher and Her Cute Dog "Cherrio"--Possibly the Only Dog that has Completed the Triple (There Should Be an Award for That)

Eventually I started running some of the steeper downhills again. Jon said he was going to walk the downhills due to some residual heel pain, so I slowly pulled away only to hit the "Hill from Hell." which forced the entire field to a crawl. Then, after the downhill from hell with one final uphill section to go to reach Inspiration Point, Jon caught up to me again, courtesy of Tylenol.

Paul Piplani, Drove to the Super Triple Race Start From Arizona And Heads Back Right After the Race (Wow!)

I assessed the situation. Having made it to the start before 8:30 and now having a 59-minute lead with 6 miles to go, I had the win locked up as long as I would just power-walk to the finish. At this point it was hard to find the motivation to race Jon to the finish. My body was telling me "Well, we gave you what you wanted (the 8:30 start and the overall win), so stop asking for more!"

Inspiration Point (Mile 0 and Mile 118)

Of course Jon and I were not aware that we were trailing the leader of the 72-mile ultra (the runners who were "just" running the 72-miler) by mere minutes. Apparently, the early leaders that were gunning for finishing in the neighborhood of 10 hours had dropped out of the race. (Sorry it did not go well for you this time, Sean). If we had known that, we might have shifted to a higher gear. As it turned out, Jon finished only one minute behind the 72-mile ultra winner, Randy van Dusen! (Next year, we need some walkie-talkies with up-to-date race intelligence!)

With 72-Mile Director Lucia Lake

I power-walked/ran to the finish and arrived in 13:39. Wow, another Super Triple done! I iced the legs in the lake and picked up the awards, which were on the beach this time (it was nice not to have to go to the casinos again for a change). We said goodbye to the new friends we had made over the last few days, stopped in Truckee for Pizza and beer and drove home for a good night's sleep.

Awards Ceremony--Reserving That Spot for Next Year!

A huge thank-you to Chris and Rebecca for crewing for me (and lots of other runners on the course) for the fourth straight year. You're awesome! Also a thanks R.D. Les Wright, Triple Director Austin "Heavenly" Angel, 72-Mile Run Director-Extraordinaire Lucia Lake, Barefoot Todd, and all the volunteers that made this race possible! Congratulations to the other Super Triple and Triple finishers--See you next year!

With Les Wright (RD)

Next up: The Run Through the Colors 10K in Nevada City on October 19th (to get one of those Sierra Club calendars!) and then, I am not quite sure yet, but I am thinking of running the San Francisco One Day 12 Hour run after that.

2008 Tahoe Super Triple Recaplet

2008-09-28T22:30:00.000-07:00

Yes! I won the Super Triple for the third time in a row with a new course record (from 23:06 to 20:31). It was a battle with San Francisco's Jon Burg until the very end. I ran the first two marathons 59 minutes faster than Jon, so I had a good cushion, but he took off fast in the 72-miler.

I stuck to my strategy to run and walk the first 20 miles slowly and it paid off. I caught up to Jon at mile 54 and we went back and forth for the remainder of the race. Jon won today's stage (the 72-mile run around the lake), but I came in 20 minutes later, securing the overall win.

I'll post a more detailed report soon.

The Tahoe Super Triple 2008--Day 3

2008-09-27T22:05:00.000-07:00

Day 3...Is On Now!

Rested most of the afternoon
Prerace dinner: whipped potatoes and buffalo hamburgers--yum!
Marathon 1--3:23
Marathon 2--3:29
Day 3--Guess?
Course Record (Super Triple)--23:06:52
I start in about 1 1/2 hours (at midnight) on the bike path across from Pope Beach
My plan is to make it to the regular marathon start at mile 46 before 8:30 a.m so I can run with Turi , the other Triple runners, and the other marathoners for the last 26.2 miles.

Check out Gretchen's blog for a very entertaining interview with marathon runner Lynryd Skynrod, who is going to attempt to set a new course record for the marathon.

I'll post the final results after the race.
Keep sending those positive vibes!

The Tahoe Super Triple 2008--Day 2

2008-09-26T17:39:00.000-07:00

Ran a nice second marathon, cruising in at 3:29:19. Third overall, increasing my lead in the Super Triple to at least 40 minutes, if not more. Feeling good and ready for tonight. Going to bed now to get some sleep.

Chuck and Blue on the Descent to Incline Village

Chuck Engle won this stage and he is back in the race after a rough first day (Maybe it was all the good food we made him eat at Sprouts yesterday). Day 1 winner, Blue, follows close behind him. Chuck goes into tomorrow's run with a 6-minute lead. That should be interesting!

After the race we all went back to Sprouts to have lunch. It was fun to hang out a bit. Sean Meissner also showed up, ready to go fast in tonight's 72-miler.

3:29:19.57

I want to dedicate today's run to friend Edward Lohman, who recently passed away. Edward was a wonderful, spiritual person, who truly kept everything in perspective with his down-to-earth view of the world. Edward: Now that you're amongst the stars, we'll make sure your words live on.

The Tahoe Super Triple 2008--Day 1

2008-09-25T21:48:00.001-07:00

At the Finish with Blue (Day 1 Winner)

Today, I had the pleasure of joining about 100 runners for the 8th annual Tahoe Triple and 3rd annual Super Triple. I ran a great first marathon, finishing in 3:23. First in the Super Triple and third overall in the Regular Triple. Last year, I ran my fastest time on this course (3:45), so I surprised myself by shaving more than 20 minutes off of my Day 1 PR without going out of my comfort zone! Of course, it helped that I did not run a 53-miler a week before, like last year. By the way, good luck to all the RDL/SNER runners (Michael, Jean, Mark) this weekend!

Chuck "Marathon Junkie" Engle was on pace for the new record, but had some stomach issues around mile 13 and had to slow down, finishing in second place in 3:12. Hopefully he will recover so he can finish the Triple. After we iced the legs in the lake, we all went to Sprouts for a great lunch (Nachos and a juice called "The Whole Damn Garden").

Warming Up at Inspiration Point

The Annual Group Picture

The Four Triple Runners Who Have Run All 8 Triples

Ryan Flynn, Back for Another Triple

Vista Points Everywhere
Race HQ: Angel's Truck

With Chris at the Start

Blue (right) and Chuck Engle (left)--first and second respectively--warm up

Les Wright, Ready for the Shotgun Start

Runners Take Off

On the Bike Path, Chasing Ryan Flynn

Chuck Engle Fly-By

Runners Head Down the Highway
Chris Provides the Water

Blue Flies Down the Hill

South Lake Tahoe

Turns Through Town Were Marked Really Well This Year

The Crew Takes a Break

Cave Rock (Mile 20) Marks the Start of the 1000' Climb up the "Hill from Heaven"

The Tunnel

The Last 3 Miles Feature a Relentless Climb

Finshed in a New PR: 3:23

Mandatory Leg-Icing with Chuck Engle, Blue, and Ryan Flynn

Next Up: Eat, Sleep, and Line Up for Day 2 Tomorrow at 7:45 in the morning.