It's been a different and difficult year for us going into Western States this year and I think it's been good. We moved out of our house in Sun Valley this past Thursday and are currently with family in Bend, OR before heading down to Squaw Valley on Monday. All in all, we are ready for WS 100 #8 and hoping for the best.
But, the last year has got me thinking about why I run. And, in particular, why I run 100 miles. You see, it seems to me that with everything life throws at you, especially in this day and age, it is important, if not essential, to have that thing that grounds you in pure human existence. For us, right now, it is important to have a place in your life where you can go to be normal, honest, and whole. A place that is at once wholly ours and wholly shared.
For me, not surprisingly, that place of peace is on the run. And, it is, most specifically, on that iconic stretch of trail between Squaw Valley and Auburn. I know there are many people who feel this way but when I run I am truly whole. When I run I am able to find and occupy that place that allows me to be fully me and I can find answers to questions that are seemingly unanswerable in other contexts. It is, quite simply, the essence of who I am.
So, going into this last week before the race, I am determined to soak it all in. I am determined to bask in the beauty and the wonder of running 100 miles across the California countryside. And, in the process to leave it all out there in one more run for the ages.
I can't wait to see everyone in Squaw!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Top-10 at Robinson and Top-10 at the Finish
Interesting trend in this most recent poll. The voters obviously have done their homework. Here are the numbers:
2004 - Four of the top-1o at Robinson finished in the top-10
2005 - Four again
2006 - Four again!
2007 - Four again!!!
2009 - Five!
2010 - Six!
What'll it be in 2011. Will there be seven of the Robinson Flat top-10'ers making it to the Finish?
One thing's for sure, if you want to finish in the top-1o you better be in the mix on Cal Street!
2004 - Four of the top-1o at Robinson finished in the top-10
2005 - Four again
2006 - Four again!
2007 - Four again!!!
2009 - Five!
2010 - Six!
What'll it be in 2011. Will there be seven of the Robinson Flat top-10'ers making it to the Finish?
One thing's for sure, if you want to finish in the top-1o you better be in the mix on Cal Street!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
The Barn
Two farming analogies have always intrigued me when it comes to ultra training and racing. The first one usually comes to mind a couple weeks before a big race. It's the old "the hay's in the barn" comment which inevitably means the training is done and there is nothing left to do but suffer through the taper and get ready for race day.
The other is, on the opposite end of the spectrum, the "smell of the Barn." For me, this usually comes around No Hands Bridge when I am close enough to the Finish line to know that I'll need to run every step of the last three miles and hope for the best.
Well, going into this year's race I can say, with some degree of confidence, that the "hay's in the Barn." In the past eight weeks I have logged weeks of 98, 91, 92, 89, 87, 145, 95, and 100 miles and I feel as though I have done everything I can to prepare, specifically, for the WS100 coming 13 days from today.
In addition, I managed to pull together months of 313, 288, 368, 358 and 460 since January so I think I have what I need to make a go at a sub-17 hour finish.
But, all that said, we still need to wait for the Race Organizers to figure out which course we'll run and then we can all decide, individually and collectively, what it will take to get to that place where we begin to "smell the Barn."
Until then, I hope you all enjoy the taper and all that it means:)
The other is, on the opposite end of the spectrum, the "smell of the Barn." For me, this usually comes around No Hands Bridge when I am close enough to the Finish line to know that I'll need to run every step of the last three miles and hope for the best.
Well, going into this year's race I can say, with some degree of confidence, that the "hay's in the Barn." In the past eight weeks I have logged weeks of 98, 91, 92, 89, 87, 145, 95, and 100 miles and I feel as though I have done everything I can to prepare, specifically, for the WS100 coming 13 days from today.
In addition, I managed to pull together months of 313, 288, 368, 358 and 460 since January so I think I have what I need to make a go at a sub-17 hour finish.
But, all that said, we still need to wait for the Race Organizers to figure out which course we'll run and then we can all decide, individually and collectively, what it will take to get to that place where we begin to "smell the Barn."
Until then, I hope you all enjoy the taper and all that it means:)
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Western States Panel Discussion
Two weeks to go! Nice.
For those of you who will be in Squaw on Thursday, June 23rd I hope you can join us for the panel discussion that I am facilitating at 6:30pm in the Squaw Valley Lodge. We will provide beverages and light snacks and the presenters will be outstanding. Scheduled to appear are:
Jim Scott - 18 time WS finisher
Scott Mills - 15 time WS finisher
Luanne Park - 8 time WS finisher
Craig Thornley - 7 time WS finisher
Nikki Kimball - 5 time WS finisher (and three-time winner!)
We'll be discussing everything; snow, heat, nutrition, The Course, shoes, pre-race nerves, trashed quads, blisters, stomach issues and other, perhaps more philosophical aspects of the race.
We hope you can join us!
AJW
For those of you who will be in Squaw on Thursday, June 23rd I hope you can join us for the panel discussion that I am facilitating at 6:30pm in the Squaw Valley Lodge. We will provide beverages and light snacks and the presenters will be outstanding. Scheduled to appear are:
Jim Scott - 18 time WS finisher
Scott Mills - 15 time WS finisher
Luanne Park - 8 time WS finisher
Craig Thornley - 7 time WS finisher
Nikki Kimball - 5 time WS finisher (and three-time winner!)
We'll be discussing everything; snow, heat, nutrition, The Course, shoes, pre-race nerves, trashed quads, blisters, stomach issues and other, perhaps more philosophical aspects of the race.
We hope you can join us!
AJW
Monday, June 6, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
WS Snow!
OK, since everyone's talking about it I figured I would too. The snow in the Sierras is simply lingering. Here are a couple of tidbits:
1. Squaw will be open for skiing, yes skiing, on July 4th weekend.
2. The Tevis Cup Horse Race, originally scheduled for mid-July, has been moved to October due to heavy snowpack.
What does this mean for WS100?
Well, I would be surprised if they moved the date of the race so, here's my thinking (and all of this is conjecture)
1. If they can get into Robinson Falt we'll slog through all the snow like we did last year (although there is more this year) and take the road down to the reservoir and the Poppy Trail and bypass Lyon and Red Star Ridge before climbing up to Duncan on that heinous, exposed, muck-pit of a trail. Then, from Duncan we'll run the normal course (albeit with some sketchy, snowy parts)
2. If they can't get into Robinson Flat we'll be re-routed around all that high country onto the southern exposures and then somehow re-join the regular course around Miller's Defeat. I know nothing about this route but I have heard from some folks that there are tons of sweet trails out that way so it could be fun. Although, I must admit it would be strange to not go to Robinson (i guess they skipped Robinson last back in 1995 (the Fire and Ice Year) please correct me if I am wrong.
3. Same as two but instead of doing the trail they bring us out on to the pavement (like they did in the '80's) and then re-join the course sometime around Duncan.
4. Forget the whole WS100 course and just do the AR50 Course as an out-and-back:)
All this bring to mind the thought of how snow gets into peoples heads especially if they have not done much snow running. Clearly, snowy running favors Alaskans and guys from the Pyrenees but how else do you think all this will shake out? 20 days!
2
1. Squaw will be open for skiing, yes skiing, on July 4th weekend.
2. The Tevis Cup Horse Race, originally scheduled for mid-July, has been moved to October due to heavy snowpack.
What does this mean for WS100?
Well, I would be surprised if they moved the date of the race so, here's my thinking (and all of this is conjecture)
1. If they can get into Robinson Falt we'll slog through all the snow like we did last year (although there is more this year) and take the road down to the reservoir and the Poppy Trail and bypass Lyon and Red Star Ridge before climbing up to Duncan on that heinous, exposed, muck-pit of a trail. Then, from Duncan we'll run the normal course (albeit with some sketchy, snowy parts)
2. If they can't get into Robinson Flat we'll be re-routed around all that high country onto the southern exposures and then somehow re-join the regular course around Miller's Defeat. I know nothing about this route but I have heard from some folks that there are tons of sweet trails out that way so it could be fun. Although, I must admit it would be strange to not go to Robinson (i guess they skipped Robinson last back in 1995 (the Fire and Ice Year) please correct me if I am wrong.
3. Same as two but instead of doing the trail they bring us out on to the pavement (like they did in the '80's) and then re-join the course sometime around Duncan.
4. Forget the whole WS100 course and just do the AR50 Course as an out-and-back:)
All this bring to mind the thought of how snow gets into peoples heads especially if they have not done much snow running. Clearly, snowy running favors Alaskans and guys from the Pyrenees but how else do you think all this will shake out? 20 days!
2
Thursday, June 2, 2011
WS Men's Race - Prognostication
It's about that time. A bit of commentary on the 2011 WS100 mens field.
Sadly, Anton made it official yesterday on his blog that injury will force him to the sidelines this year. That is, of course, a bummer for those of us WS fans but for fans of the mountain runs coming later in the summer it means we should get prepared for a Course Record assault (possibly Leadville?) later in the summer. Scanning the entrants list in my head here are some of the contenders:
1. From last year's top-10 -- Roes, Jornet, Clark, Redpath, Sharman, Jones-Wilkins, Barger
2. Additions from 2009's top-10 - Bragg, Kaburagi
3. Addition from 2007's top-10 - Jae-Duk Sim
4. Proven WS100 veterans - Koerner, Mackey, Skaden, Cooper
5. Proven 100 mile guys looking for a break-out WS finish - Wolfe, T. Olson, Jaime, Braje, Freeman, Olmstead, Taylor, Foote
6. Some familiar names with tricks up their sleeves -- Thornley, Kulak
7. MUC qualifiers - Loutitt, Arnstein
OK, there are 26 guys, who am I missing?
And, how do you think this field stacks up to the 2010 field?
In my opinion, as a fan and "second-5" guy, it seems about as deep but the absence of three of last year's top-1o guys is noteworthy (in addition to Anton's injury, I understand Gary broke his foot and Zach has chosen to run Bighorn) as is the addition of some big established names (Bragg, Kaburagi, Mackey, Wolfe, etc...)
With 23 days to go I would imagine everyone's training is at a fever pitch. Here's to everyone getting to the line healthy.
Finally, here's my top-5:
1. Roes
2. Koerner
3. Clark
4. Wolfe
5. Bragg
What's yours?
Sadly, Anton made it official yesterday on his blog that injury will force him to the sidelines this year. That is, of course, a bummer for those of us WS fans but for fans of the mountain runs coming later in the summer it means we should get prepared for a Course Record assault (possibly Leadville?) later in the summer. Scanning the entrants list in my head here are some of the contenders:
1. From last year's top-10 -- Roes, Jornet, Clark, Redpath, Sharman, Jones-Wilkins, Barger
2. Additions from 2009's top-10 - Bragg, Kaburagi
3. Addition from 2007's top-10 - Jae-Duk Sim
4. Proven WS100 veterans - Koerner, Mackey, Skaden, Cooper
5. Proven 100 mile guys looking for a break-out WS finish - Wolfe, T. Olson, Jaime, Braje, Freeman, Olmstead, Taylor, Foote
6. Some familiar names with tricks up their sleeves -- Thornley, Kulak
7. MUC qualifiers - Loutitt, Arnstein
OK, there are 26 guys, who am I missing?
And, how do you think this field stacks up to the 2010 field?
In my opinion, as a fan and "second-5" guy, it seems about as deep but the absence of three of last year's top-1o guys is noteworthy (in addition to Anton's injury, I understand Gary broke his foot and Zach has chosen to run Bighorn) as is the addition of some big established names (Bragg, Kaburagi, Mackey, Wolfe, etc...)
With 23 days to go I would imagine everyone's training is at a fever pitch. Here's to everyone getting to the line healthy.
Finally, here's my top-5:
1. Roes
2. Koerner
3. Clark
4. Wolfe
5. Bragg
What's yours?
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