The Best Five Beers in the World

h/t to Eric Schranz at Ultrarunnerpodcast.com for bringing this to my attention

I have long held that I prefer the beer that is in my hand to one that is difficult to obtain. We've all seen lists on the interwebs, and beer is a common subject. This post at blogaboutbeer.com nails it.

Western States Training Update: Weeks 1-6

January was a watershed month. Between running and cross training, I took only three days rest. Under Mauka Running's guidance, I am base-building; consistent, steady efforts. We went so far as to dial back my races to a training effort, which I'm getting better at doing. The lack of rest has woken up some niggles, last year's groin pull is vying for attention once again. The tweaking of my training nutrition continues to pay off, with Master Amino Acid Pattern (MAP) leading the way. I have re-evaluated my goals for the next few months, and my Western States strategy is coming into focus.

Strava's training log view of 2014 WS training weeks 1-6

I began 2014 with a few solid weeks of 5-6 days of running with a day of cross training thrown in on the rest days. My strengths and weaknesses became obvious. My muscular endurance and downhill technique are solid. My climbing skills need work, and my hip and core need strengthening. Daily leg lifts and push ups, plus stationary lunges 3 times a week are helping to address some issues. Two hill repeat sessions per week and back to back hilly trail runs on the weekends should have me in race shape for the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile in April, my last tune-up race before States. The increased training load is beginning to pay off, as my body fat % has dropped a full point since New Year's.

While my muscles are responding well, my joints are speaking up. My psoas, hamstring and upper IT band compensate for the groin injury (right side) on the longer runs. The discomfort is not enough to alter my gait, and I have been comfortable enough without needing Ibuprofen. The pain is reminiscent of the soreness I get when I ramp up volume. That satisfied ache that lets me know I am working hard. Except that it is in my joint, not my muscles. Continued foam rolling, cross training and strengthening of my core and hip girdle should keep the pain at bay. My calves are getting tight, and my lower back requires more stretching. 

 Dialing back my effort in my training races is helping. The Pacifica Foothills Trail Half Marathon was a good, hard effort. I gained a lot of confidence in my downhill skills that morning, and Tailwind continued to be a great race fuel for me. Mauka Running had me try a new race day fueling strategy before the American Canyon 25k: Boost with Carbo-Pro (sugar bomb). The race itself was an exercise in running vulnerable. My hip was sore going in, and the slick conditions had me running on eggshells. On the descents, I had to make a conscious effort to relax my feet, fighting the urge to claw with my toes. After three miles, I had over-worked muscles in my calves I did not know existed.

After American Canyon, I met with my coaches to re-evaluate my goals for the next few months. I was going for a new 50k PR at Way Too Cool 50k in March. We agreed that scaling back the effort that Saturday would put me in better shape to follow race day with a nice long recovery run. Staying healthy is key at this point, and chasing PR's will not do me any good come June. My training plan morphed into what it is currently: back to back long runs on the weekends, and mid-week strength work in the gym focused on climbing and protecting the groin.

I am glad I hired Mauka Running. Under their guidance, I feel I can continue to train and rehab my groin at the same time. Thoughtful training and continued support from my chiropractor should leave me well prepared. Finishing Western States is such a large goal, that I have abandoned all other expectations for the year. If I find myself in sub-24 hour shape, so be it. The prize is the finish line at Placer High School, nothing less. Thoughts about running 100 miles consume my long runs. The next four months look to be the most rewarding of my short running career.

So there you have it, my journey to Auburn has begun. I struggle with doubt when my groin speaks up. I wonder if I could make it 100 miles with such a niggle on the start line. Then I remind myself that the process is young, and there is plenty of time to prepare. MAP has my muscles feeling great. I'll be resuming regular consumption of Udo's Oil to mitigate the joint pain. I will continue to address these thoughts in the next installment of my Western States preparations. Now I look forward to the beautiful Way Too Cool 50k, the "most sought after" 50k in the country!

Race Report: 2014 American Canyon 25k

No Hands Bridge in the fog and rain, photo by Keith Sutter

I love this event. Sierra Pacific Endurance Sport's American Canyon 50k coincides with my birthday; I took second place in the 2012 15k, my first trail race. I graduated to the 50k for 2013, and in 2014 I completed the cycle with my first 25k race. The course, incorporating trails shared by Way Too Cool 50k and the finishing miles of the Western States 100, is spectacular in any weather. This year's weather was wet, courtesy of an atmospheric river lovingly known as a "Pineapple Express", which occurs when moisture stacks up over the Pacific Ocean and hits Northern California like a freight train; relentless rain pounding the coast and mountains for days on end.

The Auburn area received over 5 inches of rain on race day. It reminded me of a training run David and I did on these trails in December 2012, which meant it would be a hair-raising day.

25k elevation profile (~2400' elevation gain)

Once again, I was joined by David and Torrey from Nevada City. Dave Cowie, owner and brewer at Three Forks Bakery and Brewery also joined us for his first trail race. Unlike 2013, none of us were running the 50k; I was running my first 25k and the others were running the fast 15k, just down to No Hands Bridge and back to the Overlook Park. I had woken at 4 am to eat before catching a few more winks. A cup of coffee and the morning constitution had me ready to go, although constitution round 2 was thwarted by a clogged toilet at the race start.

Coming off a solid block of base building in January, my muscular endurance was in great shape. However, the consistency of my training had awoken last summer's groin pull, and the course conditions were slippery. No matter my finishing time, it would be a PR for the distance, and I knew that one slip could mean disaster for my groin, so I approached the race very cautiously. At the start, I waited for the pack to proceed before giving Twirly a kiss and heading down the slick single track trail towards Robie Point. Twirly was volunteering at the No Hands Aid Station, so I would see her twice more before finishing.

The rain, which had abated for just moments at the race start, resumed and built through the morning. Foot placement was key on the descent to the river, and I took my time in the first mile, content to follow along in the conga line. The course joined the Robie Point fire road, and I opened my stride a bit on the rolling gravel road, which provided notably better traction than the slick track. I passed a few here and there, and chatted with a few runners, mostly 50k participants. Soon, the road gave way to more slippery single track, and the quick descent to river level was like a luge track.

Climbing towards Cool, Highway 49 on the left

David came running up the road, in first place for the 15k. He looked really strong. Torrey was in pursuit, but would not catch him. I'm proud of those guys for finishing 1-2. I reached No Hands Aid Station in a leisurely 45 minutes, and swapped bottles of Tailwind with Twirly. She pointed out a Porta-Pottie about 50 yards off the course, but the urge had passed; I chose to wait until the return trip. Big mistake!

The hike up to Cool was mellow. Trail conditions continued to worsen as the rain built. I was comfortable, despite the fact that my groin had been speaking up. I was concerned that I might slip and aggravate the old injury. I just took it easy and enjoyed the day.

The rolling grasslands near Cool, California

I was following a fellow in a wide-brimmed rain hat when we crested the climb to Cool. Zoning out, I simply followed him right past the turn to the aid station, and before I knew it we were turning the corner towards the Cool fire station and the Way Too Cool 50k finish line. I knew we'd missed a turn, and shouted for the other runner to come back. It turns out that turn flummoxed many of the runners, including Ben Johnson, who set a new course record despite the extra mileage.

Looking up the Middle Fork of the American River

I skipped the refreshments at the Highway 49 Aid Station, and headed back the way I had come. I still felt strong, but the slippery trail would not allow me to open up my stride on the descent to No Hands. Before long, that old familiar rumbling began emanating from my gut. With each footfall I had to clench tighter and tighter, even slowing to a walk a few times to let the gas pains pass. The slick mud made it even more interesting, as I was confident that if I were to trip and fall, the shit would hit the fan, er... shorts. Whatever, the visual made those three miles fly by.

I lost a few spots while attending to the call of nature, but felt MUCH better for the final climb to the finish line. While I did not lay down a very fast time, overall the 16 miles were very comfortable. Hot chili at the finish line, and some warm, dry clothes were instantly gratifying. Torrey and David had waited for me to finish, and we retired to the Auburn Alehouse for refreshment and breakfast. I had to try the chicken fried bacon, with a side of country gravy.

All in all, a great day! Thanks to Sierra Pacific Endurance Sports for putting on another spectacular event. All the volunteers were supportive and friendly. Now if we can address that turn where everyone went off course...

Race Report: 2014 Pacifica Foothills Trail Half Marathon

Montara Mountain beckons

"Pacifica Foothills 50k kicked my ass last weekend," a coworker told me one Monday morning in early 2013. And so, the grueling but beautiful trail race was on my radar. In mid October, bolstered by a successful strategy in the San Jose Rock-n-Roll Half, I signed up for the Pacifica Foothills Trail Half Marathon. I was in excellent half marathon shape, and wanted to find out how fast I could push myself on rugged terrain. It would be six weeks after North Face 50, giving me plenty of time to recover. The half marathon is my favorite distance to race; far enough to warrant a strategy, but short enough to blow up and still finish well. A rare opportunity to go all out.

That was before I had gained entry to Western States. Race day came smack at the beginning of a solid base building phase, and my coaches advised me to keep it mellow. "Power hike the first climb, and keep the heart rate in zone 3 for the remainder", which I executed flawlessly. I could have finished quite a bit faster, but I likely would not have been able to train very well in the days that followed. Instead, I finished feeling fine, and training continued as planned. These 'training races' are getting easier to wrap my head around.

The weather was gorgeous, just like the course

The event, offering five distances (10k, half marathon, 30k, marathon and 50k), attracted over 200 runners to San Pedro Valley Park in Pacifica, a quaint seaside town just minutes south of San Francisco. The weather was outstanding, if a bit warm; record temperatures were predicted. Waves of warm air washed down the mountain and across the cool, dewy park as runners began to assemble for the start. It was a strange sensation, and foreshadowed warm temperatures approaching. The 50k, marathon and 30k runners went off around 8:30, and the half marathon began 15 minutes later. The 10k, using only the second loop of the course, started sometime after I had left the area.

Pacifica, and the Pacific

I jogged with the herd for the first half mile, along a gravel footpath. Soon, the trail constricted to single track and began ascending. I followed my coaches advice and power hiked as much as possible, only opening up my stride when the grade became obviously runnable. I did an okay job holding my place in the conga line, but let dozens of runners pass as they huffed their way up the hill. My right calf cramped severely during the climb. Never having cramped while running before (I usually cramp after finishing) I was unsure why it happened or how to fix it. I knew salt might help, and I had some dilute Tailwind in my bottle, but no S!Caps. I chalked it up to starting cold, and tried to leave my heel on the ground as long as possible in each stride to stretch out the muscle group. Short spells of running did not loosen it up, but overall it didn't slow me down much. By the time we gained the ridge and the trail opened up into a dirt road, I had forgotten about it all together. I'll have to remember that trick.

Two way traffic made for some dicey passing opportunities

Some upper sections were steep

The views from the summit of Montara Mountain made the climb worthwhile, but I was looking forward to the descent! Three miles of semi-technical downhill lay before me, and as I had kept it easy on the way up, most of the two way traffic I had to negotiate was above the single track. I had one parade of about eight runners to pass on the narrow trail, and then it was off to the races. I got my cadence up around 190, and clicked off effortless seven minute miles on the way back to the park, and the second loop.

The upper sections were nice and wide, allowing easy passing

The views were hard to appreciate on the downhills!

After following a train of runners who missed a turn at the bottom of the hill, I regained the course and ran confidently into the aid station. I felt great: no niggles since the calf cramp, I'd finished 20 ounces of Tailwind, and I was ahead of my goal split. I refilled my bottle, got a quick kiss from Twirly and set out on the third of the four climbs with just over five miles to go. The temperature seemed to climb as the wind out of the East brought the heat from inland.

I'd been oscillating with a small group of runners who would pass me, slowly, on the climbs. Only a few of these runners made it out of the aid station fast enough to catch me, and I caught all but one of them on the next descent, a short downhill back into the valley. Then, the final four miles was a grunt up a series of switch backs followed by a final fast descent through Eucalyptus groves to the finish line. I had been shooting for a modest finishing time of 2:45, but ended up crossing the line 37th out of 131, at 2:29, just barely edging out another 40-49 age group man at the line (for 8th in my AG). I don't usually kick in a trail race, but I had lots of gas left in the tank, and, well, sometimes the urge to compete can overwhelm, right?

This race course is absolutely stunning; views of the ocean, Pacifica, San Francisco and the Bay all compete for your attention. Fortunately, there is enough climbing for one to appreciate them, because on the descents, taking in the view is a recipe for bloodied knees or worse! The volunteers were supportive and helpful, and the course was well marked (I would not have taken that wrong turn if I was leading - the trail was obviously marked).

My favorite part about running this event was that it was free for me! I used a volunteer credit I had earned at the 2012 Woodside Ramble. Twirly and I followed the spectacular morning with lunch at a friend's house on the beach, where we grilled up some Gorilla Barbecue chicken, and soaked up the sun. Despite the brutal elevation, I'll be back for this one, if only for those screaming downhills!

More Media: Journeyfilm Prepares a Webseries

Journeyfilm, maker of Unbreakable: The Western States 100, is gearing up for a weekly web series covering ultra events and culture. The trailer is classic Journeyfilm's footage of trail running at its finest. At just 47 seconds, it has the uncanny ability to make me want to go run!

New Year's Resolutions: Running Goals for 2014

2014 holds the promise of running Western States 100, which blows my mind, to be honest. One event eclipses everything in my training. But before I get too deeply into the coming year, let's revisit my 2013 goals:

1. Complete the American River 50 Mile Endurance Run
2. Race trails not roads
3. Be injury-free
4. Grow Wanderplace
5. Run the Dipsea

I did complete AR50 in under 10 hours, thereby punching my ticket to States via the Sierra Trailblazers administrative spot. Succeeding in my primary goal was satisfying, although I left something out there on the course. I'm still learning how to cross the line with nothing left.

Racing trails not roads? I crushed this goal, only racing 19 out  of 300 miles on the hard stuff. 2013 was the death knell of my taste for road racing. I may have another road marathon in me, but it will be along the lines of the Mount Lemmon Marathon ("the toughest road marathon in the world"), Pikes Peak, or to run a fun one with family and friends. I can see myself going for a BQ in my fifties or sixties, but those years are decades away.

2013 might have passed without an injury, had I been training to be a corner-back leading up to the Run For Your Lives 5k. All the juking and jiving I did while chasing those poor bastards resulted in a derailed summer and a reset of my endurance. I cannot afford a mistake like that in 2014.

Wanderplace has grown by leaps and bounds, thanks in no small part to the automated bots and indexing sites which seem to bombard the site every time I put up a new post. I'm fairly certain there are some actual people who visit, aside from my parents (even Twirly admits she doesn't really stop by that often). So a huge thanks to the 7 or 8 of you out there who find value in these pages.

Dipsea continues to elude me. This iconic race is tough to gain entry to, and the jury is still out as to whether it belongs on my calendar this year. The debate has been set, but I will leave the final decision up to the coaches.

That brings us to my 2014 goals and aspirations:

1. Finish Western States under 30 hours
2. Finish Western States under 24 hours
3. Set a new 50k PR at Way Too Cool 
4. Be injury-free
5. Improve my hill climbing performance via cross training and MORE TRAILS

Obviously my primary goal is to get across that finish line in Auburn before 11 am on the 29th of June. Anything else will be unsatisfactory. That said, I want to shoot for a sub-24 hour finish. A new 50k PR will be a big confidence boost heading into Lake Sonoma 50 mile and the crux of training for States, and remaining injury free will be necessary for all of my goals to be met.

Thanks for reading, as always. See you on the trails!

Year in Review: 2013

2013 turned out to be a very satisfying year at Wanderplace, despite interrupted training by a mid-spring groin pull. I did not see the volume I set out to complete, but I did finish all of my races, and I ventured into new territory via a couple of fifty milers. Here are the numbers:

• Total miles run: 1499
• Average week: 28.8 miles
• Total miles raced: 300.25
• Elevation gained: 154,553'
• Avg HR: 139
• Total calories burned: 172,108 (about 49 pounds worth!)
• Longest run: 49.88miles
• Avg run: 8.56 miles

My total mileage for the year was a bit low (only 125 miles more than 2012) but within my goal of keeping it under 2000. Too much too fast has gotten me into hot water more than once, and upping the distance raced in lieu of total volume worked well for me in 2013. In fact, I doubled my total distance raced from 2012, despite participating in only 10 races, compared to 16 in 2012. Elevation gained increased 50% and my average run rose 33%. The numbers are trending in the right direction.

2012 provided me the opportunity to get to know my body and how it feels under exercise stress. My daily training impulse graph (TRaining IMPulse (TRIMP) = Avg HR zone * minutes) illustrates my progression from running Bizz Johnson 50k (Zone 2 * ~400 minutes) at a much lower TRIMP than CIM (Zone 5 * ~225 minutes), to fully realizing how hard I could push, and for how long, in the Tamalpa Headlands 50k and NFEC 50 Mile. Ironically, it was my Garmin that was holding me back. I raced Tamalpa Headlands 50k and NFEC 50 Mile without looking at anything but the time of day and using a heart rate alarm to let me know when I was nearing my lactate threshold, and my resulting effort was much higher. I was letting my watch tell me I was going too fast, when I actually had another gear (or two).

Daily TRIMP Chart

Finishing the year with a strong and comfortable day at the NFEC 50 Mile was the icing on my ultra cake for the year. All of my GI woes were mitigated by using Tailwind for calories and electrolytes. This simplified my fueling and allowed me to focus on my performance instead of reacting to my discomfort. Of course, just when you think you have everything figured out, everything changes.

2013 also brought Nevada County's first Hash House Harrier club, the Cougars. Twirly and I have really enjoyed getting out for fun runs with like minded beer drinkers. The hash runs are just the thing to break up my regimented training schedule. They remind me how fun it is to run with no expectations. Speaking of expectations, after employing Footfeathers as a coach for a little over a year, I had to let him go after NFEC 50; we just weren't aligning anymore. The feedback had become scarce, the support failed to materialize in my darker moments, and Tim held the opinion that States was "a lot to bite off" for someone in my position. Obviously, that attitude was not one I cared to have in my camp while preparing for my first hundo. Fortunately, Jorge and Laura at Mauka Running have stepped in to support the next six months of training.

Last but not least, 2013 brought me my first Western States 100 entry. This follows a rather smooth progression into longer distances, and despite feeling a deep-seated anxiety about the distance I am eager to experience such an epic and prestigious event.