Bryce 100 Race Report

 Every Buckle Has A Story

Blogs, race reports, details of my endless day of running generally does not carry much value in my eyes. This being said, and the mere fact that I generally do not attempt this distance but every few years it seems beneficial as one ages to be able to look back and have some assistance in recalling the events that set these things in motion. As my buddy, training partner and fellow Canyons RD, Pete recently said  "every buckle has a story" and this is mine.

After not being selected at WSER lottery yet again and being excited that some of my closest friends and training partners did, I quickly sought out a qualifier for 2017 that would allow me to train for an event in the early summer. Since I have managed to run nearly every regional 100k race over the last several years I had to decide if I really wanted to simply chase a qualifier again for the sake of WS. Having already been fortunate enough to run WS once I almost felt like it was unauthentic to chose a race simply to allow me the potential to run yet another race. In some ways it felt like I would be disrespecting both events. After getting the blessing (and that is what it takes) from my wife to train for another 100 miler I had decided on Bryce 100 in Utah. It had all the necessary requisites: an early summer running, beautiful scenery in a location I have never visited, and a huge physical challenge.

Bryce Canyon 100 is run in the high desert of Southern Utah along the Panguitch plateau outside of the National Park near Red Canyon amongst the amazing hoodoos, regional forest lands and beautiful aspens at elevations generally between 8200'-9400'. The overall elevation profile boasts a similar amount of climbing and descending at 18,600ft seeing that it is an out and back course.  www.realendurance.com is a site that has some great information including side by side comparisons of various races and it may help one decide on realistic finishing times and expected challenges. .

 But, allow me to take a step back prior to describing my race day because in my eyes the training and the journey to the starting line is where the lessons lend themselves if only you stop and listen along the way. Not one to actually set New Year's Resolutions, I do tend to revisit personal themes and expectations I place upon myself for growth at this time of year. When it comes to running, my personal outlet for emotional well being and balance, I had noticed two limitations that I was not pleased with over the years. One was that I seemed to limit my potential by never truly focusing on nutrition. I mean half the fun in running really long is it affords you the liberty (or at least the justification) to eat and drink whatever/whenever you want; right? And secondly, I often have run with too many expectations and judgment in mind. By judgment I mean of myself and my abilities, but that can often spill over into the judgment of those around me. Their purpose, their talents, their motivation and I realized there is no place for this in my world.

 So after over indulging over NY Eve with friends in Solvang, CA I came home and dedicated myself to cutting out alcohol during the week and eating cleaner as well. Less carbohydrates, removal of simple sugars, eating a proper breakfast with a greater emphasis on proteins while avoiding eating out at lunch. As one might expect the combination of doing so and running 60-80mi/wks in training, the excess weight easily drifted away and very soon I was at my ideal race weight of 145lbs and felt great during every run and in general as well.

When it comes to personal judgment I am my worst critic. I am a self described OCD/ Perfectionist who can be very difficult to live with (simply ask my wife and girls). I say this as a point of reference fully realizing the judgment in that statement. Running allows me to settle the little voice inside that looks for something else to do. In training this time around I would focus simply on my heart rate and not my performance. I would not try to focus on how I match up to others but how efficiently I could run at every opportunity. In training this typically meant runs generally below 140b/min. In races up to 50K I would strive for a pulse under 155b/min, 50miles under 150b/min and at my goal distance of 100 the target was 140b/min on average. I purchased a Mio wrist HR monitor and wore it religiously; surprised how much easier my runs were and how much my fitness was improving. The weight was that much easier to drop because I was running in a lower fat burning mode and past were the days of huge bonks during runs that were run anaerobically on glucose. I was never sore and rarely lacked the energy for the next run. My training races each month were typically met with 20-30min PRs in March (MUC50K), April (LS50) and May (GR50K) where I actually podiumed for the first time in my life at 46yo. I felt confident and pleased physically with my training program.

During races I made a deliberate decision to always start more conservative and allow counterparts to run ahead and dish out positive gestures along the way. It goes a long way to staying present if you acknowledge others and keep a smile on your face. If there was going to be competition, it was going to be within myself and not in relation to my fellow trail compadres. My father, who passed a few years ago was a strong believer in karma and staying present in life. At times I have felt I have made great strides in these areas, while at other times I found myself back to square one.

 Karma is one of the strongest ties that connects all of us in life. It is neither a negative nor a positive bond but a flow of energy that is passed from individual, setting and environment.

In the final few weeks prior to the race my taper had to be extended due a random calf issue that cut my last long run short during WS Memorial weekend. Just what I needed in reality, something to focus my nervous energy on and to keep me from over training those final 3wks. In planning for the race we decided to make this a family trip including a road trip via a rented motor home from LA with our daughters (13yo,11yo) and dog in tow. We spent a couple days in Zion seeing the sights before 3days attempting to acclimate to the elevation in Bryce. Time was spent doing short day hikes, swimming at the RV parks, renting 4wd vehicles and quality family time around the campfire.

 Before I knew it Friday morning was upon me and 100 miles loomed ahead. Ruby's Inn acted as the host hotel and where we spent the night before the race. Shuttles took the runners about 10miles down the road to the start of the race at 6am with temperatures in the mid 40s. There were approximately 180 runners and I made the decision to settle in during the national anthem approximately a third of the way back from the start line.

 There is very little fan faire before the race, no long instruction list, no motivational speech about the challenges ahead in fact I remember leaning over to Tom Wroblewski to ask "so what color are the ribbons?" As the countdown commenced he said "pink" and off we went!

The race starts with two miles of gently rolling fire roads with a mild gradual incline. This worked well to slowly warm up and allow runners to fall in place and avoid conga lines in the upcoming single track. As we ran I attempted to count heads and felt there were about 60 runners ahead of me with a pack of 5 runners who clearly were separating right away. I slowly passed about a dozen without effort and monitored my pulse and effort to keep myself honest. My wrist monitor was going crazy saying my pulse was 178b/min which I knew from effort was not accurate so I ignored.

The next few miles entering Coyote Hollow trailhead were single track rolling trails through the ponderosa forest around 8,000ft as the sun slowly started to rise higher allowing me to strip my outer shell and keep my pace honest. These trails lead to short bands of runners who were all quite considerate, but the dust was plentiful so I found myself searching for opportunities to lead any pack to avoid inhaling too much of the brown stuff.

 Approximately six miles into the race the forest gives way to the opportunity to view the well advertised hoodoos that this area of Southern Utah is well known for. Hoodoos are natural spires of rock formations that have varying levels of minerals and densities creating amazing sites to behold. We were fortunate to run along their ridges, bases and circumnavigating their natural settings.

There was not much time to enjoy these as the trail quickly descends to the base of the hoodoos and into the first of thirteen aid stations at mile 10.5mi. Tom came up on me during this section and it was nice to catch up a bit and talk about our training and anticipations for the day. At this point we were at lowest elevation of the day and my energy clearly picked up as I found myself moving slowly ahead of those that were around me at this aid station. The slow climbs from here to Proctor aid station at mile 19 were relatively uneventful but pleasant. The terrain was favorable to running and I was slowly coming up on individual runners who I attempted to engage in conversation, seeking a like minded runner in pace and pleasantries. Nothing seemed to click so I continued to slowly move up ahead always making sure to compliment each runner and wish them well. Apparently it was in this section where more than one runner missed a turn and found themselves off course. Coming through Proctor there was very large crowds of volunteers cheering for everyone which always helps the energy levels but I am not one for too much attention so it quickly became a bit overwhelming and I was happy to move through quickly and get on my way.

From Proctor there is a long climb over a 9mile rugged section which finally ascends to the rim of the plateau near Blubber Creek aid station. Though I continued to slowly pass a few runners along the way there were several miles run entirely alone climbing over down trees and scrambling rock formations. I do not tend to over analyze a race course or profile prior to an event, often to my detriment. This would be the case as the temps clearly were increasing in the late morning/afternoon and I had run out of fluids about 2miles before the aid station which peaked at 9200.' I was tired, lightheaded but pleased to find out we were at mile 28 and not the 25miles I had thought was the case. I sat briefly realizing as bad as I felt that my heart rate was steady and my legs were solid. I simply needed to rehydrate, eat and hope that we might be going down in elevation soon. The first two were accomplished quite easily but as I left I asked "so I assume since we are at the summit we are headed downhill to the next aid station?" Unfortunately, this was not the case. The next 8 miles would remain at elevation running the top of the rim with amazing views of the hoodoos. I quickly found that my enthusiasm was as low as the battery on my phone so attempts to run or take any pictures were weak at best. We ran along the top of the rim looking down the canyons in arid dry heat that seemed much hotter than the mid 70s in the early afternoon. I attempted to get a text out to my family and Curt who would be crewing/pacing me later in the day as to how my pace was looking without success. It was during this stretch through Kanab Creek aid station and into the descent to Straight Canyon aid station that I spent several miles with an older runner Diego from Phoenix who consistently did better than me on the elevated climbs while I would quickly reel him in on the descents. I spent the time not allowing the slow miles to get the best of my mood or my expectations and focused instead on enjoying the day and accepting the symptoms for what they were. I was able to use my garmin to determine it was useless for me to successfully run at elevations above 8900'. By conserving during these times my pulse stayed low and my legs stayed fresh. I would scan the terrain for the natural beauty and often found a single butterfly dancing around my side whenever I was at my worst. A smile would cross my face as this has always been a sign to me that my Dad was present.

The three miles of fire trail descent into Straight Canyon would be the first time at mile 41 where I would see my family and get support of my crew. I was pleased that my confidence was increasing with every stride because we were dropping in elevation and I was running swift and comfortably for the number of miles on my legs. I was pleased to see Natalie, my girls and Curt/Kyla. I was able to sit for the first time, cool off with an iced towel, eat some solid foods and get some caffeine in. It was also the first time I was able to get a sense for how I was doing amongst other runners. It appeared that I had moved up to somewhere between 25th-30th place and though I was not competing against anyone, when you have run for close to 9hrs any sense of your efforts paying off is motivating for moving forward and I would need it. The crew would meet me again at the turn around at mile 51.5, but not until after I had the longest climb of the day taking me above 9400' and more lightheaded effects. The views were outstanding during this distance and it appeared I was getting a little more acclimated as I was able to actually spend sometime enjoying these for a bit.

At the turn my family was surprised to see me as early as I arrived and I had told them I would plan to spend 10min there changing out my shirt, socks and eating. Boy, did this pay off! Everyone was like a fine oiled machine with bottles being filled, washcloth being prepared, feet being washed and food being offered. I got up knowing I may have lost a few spots taking my time but it paid off with tons of energy on my return to 62miles where I looked forward to the company of my pacer Curt Casazza. It was on my return around mile 56 that I was finally able to start peeing again after several hours of not feeling the need to do so. Always a concern for runners and possible dehydration so this was a welcome event. As I arrived I felt stronger than ever and had aspirations that I might have a chance to go sub 24hrs. The turn occurred at 11hours and it was now14hours at 62miles. We left making sure we had our headlamps and warm clothes for the impeding darkness that loomed ahead. I gave Natalie and the girls kisses and told them to head back to the hotel and I would see them the next morning at the finish line!
The return trip does not need much descriptive words as it is the same trail back to the start. The difference being that you trade the hot weather for cooler temperatures but you lose opportunity to run with the dimming light and the technical trails. The company of a good friend like Curt really helped the time pass and we spent many an hour talking about all our previous and upcoming adventures and all the friends we have made within the community. Our bond as friends only grew through the night and though the trail did not lend itself for as much running as my body felt up for I was pleased that I was still moving strong and catching other runners throughout the night. Knowing by about mile 75 that 24hrs was likely no longer a goal I continued to stay present, stay positive and possibly finish in the top 20. Returning to Proctor Canyon aid station with 17miles to go there were three runners there looking for a little reprieve, and rightfully so. It was around 3am and we had been running for 21hrs. I did not need much here so I grabbed Curt and we headed back into the darkness knowing this would help my new goal of top 20 finish. One would think a mere half marathon to go would seem rather easy to swallow but these last hours are a struggle for any runner. I had no issues; no foot problems, no nutrition problems, the weather was favorable and my legs were reasonable. Curt was pleased that where it was feasible I was still running longer sections of the last 10miles. Curt had the fortune to climb through the same hoodoos I did the previous morning as the sun was now rising Saturday morning and I joked that I had slowed down earlier so he would have these views.  Since the finish was 2miles short of the start line I was pretty confident that once we came off of the singletrack trail of Thunder Mountain that we would see the finish line. This was not the case, we came over the ridge to see no one but a few pink ribbons leading us further down the fire road. I put in a final kick and soon found the finish about a mile down the road where my family awaited to cheer me in. I finished in 25hrs 29min and 17th place overall. The heat and challenging terrain took it's toll on many runners with only a 55% finisher rate this year. Runners had 36 hours to finish which allowed them until 12pm that day to complete their journey.

As I finished and sat down all I wanted was my buckle and a beer! It was 7:30am and Curt knew what I would need. He came prepared with a couple of Plinys to celebrate the event! We sat for about 30min chatting with a few of the runners on either side of me before deciding to head back to Ruby's Inn for a proper shower and a hefty brunch.

 

 

 

100 milers are never easy and they often come with some expenses beyond the obvious, but Bryce100 was a huge net reward. I was able to finally get the lingering effects of my TRT100 dnf off my back. I was able to meet all my goals of running strong to the end, staying present and gracious and most importantly growing in the process.

 

 I felt confident a few days before the race that things were in alignment when my last training run in So. Cal took me to Griffith Park for 13miles. Almost intuitively I was drawn up some trails I knew nothing of only to find myself about 800ft overlooking my father in law's plot at Mt. Sinai. I spent a few minutes thanking him for all he meant to me and promised him to further commit to his daughter and our girls whom he never had the opportunity to meet. Running with a full heart on my return to the car the last song on my ipod was "Father,Son" by Peter Gabriel. This song has always been one I relate to when I think of my Dad. When I say staying present I strongly feel there are messages to see if only we take the time to look and listen. When I got in my car following the run Facebook had posted a reminder of a run I did the day after he passed a few years back when I ran with his old stopwatch. So many magical things happened on that run that it prompted the tattoo I inked on my calf shortly thereafter.

 

As I said, I knew Bryce would go well as I was no longer running 100 miles alone. I would be running with two men who in their own ways molded me to be the man I desire to be and running daily brings me closer to that Man.

 

 

  

Windhorse Running