Blog Posts From Active Toby's Adventure Blog Tagged With ultra-marathon

Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run: Race Report

Active Toby — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 21:54:15 GMT

My goal for the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run was to unite my family and friends who crewed for me during my attempt at a sub-24 hour finish. If you’ve been following along, you know that [I’ve been training all season |

http://community.active.com/blogs/toby/tags/vt100] for this event. If you’re just joining in, this is my second attempt at the 100-mile distance, having run 24 hours 32 minutes at the 2008 San Diego 100 Mile Endurance Run. The adventure was a total success! Here’s how it went down:

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Never stop exploring your limits!

It was raining when my dad, brother and I made our way from the bed and breakfast to the start/finish area at 3 a.m. for the pre-race check-in, so I started with my headlamp, rain shell and hydration pack. We were off and running at 4 a.m. toward the first crew-accessible aid station, 21 miles into the race, where my parents; my brother, Steve; my best friend, John; his wife, Patty; and my friend, Pete, were waiting for me.

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The best crew ever!

The first section was dark in the forest on muddy trail a where I met and chatted with Cheryl, a runner from New York attempting her first 100. We had connected on Twitter the week before. The rain was forecasted to stop in the early afternoon, but actually let up just as daylight broke and we switched off our headlamps.

It took awhile for me to wake up and warm up, but once I did, I took off the rain shell and arm warmers and settled into a comfortable pace. About this time, The Vermont 100 and Moonlight 50/75 Endurance Ride horses and their riders began to overtake the runners. It turns out, the Vermont 100 is the only ultramarathon that continues to combine horses and runners. They had a later start for their 100-mile trek, and it was really cool to share the trail with them.

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According to my crew, John apparently said, “I love your horse!” to every horse/rider that went by that day.

I cruised into the first aid station, mile 21, at 8:30 a.m. averaging a mid-12-minute mile and was greeted by my amazing support crew. They had everything set up under our own tent so I sat down, changed my shoes and socks, ate and drank a little, and set off feeling fresh for the next section.

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NASCAR pit crews would be jealous of our speed and efficiency

Nine miles later I came through the check point at Stage Road and was again greeted by my rockstar crew. It was getting hotter out and the next section was 17 miles, so I decided to skip the shoe/sock change and just get back on the trail with a full hydration pack. I quickly saw this was a good call because as soon as we exited the aid station, we crossed a marsh and my feet were instantly soaked.

This 17-mile section was hot with some seriously steep climbs. During this time, my watch battery died. I also discovered I was in 98th place overall at mile 43.5, so I just put my head down and did work. I power walked the steep stuff and actually passed a bunch of folks before rolling into the next aid station, Camp 10 Bear, at mile 47.2 for medical weigh-ins. I had dropped 5 pounds but wasn’t worried about it because I was feeling fine and knew I was nearly halfway done with the race.

I calculated my pace and projected finish time when I reached the 50-mile mark at 10 hours 40 minutes. It was then that I first realized a sub-22 hour finish was possible. I didn’t actually believe it at first, so I did the math again. That’s when I kicked a stick on the trail and the sharp end lifted my big toenail off. I felt it go with a sharp pain, but there wasn’t any pain after it happened. I was upset that I let myself get distracted over the numbers, so I decided not to worry about my pace anymore and just do work.

I caught up with a runner named Drew from the Lake Placid area, and we cruised at a similar pace for the next big chunk of the race. This section was difficult with steep climbs and long quad-quivering descents—one after the next. My pace slowed from the mid-12 minute range to a 13-minute-mile pace. We reached Tracer Brook (mile 57) at 4:10 p.m. and passed through Margaritaville (mile 62) at 5:30 p.m. My crew was at each stop with all my gear and food set up perfectly. They got me in-and-out of each stop with fresh shoes/socks, ice cold drink in my hydration pack and a big smile on my face

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+It's all about staying positive in a race this long. And drinking rootbeer +

Next I caught up to a 52-year-old runner from Pennsylvania named Marc, who had run a sub-10 hour split on the first half of the race. His quick start had caught up to him in the form of stomach nausea, but he was still strong enough to run with me for the next portion of the race. We shared some quality conversation and navigated one of the longest and most painful descents before reaching Camp 10 Bear at mile 70.1 for medical weigh-ins.

I had gained a pound during the previous 30 miles which was a sign I was drinking more. I felt really good at this point because I knew the hardest of the work was done and I was going to be in the company of my pacers for the final 30 miles.

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left to right: Steve, me, John

John joined me from mile 70.1 to mile 77. We ran as the sun was setting, passed by some beautiful homes, and ran a series of perfectly groomed trails as we passed runner after runner. Soon, the thick forest canopy blocked all the remaining daylight, and we switched on our headlamps. I had John run two to three steps ahead of me so I could watch his footwork and follow his line, because my reaction time was slower than his from the fatigue and my eyes were adjusting to the night running.

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Shoe/sock change after 7 miles with John

John and I finished up together at the Spirit of 76 aid station (mile 77) at 8:45 p.m. and his wife, Patty, took over for the next section. It was now much darker out so I had Patty run in front of me, like John did, for the trail sections but we primarily ran dirt roads together. In fact, this section was the flattest section of the day so we capitalized on it by running faster. We actually recorded a few sub-9 minute miles and a few sub-10 minute miles during our run together while passing runner after runner. We reached Bill’s aid station at 11:15 p.m. (mile 88.6) where I weighed in again. Then my brother took over as pacer for the final section.

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Heading out to run with Patty

Steve and I headed out and covered some ground before I started inquiring about our pace and projected finishing time. My brain was too fried to do the math so I handed over my pace chart that I had been carrying all day. Steve calculated that a sub-22 hour finish was possible, if we pushed hard. My legs felt fine, and I still had plenty left in the tank to burn. So we set the intention to empty the tank and make it happen. We actually recorded my fastest mile split of the day, an 8:17 mile at mile 92, while passing runners and making our way closer and closer to the finish line in Silver Hill Meadow. This final section definitely felt like forever, but once we heard the voices and sounds from the finish area with minutes to spare before the sub-22 hour mark, we knew we made it.

I crossed the finish line unofficially at 21:55:23 and officially at 21:57:08 which was just before 2 a.m. on Sunday, July 19. According to the results, my effort was good for 30th place overall and 5th in my age group. I smashed my PR by 2.5 hours and I'm thrilled that my months of hard work came together and brought my family and friends together to share such a unique and exciting experience.

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We made it just in time!

Thank you all for the messages, comments, emails, phone calls and positive vibes you sent my way. With only eight toenails remaining, soon to be seven, I'm already being asked what's next. For now, it’s recovery, but next up is another attempt at the Palisades Traverse in August. Thanks for joining me for another of life’s great adventures!

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Post-race celebration on the CT River. I'm on a boat!

[Click to View Slideshow | http://bit.ly/196W1Y]

VT100 Race Info

Active Toby — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:47:39 GMT

This taper week has been super relaxing so I’ve caught up on all the rest and nutrition I need before throwing down for real this weekend!

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Cruising on the CT River

Tomorrow my crew and I go to Vermont, check in to the bed and breakfast and then to the start/finish area of the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run for the medical check, weigh-in and pre-race meeting. After that, we’ll get an early dinner and go to sleep as early as possible.

Saturday the alarm goes off at 2 a.m. and the day begins. The forecast is calling for a 70% chance of rain with 75% humidity in early morning but letting up later in the day. The race starts at 4 a.m. There are 9 aid stations that are crew accessible and since the race website doesn’t offer a race tracking option, my crew will post updates to http://twitter.com/TobyGuilltte when there is cell service.

Thank you all for the positive energy you've been sending my way. I'm feeling it! I'll be sure to publish the results on Sunday

Yours in Adventure,

~Toby

CA 14ers: Palisades Traverse (Fail #2)

Active Toby — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:27:23 GMT

The Palisades Traverse is a classic alpine ridge traverse that connects the summits of five of California's fourteen thousand foot peaks. My old climbing partner Gil and I attempted the route in October of 2007 and were snowed out during the night at the base of (what we thought was) Thunderbolt Peak (14,003').

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Alpine bouquet

Over the holiday weekend, me and my friends Jake and Kam were eager to give it a shot. We hit the road on Thursday around 2 p.m. and made the long drive up to Bishop. We tried to leave early enough but ended up hitting the holiday weekend traffic and arriving at South Lake trail head parking lot around 10 p.m. We set up our bivy in the parking lot and were asleep by 11 p.m. and two hours later, the alarm sounded and we were gearing up to hit the trail.

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Alpenglow

We were on the trail by 2:30 a.m. on Friday morning for the ~8-mile approach via Bishop Pass trail. We moved quickly through the darkness guided by the light of our headlamps, only making quick stops to shed/add layers and eat snacks. We hit some snow patches above 11,000’ and reached Bishop Pass and topped off our water from a mountain stream in Dusy Basin before the ascent of what we thought was Thunderbolt Peak…

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Jake, kicking steps for us

On the way up, we negotiated some fourth/fifth-class scrambling/climbing while one of our team members started to suffer from the altitude. We reached the first peak behind schedule, only to discover we were on the summit of Mount Agassiz (13,899’), one of the twenty highest peaks of California. From there, we could see across to Thunderbolt Peak, where we were supposed to be.

Yes folks, we climbed the wrong mountain.

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From right to left: Thunderbolt Peak, Starlight Peak, North Palisade, Polemonium Peak, Mt Sill

So behind schedule and off-route, we decided to pull the plug and head back to San Diego. Our down-climb was a blast, as we glissaded a 1000’ patch of snow which boosted our morale while saving time and energy which we really needed. We got back to the car at 6:30 p.m. making for a 16-hour day on our feet and then took on the 6-hour drive home after dinner in Bishop to arrive back in San Diego at 3 a.m. on Saturday. ~36 hours from sea level to 13,899’ and back--what a trip!

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Jake and Kam

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Kam, finishing her glissade

I think its pretty funny that we climbed the wrong mountain and in all honesty, I’m glad we did. When I saw with my own eyes the magnitude of this route, I think it would have taken too much out of me to this close to the Vermont 100, my “A” race for the season. So with that, I had a great time with my friends and got a killer workout at altitude amongst some of the most beautiful scenery my eyes have ever seen. Kam and I are already planning our next attempt for August and this time, we plan to bivy at the base of the real Thunderbolt Peak on Day 1 and then take on the full route and the descent on Day 2. More details on that in late July.

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Next up, the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run on 7/18 – 7/19 I fly out Thursday to celebrate my 26th birthday with family and friends this weekend and then make my way up north to get ready to race. I’ll post updates on the go and a recap here following the event. Thanks again for joining me on all these adventures!

[Watch the Slideshow | http://www.flickr.com/photos/tobyguillette/sets/72157620820675857/show/]

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9 Peak Challenge

Active Toby — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:33:15 GMT

On Friday I drove up to the San Bernardino National Forest to take on the San Bernardino Traverse / 9 Peak Challenge as my final peak training weekend for the Vermont 100 Endurance Run . I checked in at the ranger station, cached a jug of water at the Angelus Oaks trailhead (5,960’), set up camp at the Vivian Creek trailhead (6,080’) and prepped my gear. I decided to go with a 2 a.m. start time to try and reach the summit of San Gorgonio for sunrise, so I slept at 7:30 p.m. and set my alarm set for 1 a.m.

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I never sleep well at altitude, and this time was no different. After quickly breaking down my camp, I geared up at my car and was on the trail by 2 a.m. for a 5,400’ ascent up the 8-mile trail to the peak of [Mount San Gorgonio |

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Gorgonio_Mountain], the highest peak in Southern California (11,500’). My pace was fast because I was convinced I was going to be mauled by a mountain lion or bear, so I wanted to reach higher altitude where I know they don’t travel often because there isn’t an abundance of “food.” On the way up, the only wildlife I encountered (thankfully) was a little scorpion and a sizable spider. Besides that, when I got above the tree line, I was greeted with an unreal view of the crescent moon—so big and close, it felt like I could reach out and touch it.

Above the tree line, the wind gusts picked up speed, and I started to get cold. That was when I noticed the distant glow of a headlamp on the trail above. Humans! I overtook the pair of hikers in the final half mile before the summit. One was in really bad shape from the altitude. He was resting his head on his trekking pole when I greeted him. His speech was slurred, and he struggled to complete coherent sentences. His buddy was in better shape and wanted to chat but I was freezing at this point and told him I had to keep moving. Here’s a video of the final stretch to the top:

I thought that watching the sun rise from the highest point in southern California was going to be a treat but it was painfully cold at this point with powerful wind gusts cutting right through my clothes and chilling my sweat. So with one peak down and eight to go, I set off to the west across the ridge of the San Bernardino mountain range.

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Once the sun got high enough, it was comfortable. Well, as comfortable as running at 10,000+ feet above sea level can get :). I ran the flats and downhills, but walked the uphills to keep some energy “in the bank” for the long day ahead.

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San Gorgonio (11,500’)

Jepson (11,205’)

Little Charlton (10,676’)

Charlton (10,806’)

Alto Diablo (10,563’)

Shields Peak (10,701’)

Anderson Peak (10,864’)

San Bernardino East Peak (10,691’)

San Bernardino Peak (10,649’)

This was pretty much the story for the run across the ridge, until I accidentally took a wrong turn and ran a half-mile in the wrong direction. Luckily, I crossed paths with a group of backpackers. Our conversation helped me determine where I went wrong, so I backtracked--only adding an additional mile to my day.

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Aside from this group, I was alone on the ridge until the descent to Angelus Oaks after San Bernardino peak. My knees started to ache on the long and technical descent, so I was excited and relieved to reach the trailhead just after 10 a.m., having just completed the 26-mile San Bernardino Traverse / 9 Peak Challenge in under 8.5 hours (actually traveling 27 miles) and gaining more than 10,000 feet according to my Gamin data.

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Looking back over the peaks

But my day was far from over, so I filled up my hydration reservoir with the water cache I left the day before and ran to highway 38. Most folks who attempt the traverse shuttle their cars, leaving one at each trailhead. But I traveled solo, so 10 miles separated me from my car at the Vivian Creek trailhead. Running this section of the 38 would have been too dangerous because it is a winding mountain road with little to no shoulder, so I hitched a ride with a local and got dropped of 5 miles later at the turnoff for Forest Falls.

With 27 extreme miles and well over 10,000’ of gain already under my legs, I had five more miles of uphill to travel with 1,400’ to gain. My Achilles tendon was inflamed from the 10+ times I rolled my ankle earlier so I walked the whole way, determined to suffer through it. I took a break at the Elkhorn general store and treated myself to a root beer (my favorite ultrarunning beverage) and was back to my car at the trailhead before noon. The 32-mile adventure took roughly 10 hours to complete.

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I went straight into the mountain stream and soaked my throbbing feet in the crystal-clear, cold mountain slow melt while lying on a warm rock in the sun. After that, I was feeling good to go, so I packed up my car and drove back to San Diego. I treated myself to a huge fish burrito and downed a few tasty beers for dinner

The hardest of the work is done, so now it’s time to recover, maintain, taper, and get super organized mentally and logistically for the VT100 on 7/18 – 7/19! My trip back east starts in a little over two weeks, and I feel like I’m on target for a solid performance on race day!

The journey IS the destination

Active Toby — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 21:11:17 GMT

I ran the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon while wearing a POV (point-of-view) camera to film the race and somehow managed to run the race in under 4 hours, with a negative split of 10 minutes. This was my first “major marathon,” so I had never run with so many people before. It was like the entire San Diego endurance sports community was either out running the race or cheering from somewhere along the way. It was powerful stuff, and I had a blast out there. Here's a shot of my buddies in their post-race pose-down (three no-longer-marathon virgins in this picture):

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(Giselle, Noelle, Austin and Jake)

The 230+ miles I logged in May~~which included a couple road marathons and tons of hilly run-commutes with a backpack on~~fatigued my legs and compromised my biomechanics. I’m now nursing an overuse injury in my hip area that was inflamed all of last week. After soliciting some advice, I got ART and massage work done and was also prescribed cross-training. I’m going at full tilt with two sessions per day and a rotation of yoga classes (heated to 90 degrees), pool swimming (kick board work too), 1-hour elliptical sessions (with sweatsuit for heat training), lower-body resistance training, myrtl routine , cycling, ActiveX, and LSD runs (long slow distance). I'm happy to report that inflammation and tightness are already gone, so I'll be attempting to get some quality miles in the weekend on the PCT out of Warner Springs.

Last Saturday, I went on a mellow 30-mile ride along the 101 with my buddy Nick and then drove out east to Cuyamaca State Park with my friend Kam to volunteer at the SD100. We hung glowsticks along the trail between miles 58 to 70. We ran the whole way, but stopped often (80 times!) to hang the glowsticks. This completed my trail work required to participate at the VT100. It was pretty cool to be at the event as a volunteer and see how much work goes in to putting on an ultra marathon. I respect all that volunteers, crews, pacers and event directors do for us athletes. It was also a treat to run along the beautiful PCT and encourage the passing runners and their pacers (some solo). They all thanked us for hanging the glow sticks. It was a really cool experience.

Visit my photo site to see the album. Here is my favorite shot from the day:

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I’m going to attempt to run long this weekend, but I have no idea how peak training is going to play out because of my hip. I’ll be sure to post a report next week once I’m back from the ActiveX Charity Challenge Endurance Camp . Also, check in next week for more on my "peak training" (And yes, pun intended—you’ll see).

Two Steps Forward and One Step Back

Active Toby — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:27:58 GMT

On Saturday, my buddy Bryan and I met at Daley Ranch , where he took me on a hilly 12-mile loop. We had a solid run and then ate some quality Mexican food in Escondido before I went home.

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After I washed my car, did laundry and fell asleep reading a book in my backyard, I ate some pizza leftovers and geared up for a night run with my friend Meg at Mission Trails . Meg, a local ultra-runner and super-cool mother of three, is running the SD100 next weekend. She needed to dial in one last long night run before her taper, so we ran around the perimeter of the park twice and then added a few more to make it an even 20 miles. It was 10:30 p.m. when we finished, and I was still wired from my day of running 32 miles, so I met up with friends for a hot tub and beers to finish off the day.

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Sleeping in on Sunday provided the rest I needed before I met up with my buddy Nick for an easy 10-mile trail run at Los Penasquitos Canyon to put the finishing touch on my 70-mile training week. The run was fun except for running through a swarm of bees! No stings reported, but that was definitely an unexpected first and hopefully a last!

This week I planned on logging another 70 miles for training and finishing with the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon on Sunday, but my hip hurts so I need to play it safe and step my mileage back a notch. I’m going to introduce more of this hip and girdle exercise routine called the myrtle routine I learned about from reading James Walsh’s blog :

The Blueprint

Active Toby — Sat, 23 May 2009 03:03:05 GMT

I’ve been using my data from last year’s SD100 as the guide for my Vermont 100 training and so far I’m hitting similar distances at a quicker pace. This is a good sign that I’m on the right track, but I’m getting into the heavy build phase now so its time to study the race logistics and get seriously dialed!

My ultra running buddy Eric Lee , who I paced at the end of the 2008 Angeles Crest 100, recently connected me with his friend Pete, who ran the 2008 Vermont 100. Pete and I exchanged a couple emails and his advice was beyond helpful so I asked his permission to re-post his advice here in my blog to share with you all. Thanks Pete!

Hi Toby,

The map won't help you much. Once you get going you won't have any

idea where you are and there are so many small hills you won't know up

from down.

The best race info I found is from this report and GPS:

http://www.noones-saloone.com/RaceReports/Vermont-2007.html

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3436845

The route is extremely well marked and easy to follow and the event is

big enough that you'll see plenty of people and horses along the way.

The horses add plenty of bonus trail markers for you too - just watch

your step:-)

Aid station support is excellent. After the first 15 miles that have

a couple un-manned water drops, they have full aid stations almost

every 3 miles.

The 4am start is brutal. I barely slept at all the night before.

Unless you camp out right at the start, you probably will need to get

up and drive at least 20 minutes to the start. There really aren't

any hotels right in the vicinity.

The humidity was the biggest challenge. 10 min before our start, we

had a thunderstorm so we headed out into dripping thick fog. I almost

threw up 30 minutes in. Early morning and at night, prepare to be wet

and it can be pretty cool. Make sure you have waterproof drop bags if

you have clothes or shoes stashed along the way. Even without rain,

the humidity generates heavy dew and will soak everything you have.

One thing that really helped me was keeping my water bottle mixed with

ice and really keeping up with hydration. I also carried a cloth to

wrap up a bundle of ice which I either tied around my neck or just

held and mopped my head, ears, and back of my neck as I went along.

I changed from a regular t-shirt to a tank top at about mile 20. I

was a lot more comfortable with less fabric. Other than 2 sock

changes, I didn't change any other clothing but probably would have

enjoyed fresh shorts and shirts along the way. The one thing I wish I

had prepared for was more body glide at each stop. With the humidity

combined with melting ice on my head, I was pretty drenched all day.

Wet shorts rubbing on your legs is pretty uncomfortable and there were

a few miles I really wish I had a solid coat of body glide to help

prevent chafing. But I managed to finish with all my skin intact.

One thing that I did right that really helped was having multiple fuel

options ready to pick up at each drop bag. It's hard to get down

calories in the humidity and more than a few times I got sick of what

I was using. Fortunately I had backup plans and just switched to

something else that worked and kept going. With aid stations so close

together, it was easy to dump a drink mix and start with something

else or fresh water without going too long without something.

The last couple miles of the course are pretty cruel. They wind you

around in the woods near the finish and you'll think you're there

about 4 times before you eventually just pop out of the woods into the

field under the finish banner.

And I'm not sure what kind of hills you train on but Vermont is a lot

different than Colorado. Here we have big climbs and its easy to plan

your pace and you know when you are the top. In Vermont, most hills

are only a few hundred feet and there are a lot of them. My quads were

completely trashed by mile 70. So for training, I'd recommend a lot

of hill repeats and probably some strength work. You'll need to be

careful to pace yourself on the VT course since it's easy to run a lot

of hills that you should walk.

This advice is priceless and has already helped me visualize what I need to really focus on in training to be ready for on race day. It sounds like the VT100 is a tricky course and might actually be more difficult than the SD100. The description says 18,000 feet of total gain and 18,000 feet of loss where as SD100 had 12,300 of gain. I’ll also be running in humidity for the first time, so simulating race conditions in training with more hills and heat training is crucial. Check out the VT100 elevation profile compared to the SD100:

I increased my mileage by 60% last week by re-introducing two days of run-commuting per week into my training schedule. This is the perfect way for me to get those extra “hilly” miles in during this build phase before peak training in mid-June.

Here are some photos from a hot, hilly training session last weekend at Daley Ranch in Escondido.

!http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3340/3541004640_652c5608bc.jpg|height=375|alt=Mr. Snake|width=500|src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3340/3541004640_652c5608bc.jpg!

!http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2252/3540196023_2e437185a0.jpg|height=500|alt=photo.jpg|width=375|src=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2252/3540196023_2e437185a0.jpg!

!http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/3541010446_8d108d88d4.jpg|height=375|alt=photo.jpg|width=500|src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/3541010446_8d108d88d4.jpg!

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Eyes on the Prize

Active Toby — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:36:01 GMT

I stopped by The Pacific Crest Trail 50 on Saturday at Cuyamaca State Park for some heat (85+ degrees) and elevation training. I averaged a 12-minute mile pace for 25 miles and decided to call it a day without much kick left in my legs from last weekend’s hard effort. There was no need to throw off my training, so I didn’t think twice about taking my first DNF (Did Not Finish) nor do I regret my decision. Here’s the data:

Later that night I hosted a super-fun BBQ at my place for 20+ friends and got to sleep in on Sunday for the first time in a month! After catching up on much needed rest, I blew through 10 miles in Penasquitos Canyon at an 8:08 pace and then went out to dinner with my aunts who were in town.

Starting this week, I am introducing run-commuting to my schedule for the next month and a half so I can build up my weekly miles. My commute is 7 hilly miles in each direction. I’m shooting to run-commute two days a week, which means 28 extra miles per week!

Tonight I’m meeting a small group of folks to run and film the Mission Trails Eco Run 10K course before Sunday’s race, where I will be course marking, racing and then running home from the race

Here are a few shots I took last Thursday at the beautiful La Jolla Cove:

!http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/3511486087_f4af72b700.jpg|height=375|alt=photo.jpg|width=500|src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/3511486087_f4af72b700.jpg!

!http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3299/3512294242_f802f5ebf9.jpg|height=375|alt=photo.jpg|width=500|src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3299/3512294242_f802f5ebf9.jpg!

!http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3605/3511482543_a3514780ed.jpg|height=375|alt=photo.jpg|width=500|src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3605/3511482543_a3514780ed.jpg!

Make it a great week everyone!

Race Training

Active Toby — Thu, 07 May 2009 05:18:16 GMT

Another big training weekend is in the books, and I’m stoked to be fully recovered from the VMO strain that slowed me down two weeks ago. My

VT100

training is on track and the results from my races last weekend are a sign that I’m doing something right…

On Saturday, I raced the Black Mountain 7K Summit Run , the second race in the Sun Strides San Diego Trail Run Series. The course was 4 miles -- 2 to the top, 2 back down. I lead the race for the first mile with a split of 8:15 and got to the top in 18 minutes and change. My finishing time was 28:31, which means I got to the bottom of the mountain in 10 minutes (a 5 min/mile pace) that was good enough for 5th place overall and 1st in my age group!

Because of my hard effort on Saturday, my legs were nice and fatigued to start the OC Marathon at 6:30am on Sunday where I ran the following splits:

1 7:52

2 7:39

3 7:28

4 7:48

5 7:51

6 7:47

7 7:44

8 7:45

9 7:53

10 8:06

11 7:50

12 8:06

13 7:44

13.1 0:49
1:42-ish split

14 8:06
15 7:56
16 8:08
17 8:05
18 8:06
19 8:08
20 8:19
21 8:02
22 8:13
23 8:12
24 8:10
25 7:45
26 7:17
1:46-ish split
Finish Time:

3:28:55 (PR)

Pace: 7:59

Overall: 78 out of 1337

Men: 66 out of 783

M 25-29: 6 out of 92

Since I approached the race as a training run with no expectations, I was able to relax and run by feel. Although my splits seemed “fast” for a training run, I was comfortable and decided that I would simply slow down when my legs got tired. They never did, so I picked up my pace at the end and was able to finish super strong!

The new marathon course was beautiful, fast and fun so I recommend trying to fit it~~or the half marathon~~into your race schedule for next season. Stay tuned for my full race review in the next month with more details about the course.

I went to nearby Laguna Beach after the race, waded out into the cold ocean water and spent the rest of the day off my feet relaxing on the beach. My legs are already good to go but my immune system feels heavily taxed. I’ve been here before and trust the process, so I know it’s simply a matter of time before I adapt to the fatigue, recover quicker and continue to get stronger.

Spring Cleaning

Active Toby — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:15:03 GMT

The last few weeks have been low-mileage rest weeks with a focus on putting the finishing touches on my training plan for the Vermont 100 Endurance Run and gearing up to start training next week!

The lessons I learned at the San Diego 100 Mile Endurance Run continue to help dial in my strategy for the VT100. The first item of business is fine-tuning my method of fueling, not the actual content of my fuel.

While I was running with a handheld bottle of Hammer Nutrition Sustained Energy mix and a Fuel Belt with Nuun electrolyte replacement tablets, my race crew was laboring over filling bottles and mixing powders all day and night.

By using a hydration backpack with a custom-made fuel by Infinit Nutrition, I remove the handheld bottle and the Fuel Belt from the equation. My special blend, “

Beast Mix

”, combines the ingredients of the two products I was using into one powder and saves me $25 per batch. Let me know if you’re interested in the “Beast Mix” and I’ll send you the settings through the Infinit website.

With an extra water reservoir, I can be drinking out of the one in my pack while the crew fills, mixes and chills the other. So when I come through an aid station, all the crew has to do is pull out the empty reservoir and replace it with the full one. This is going to save valuable time and energy for the team!

Here are a couple shots from my last two adventures:

!http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3563/3357432728_f848628aa9.jpg|height=375|alt=Hike|width=500|src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3563/3357432728_f848628aa9.jpg!

Camping and trekking in Joshua Tree National Park

!http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3372565555_fd43138c8b.jpg|height=375|alt=Scottsdale|width=500|src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3372565555_fd43138c8b.jpg!

Relaxing in Scottsdale, AZ

Steadfast

Active Toby — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:57:38 GMT

I’m officially registered for the 2009 Vermont 100 Endurance Race in July! While it feels great to make the commitment, I am also well-aware of the hard work it takes to prepare for a

100-mile ultra marathon

. My advantage this year is having my experience and training data from the SD100 to look back on to refine both my training and race-day approach.

Keeping things fun and exciting is an essential part of my strategy. That said I’m already planning my peak training weekend in June to include an attempt at running the Pacific Crest Trail from Warner Springs to Campo, a distance of 110 miles in two days. The first day will be 68 miles and include 6,440 feet of elevation gain from Warner Springs to Mt. Laguna and day two will include 43 miles with 2,420 feet of gain. Sounds fun, right? I’ll be looking for folks who are interested in running sections with me or crewing (camping out Saturday night) as details get worked out--stay tuned.

On Saturday, I hit up the Noble Canyon trail for a 26-mile training run with a couple running buddies. We climbed for 13 miles from 3,500 feet up to 5,500 and then headed back down. These long, slow distance runs are great right now but I will wait to add volume in April, as my “A” race is now later in the year. My focus for now is to keep my legs going with the long, slow stuff and stay strong with cross-training as I make decisions on tune-up races.

Sunday was mellow; I dusted off my bike and cruised around SD for a couple hours with my buddies to spin out the legs. It was a beautiful ride and the perfect way to begin

daylight saving time

. I hope you’re all enjoying the extra hour of afternoon daylight.

Inspiration from the PCT

Active Toby — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:43:57 GMT

On Saturday I traveled to northeast corner of San Diego County for a 20-mile out-and-back run on the Pacific Crest Trail with a couple running buddies. The day was beautiful and the trail was rugged for the 4,400 feet of climbing which started at 4,000 feet and topped out at 5,500 feet of elevation.

The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance hiking trail mainly for thru-hiking and equestrian use. The southern terminus is on the U.S./Mexico border and travels north through California, Oregon and Washington to the U.S./Canada border—a distance of 2,650 miles.

Having researched the trail, I know that David Horton ran the entire trail, from border to border, in 67 days for an average of 40 miles per day. This put a few things into perspective for me during my little 20 miler and created the space for me to consider~~among other things~~my priorities for the 2009 racing season.

The opportunity to share the experience of running 100 miles with my whole family is far greater than any race calendar I could imagine this year. It’s now clear that my journey will take me east to attempt the Vermont 100 Endurance Run in July, with my family as my race crew!

In the meantime, I’m still fascinated and inspired by the PCT. Did you know that fewer people have thru-hiked the PCT than have climbed Mt. Everest? More fun facts .

In its entirety, the PCT can be daunting, such as anything in life. But the 125-mile stretch from the northern border of San Diego County down to the U.S/Mexico border seems “manageable” so I think its time to plan an epic!

OC50K Race Report: Running, Risk and Reward

Active Toby — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:57:51 GMT

So if you happened to read my last blog post, Orange Curtain 50K Preview, you would know that I approached the race as a “tune-up,” and the plan was to practice maintaining a conservative pace from start to finish blah, blah, blah… I lied.

I took a risk this weekend in the OC50K and ran sub 8-minute miles to start the 31-mile race. I’m not sure what came over me or what I was thinking. Maybe I was caught up in the energy from toeing the line with running greats like Akos Konya , Eric Clifton and Guillermo Medina. Or perhaps I actually thought I was going to be faster in the third marathon plus distance event I’ve raced in 28 days.

In the spirit of pushing my limits, I threw the hammer down as a test to see how far I could last. Since my pace varied from the fast start and tapered off to a slow finish, my average race pace of 8:37 was actually a little faster than my goal pace of 8:40. This translated to a 4:27 finish; good for 7th place overall and 2nd in my age group.

This is more than an hour and 15 minutes faster than my previous personal record for the distance, and I’m excited to have set this benchmark. I’m even more motivated knowing that I still have so much to learn.

John W. Holt Jr. said it best in his book, Celebrate Your Mistakes:

"If you're not making mistakes, you're not taking risks, and that means you're not going anywhere. The key is to make errors faster than the competition, so you have more chances to learn and win."

The next SoCal Ultra Series race on my calendar is the Leona Divide 50 Mile Run in late April. This means that in March, my focus will shift to increasing my weekly mileage and incorporate more trail running in an effort to simulate the rugged course . I have a couple fun trips planned next month too, so be sure to check back or subscribe to my RSS feed to receive auto-updates when I publish.

Orange Curtain 50K Preview

Active Toby — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 23:09:12 GMT

This weekend I’m racing the Orange Curtain 50K in Cerritos, CA. It’s the first of six ultra marathons on my race schedule from the 2009 SoCal Ultra Grand Prix Series .

I am approaching this particular race more as a tune-up to continue my focus on pace and consistency. The out-and-back course starts adjacent to Liberty Park and travels south for 5K along a flat, paved bike path. There’s an aid station set up at the southern turnaround. Then the course retraces the path back to the north for 5K to the start/finish turnaround aid station and repeats 5 times. Here’s the course .

This will be my third race in less than a month and I have experienced immune system fatigue while my body adapts to the stress. Biomechanically, I am already running faster than last year. Following proper recovery from the OC50K, it will be time to up the mileage by re-introducing run-commuting during the week and long trail runs on the weekends.

On Sunday, the Amgen Tour of California rolls into town for the final stage ending in downtown Escondido. I'm going to sleep in Sunday morning to get as much rest as possible after my race and then hit up Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens for lunch before heading to the finish line to watch the action. My friends and I have been following the tour all week, and the entire San Diego endurance community is stoked that an entire stage was added to the race this year so it finishes here!

!http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3614/3291189455_ddf01f1231.jpg|height=375|alt=Peaceful Pacific|width=500|src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3614/3291189455_ddf01f1231.jpg!

From Sunday at La Jolla Cove

Fresh Perspective

Active Toby — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:28:44 GMT

This weekend I attended the Endurance Sports Awards , which were held at Sea World here in San Diego. Being surrounded by all the people I read about, write about, and am inspired by, was truly an honor and a privilege. The entire evening was a treat, and a highlight for me was congratulating Dean Karnazes after he won the Ultra Runner of the Year Award.

I have been a fan of Dean’s ever since January 2006 when I read his first book, Ultramarathon Man, Confessions of an All Night Runner. My brother lent me his copy of the book to read on my flight back to San Diego from the East Coast that year. I read the whole thing before my flight landed and ran 12 miles the next day. I had never run more than 5 before then. Two weeks later, I ran my first official half marathon. Needless to say, I haven’t stopped running and growing my love for the sport. And neither has Dean.

The award he received was for his 2008 performance as an ultra runner, in which he successfully completed 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. His incredible feat was turned into a documentary film by JB Benna and then a second book, co-written by Dean with Active Expert Matt Fitzgerald . Among his other accomplishments last year, Dean became the first person to ever run all of the 4-Desert Series races in one year. Dean has truly inspired me to never stop exploring my own limits. And by his international success, it's safe to say he has inspired people all over the globe.

The night of the awards went late, but I was up before sunrise the next morning to volunteer at the Xterra Mission Gorge 15K trail run. I had such a good time helping at the aid station on the Mt. Fortuna saddle (we could see the ocean!). A bunch of pros who were in town for the ESAs showed up to race. Check out a local endurance blogger's experience finishing between two former Ironman World Champions in her post, Ironman Sandwich.

The folks at Generic Events were super cool to work with and they put on a great event. Riding in a Search and Rescue vehicle up the steep trails that I usually run was a cool change but seeing the race from the other side was a helpful reminder of why I am so passionate about this lifestyle. The weather was picture perfect, and the aid station I helped work was at the top of one of the steepest climbs on the course. It was inspiring to watch participants' faces as they reached the top and came to us for water—from the front runner to the very last participant. I strongly encourage you to volunteer at a race this season. It’s a great way to give back and is truly a rewarding experience.