Kahtoola 25k: Jan 26th- Feb 1st

So after a long run last weekend I felt strong enough to race. John Bozung also had been hassling me to come run his snowshoe race, so three days before the race I signed up. I opted for the 25K which I felt would be a good distance. I got there early to talk with all the 50k runners who would start an hour earlier and to help out with the race. I was surprised by how many people were signing up the day of the event for the 5k and 10k. It was pure pandamonium pre-race at the Wasatch State Park but it looked like it would be a perfect day for a race. The 25k race would consist of a 10k loop ran with all the 5k and 10k runners (5k runners broke off at mile 2.2), then a 5k mtn loop, and finally another 10k loop.

The 5k, 10k, amd 25k all started a little after 9 am with what looked to be 70 or so people. It was a bit crazy with everyone wearing snowshoes but the start was fun. The whole park was socked in with fog and it was gorgeous. It was fun running the first lap with a bunch of 10k runners yet I kept reminding myself I had a long way to go. I kept a steady pace though and felt great. When they were finishing I was just getting started yet I think I still placed 4th or 5th in the 10k! However, my race was far from over.

The mtn loop was up next and it was incredible! With 1211 ft gain on a beautiful 3.1 mile 100% singletrack trail, it was brutal. Most of it was a burly hike up and and semi-wild downhill rumble filled with fun and snow. I kept thinking that I had a long way to go and tried to pace myself but I just kept feeling great and cruising along. I felt from the start there would be little if any competition since the entry list for the 25k was so low and I was right. I loved the 5k mtn loop and I was excited to take off my snowshoes for the last 10k (the race mandated snowshoes for the first two laps).

The 3rd lap might just have been the easiest. Without the snowshoes and still feeling great I cruized. I had put on a pair of Yaktrax for traction and I motered away passing 50k runners and otherwise having a great time. I pushed hard but even 24hrs after the race I feel fine except for my hips are a little sore from having to alter my gait while running with snowshoes. My final time was 2 hrs and 55 minutes over a 15.5 mile course. I finished in first place although I would have rather had some competition because I felt I could have gone faster. It was my first race in a long while so I was very happy with how I raced. The 25k distance is perfect for this time time of year and I hope next year to see a larger group of runners with some deeper competition as this race rocked! Thanks to Kahtoola for coming out and demoing all their snowshoes. I sure had a great time.

Mileage total for the week of January 26th through February 1st- 41 miles, 37 of which was on trails.

2009 Shoe Review....January 19th-25th

After going to the winter 2009 outdoor retailer I've compiled a top five list of 2009 release trail shoes. I've seen and tried who knows how many trail shoes but this list is what I believe to be the top selling and/or most influencial shoes of 2009. It is not necessarily in any particular order but it is actually quite exciting with some drastic changes for a couple of companies. Anyway, here goes:

#1 Montrail Hardrock $110- After quite the duration, the Hardrock has been changed. Frankly the name itself shows the desperation Montrail is going through, as this shoe has little in common with its predecessor. However, it does look fantastic! With a much lower profile, a forefoot protection plate, medial posting, and in a comparably lightweight package. Traditional Hardrock enthusiasts will have a bit of difficulty switching over but I don't think it will be due to the performance of the shoe; rather this new Hardrock is a totally different shoe altogether. However, it will still be a bomber supportive shoe for a runner that needs maximum protection and support.

#2 LaSportiva Wildcat $100- If you haven't hoped on the LaSportiva bandwagon, this might be your chance. LaSportiva has been growing hugely but most addicts have been liking their light and nimble models. Although not heavy, the Wildcat is a plush smooth ride with a great fitting upper. Using a virtually seamless upper with a modern look, this shoe will handle nearly every trail with lots of comfort. Max cushion, awesome traction, great support. Only drawback is the lack of a beefy forefoot rock protection plate. Yet this shoe will work for and be enjoyed by nearly everyone. It's supportive enough for mild pronators, beefy enough for the big guy, but light and cushy for fast and/or skinny folk. It's bound to become a classic!


#3 Montrail Mountain Masochist $95- Montrail needed a comeback in a bad way. This model looks like the missing link! Although similar to the popular Streak, this model fixed everything that was wrong with the Streak yet kept all the integral qualities that made the Streak popular. It has a lower profile, denser midsole, beefed up better fitting upper, and a fatigue post. The posting isn't enough to really correct much pronation so it will work for a neutral to mild pronator. It should be great as a fast and light training shoe or a racing shoe. Although this shoe is not meant for every runner, I personally can't wait to take it for a spin.

#4 Brooks Cascadia 4 $100- No need to fear Cascadia legionares. This shoe has hardly changed. Aside from the sleak new look, this Cascadia is using an eco-friendly outsole, biodegradable midsole, and has a revamped more protective upper. You won't feel the difference. It is the same perfect shoe it was in 2008. Which is why it still is on my top 5 list despite minimal changes. If you've never owned a pair of Cascadia's repent and immediately go to your local shoe store and buy a pair. You will not regret it.

#5 New Balance 100 $75- Unlike the Cascadia or Wildcat which can be worn by nearly everyone the 100 is a niche shoe. However, this is the latest revolution in trailrunning being manifest perfectly in a shoe. If you haven't heard, Anton Krupicka and Kyle Skaggs are taking over the ultrarunning world and New Balance has combined with these two runners to create one of the lightest most unique trail shoes ever. Step aside Inov8, New Balance has hit a home run! Low profile, forefoot plate, racing upper, and solid traction. It's incredible! Not that I'm strong enough or efficient enough to run an ultra in this shoe but it sure it cool. Maybe as a 25k racing flat. Kudos to New Balance however we will all have to wait until October for its official release.

All-in-all, 2009 looks like a solid year. Other highlights are Gu's new chew called the Gu Chomps(Roctane meets gushers. Bitter but looks like a solid product), Clif Bar's new Shot Roks (a protein malt ball concoction that tastes fantastic!), and Nuun's new Banananuun flavor. I think most vender's are waiting for the market to make a turn upwards before they release any ground breaking technology. 2009 will be survival mode for many companies, so make sure you support your favorites...or else. Aside from those few new items, a new palette of colors will adorn the walls of shops but much will be regurgitation of the same old stuff.

January 19th-25th: Felt a few aches and pains but had a solid 26 miles. All of which was on trails. Who knows how many miles I walked going back and forth from the outdoor retailer. Miles should hopefully be on the rise over the next few weeks. With this latest cold front who knows though. Cold running...but it still is January.

January 11th-17th

It was great to start training again. I've been itching to get out but haven't found the time. With my schedule balancing becoming better, I am determined to find the time to train and make 2009 a great year.

This week was a balance of treadmill, road and trail totaling exactly 30 miles. It culminated with a great 11 mile trail run on Saturday. I'm feeling a few aches and pains but overall I feel great. Surprisingly I felt in decent shape although I'm sure I was going slower than I thought.

This week will probably be a lower mileage total but it's the annual winter Outdoor Retailer. I'll get my miles walking the show. You can look forward to a review of any new products hitting the market from me next week. Nothing is being hyped aside from an overall concern for low specialty retail totals.

Unfortunately the average consumer in America is being ever more concerned and/or lazy with their purchasing. Online retail and one stop big box stores are hurting but specialty retail is literally dying. Why is this? Having worked in small specialty retail stores for half my life I am biased but what is the allure for buying something that you've never tried on or touched? I can't fathom buying a pair of shoes or shorts that I haven't tried on! Anything to save a buck I guess. For me, I pride myself on buying everything possible from local independent specialty shops. Why support corporate America who cares nothing about you aside from their stocks when you can support your neighbor and local economy? My wife and I have become particularly attached to our local produce stand. You can literally taste the difference. Anyway, does anyone else have a good reason for not supporting and buying from local specialty shops? I would be interested to hear some opinions. Anyway, stick with your New Year's resolutions (usually marketing strategies from corporate America) aka train smart and buy local!

2009 "The Training Begins"

So 2009 is here and already moving swiftly onward. It brings forth a whole year of anticipation for upcoming trips, runs, and adventures. I've accumulated quite the list so far and I'm excited. After what was a transition year in 2008 for me, I'm excited to be in a more stable part in life that hopefully will allow me to focus on what is really important in life....running!

Ok, maybe I can work on accountability, family, work, religion, etc....but when my mind starts to wander, it dreams of singletrack! As far as the accountability is concerned, I've literally just ran whenever I could in past years. Some weeks it was 20 miles and some weeks it was 90 miles. My schedule was always so crazy that I just did whatever I could. This year I intend to keep weekly totals that I will openly post so people can either mock or be amazed. Hopefully it's the later. These will be brief weekly totals, not long daily boring descriptions, and I intend to update my blog more frequently aka finish my John Muir Trail reports.

More exciting news is that the Runner's Corner Mountain/Ultra Team has secured some corporate sponsors! This year our sponsors will be Hammer Nutrition and Golite Apparel. Pretty exciting stuff. Last year with injuries, trips, school, and a new job I didn't race too much so this year I hope to have a full and successful season of racing. Plus after taking the last 3 months off running I'm mentally and physically ready to rip off some killer times. We'll see but 2009 should be a good year.

My race schedule for 2009 is as follows:
Antelope Island 50 miler
BSTM

Squaw Peak 50

Logan Peak

Scofield Olympic Distance Triathlon

Katcina Mosa 100K

Ogden Valley Sprint Triathlon

Las Vegas 1/2 Ironman

Ogden Valley 50 miler

I think it's a pretty solid race schedule. A couple of these races are still questionable but my key races will be Squaw Peak 50, Katcina Mosa 100K, and the Vegas 1/2 Ironman. Depending on how I enjoy these triathlons a full ironman may be in the schedule for 2010! For now it's all about setting a solid base for 2009 and skiing as much as possible. Happy New Year Everyone.

UVU Backpacking Excursion

So my hiatus as a university faculty is over.  This past fall I had the opportunity to teach at Utah Valley University and loved it!  1st block I co-taught whitewater kayaking and 2nd block I taught a section of backpacking.  This posed a problem with my move to Ogden as the weekly Wednesday commute to Orem on my one day off grew tiring but it was a fantastic experience and I had a great time.

I had a great group of students.  It was an entry level backpacking course including information ranging from the layering system to water purification to group dynamics.  Hopefully the students found the course interesting and useful.  The class culminated last weekend with a 3 day backpacking trip to Escalante National Monument.  Near the thriving metropolis of Boulder Utah we drove east and hiked up what is known as The Gulch.  Hiking north up the canyon was fantastic.  The canyon has a year round water source for the first four miles and is a relatively easy hike.  The small stream provided a small obstacle for those without Goretex shoes but we made our way up the canyon with little difficulty.  A couple of waterfalls and narrow red rock canyons provided plenty of beauty.  The temperature was a bit chilly in the evenings and mornings dropping down to 27 degrees which allowed the students to put much of the newly found knowledge to practice.  All-in-all the trip was a huge success covering 18 miles total (including a day hike up Lamanite Canyon) and hopefully was enjoyed by all.  I know I needed a trip into the wilderness and this trip was perfect!

Before the move to Ogden I was planning on teaching next year but logistically it won't work out.  I loved getting paid to have people forced to listen to me about my obsessions!  But for now I will focus on Canyon Sports which after this last snowstorm is getting super busy.  Also it will allow me to ski or get a long run in on my days off rather than heading south to teach.  Anyway, I hope everyone has their skis waxed because winter is finally here!  Strap on those skis or snowshoes and play hard this winter!

B-Day Weekend and Work work work!

So this past weekend was my birthday.  At 27 I feel that life has finally caught up to me.  Rather than school stress, care free parties, and hours of running I now have bills, insurance, and 12 hour work days...every day.  Life could be worse of course and in fact things are looking pretty good.  I'll explain:

I like my job.  It's a salaried position with great benefits.  In a couple of months I should be financially stable (which in today's economy is huge!), I'm happily married, and overall I'm feeling physically and mentally strong.  So with my birthday being last Friday I decided to have a fun weekend.  I had to work all day Friday, but I got Saturday and Sunday off work and we had a great weekend planned.

We went out for a fantastic sushi dinner Friday night and then stayed with the in-laws up Hobble Creek Canyon Friday night.  Having not had a long trail run since the Bear 100 and feeling unconnected to the mountains, I decided to go for a long run on the Squaw Peak course the following morning.  My in-laws live at mile 25 which puts me in perfect placement for a great run.  I ended up running from mile 26 to mile 36 and back on a perfect day with mild temperatures and a soft trail.  It was just what the doctor ordered and was the best birthday present I could ask for.  The best part was that I still have it!  I felt strong, healthy, and ran quickly.  With minimal training over the last 2 months I was a bit worried but 3 hrs and 15 minute later I was back from an amazing 20 mile run!  With Squaw Peak sign-ups coming shortly I was pumped and excited for what is sure to be another great Squaw Peak 50.  Note to self, don't ever go 2 months without a long trail run!

After some food and a short nap it was off to watch the BYU-Utah game at a friends house.  Being a BYU fan it was a disappointing game, but the Utes were/are the better team this year.  Go bust the BCS Utes!  I never have understood the hate involved with rivalries.  It seems so juvenile.  It's a game for heavens sake.  Heck, even 5k athletes seem to try and beat each other down on a training run...I mean if that what encourages you to run, but as for me, I love to run for the sake of running.  There is nothing more invigorating and rejuvenating than a long solo trail run.  Lovers not haters, that's what I believe in!

So after the game it was off to the Coldplay concert.  I will fully admit it...I love Coldplay.  They make great music which is original, positive, and catchy.  There was a great energy at the concert and I'm sure it was more than the residual affects of my earlier trail run.  It was an amazing performance.  

After the concert we went back for a midnight BBQ at the in-laws house.  Good ole late night fun with the Holzapfels!  Sunday was a veg out day.  We spent the first part of the day with the fam and than a relaxing day at home in Clinton.  It was a great weekend.

This week was back to the usual.  12 hour shifts every day at work.  I finally feel comfortable and confident at work while working toward some really exciting promotions.  Canyon Sports is on the rebound!  Anyway, with winter incoming get that last unhindered trail run in and bring on the snow!