Seattle Running Club

White River 50 Call for Volunteers

Post author By John Wallace
Post date July 23, 2012

Hello Seattle Running Club!

Curious about ultramarathons?
Want to give back to trails and your running community?
Injured and wish you could run, but want to be a part of the event anyway?

This weekend is a big race, the White River 50 mile endurance run. It’s on Saturday, July 28 near Crystal Mountain. See the event webpage for details. This events benefits the club.

Camp Sheppard is being transitioned from a Club Northwest Aid Station to a Seattle Running Club Aid Station.

It’s the first one at 3.9 miles so runners get a lasting impression all day long on the great service we provide.

Runners generally pass through the aid station between 6:15am – 7:30am. You’ll need to be there a little bit early to set up and a little bit longer to break down the station. Then you’re pretty much done for the day and can hang out at the start/finish area, mingle with all the runners, volunteer for other positions :).

Email john@seattlerunningclub.org if you are interested in heading up this aid station. I need a captain and 2-3 other intrepid volunteers.

There is one other position – an additional sweeper for the 2nd half of the course. A nice 25 mile scenic run with just 1 big climb. 2nd half sweep goes from 1pm-7:30pm.

Volunteers receive a t-shirt, parking day pass, and BBQ ticket for after the race.

Come out and represent the club, get your volunteering in, and enjoy a great day watching great performances. And don’t forget, White River 50 supports the Seattle Running Club with a sizable donation each year. We have to earn that contribution!

Thanks everyone,

John Wallace
White River 50 Volunteer Coordinator

Tags volunteering

Club News Race Reports

More racing news from the SRC/Brooks racing team

Post author By Greg Crowther
Post date July 14, 2012

Here’s a long-overdue continuation of the previous “racing news” post….

Travis Boyd welcomed daughter Julia into the world on April 12th and is looking forward to summer road races.

Max Ferguson was disappointed with his showing at the Vancouver Marathon (23rd, 2:47). However, he notes, “My build-up to Vancouver did yield some fantastic performances! I set a new course record at the Yakima Skyline 25k in 2:15, narrowly winning in a kick at the end. I also ran a 15 second PR at the St Patricks Day Dash, running 19:15, and finishing 16th in easily the deepest field in years.” His summer and fall plans include the Langley Half Marathon (where he will defend his title), Chuckanut 30k, Cougar 13, Tomahawk Twilight Meet, some cross-country races, and the Amica Seattle Half Marathon.

Destry Johnson lists the following 2012 race results thus far:

* PLU Invitational, 5k on the track, 2nd place, 15:32
* UPS Shotwell Invitational, 5k on the track, 4th place, 15:39
* Captain Jack 8k in Kirkland, 1st place, 25:49
* Bloomsday 12k in Spokane, 35th place, 39:10
* Myself, Lance Thompson, Chris Tremonte, Zach Little, Dave Martin ran the Briefcase 5k Relay (name: Honey Badgers) and won in 15:03 (Chris, Zach and Dave are not SRC team members)
* 45 minutes later I ran the open Fremont 5k and won in 15:45
* Seattle Rock and Roll 1/2 marathon, 8th place, 1:13:29

Lance Thompson at the Cougar 5 Mile Lance Thompson (in white shirt) at the Cougar Mountain 5-mile race. Photo courtesy of The Balanced Athlete.

Lance Thompson reports,

It’s been a fun Spring of Racing so far. I worked my way up to 7th place in 15:58 at the Top Pot 5K. This had a pretty good field of people to race with. The following weekend I ran the American Lung Association’s fund raising Fight for Air 5K, winning in 15:48. I then battled through the trails to finish second at the Cougar Mountain 5 miler.

I ran with five friends, including fellow SRC runner Destry Johnson, to victory in the Briefcase Relay during the Fremont 5K. Each runner races one thousand meters while carrying a briefcase full of five food cans, which are donated to Northwest Harvest. We broke the course record, running a 15:03. An hour later, Destry pulled out the victory in 15:45, while I managed 5th place in 16:11.

Trisha Steidl at the Cougar 8 Mile Trisha Steidl (#470) at the start of the Cougar Mountain 8-mile race. Photo courtesy of Northwest Trail Runs.

The women on the team have also continued to race since my previous post. Marlene Farrell reported on her trip to the USATF Half Marathon Championships in a separate entry. Trisha Steidl offers the following update:

[After the Rhody Run] I then had a week off from racing and today completed three weeks in a row. That’s a big deal for me since, in the past few years, I rarely even had the opportunity to race that much period, much less this often!

Unfortunately I can’t say I felt good for any of these races. I don’t know if it’s because I’m finally able to train and my body is adjusting and adapting to all the demands I’m placing on it or if there’s something more to it….

Race #2 was the XTERRA Lord Hill 10K (-ish) put on by Northwest Trail Runs. I’d never been to Lord Hill before, so wasn’t sure what to expect. I was looking forward to experiencing something new and different and not having any expectations of what I “should” be able to do on the course. It poured the night before and I found my shoe choice wasn’t ideal for the slippery sections. However, it wasn’t nearly as muddy as I anticipated it might be.

After the half-marathoners split off from the 10K (maybe 20 mins into the race), I found that the guys in front of me I had been “competing” against thus far weren’t in my race. That meant I had no idea where in the field I was. Fortunately there is a short out-and-back section and there I saw I was 3rd overall. I also saw that there was a guy that was moving up the field, currently in 4th. I knew it was more motivating to him to beat the chick ahead of him than it was for me to beat the guy behind me, so I tried to stay focused on finishing in the top 3 overall (yes, it’s a small race, but I still thought it would be pretty cool and it gave me a goal to focus on when my feet were slipping and my quads were yelling at me going uphill). I did get to chase a coyote part-way through the race. It jumped out onto the trail in front of me and kept looking back. It was a little disconcerting because I was alone and know coyotes send one of their pack out to lead prey towards the whole pack who then attack all together. Fortunately it turned out OK. The last few minutes of the race are twisty turny and then pretty much straight down. My shoes were no help on the muddy twists and turns and I knew the guy behind me was catching up. I also knew that the final down was pavement and that I could haul ass down it. Good thing I love running downhill, because I had to haul ass! I heard the 4th place guy get right behind me, but I knew I had at least 2 more gears I could shift. I let it get close, then, as we were about 70m from the finish, I shifted into another gear to keep him at bay. I had one more gear if needed, but fortunately I didn’t need it. I only beat him by a second (or less), but that’s all it takes!

I definitely enjoyed the challenge he presented me and I’m sure I pushed him to hurtle towards the finish line a little faster than he might otherwise have run – good stuff. Being new and fresh to me, I thoroughly enjoyed the course and everyone putting on the event was extremely friendly. Fun to earn a “W,” get 3rd overall, and, a few days later, find out I set the course record by quite a bit. Cool! I definitely would like to race out there again. It’s a beautiful area with a couple sections that remind me a lot of some places I ran and raced in New Hampshire in 2009, which brought me positive memories during the race.

Race #3 was 10,000m on the track as a part of the USATF/PNTF Northwest Region Open Track & Field Championships held at West Seattle Stadium. I didn’t decide to do this race until two days beforehand, figuring that racing on the track would be more fun than the tempo run I would otherwise have run on my own at the same time on the same day.

The short story on this one is that I was hungry before we started, it was windy, there were only two women (my friend Kristi Houk and me), and the start got pushed 40 mins later than originally scheduled. None of this set me up for an ideal day, but my plan was to stick to doing a tempo, so it was low-key anyway.

My plan was to run the first three miles at a slower pace, the next two faster, the final mile faster again. Somewhere between miles two and three my left calf started to slightly cramp up, so I slowed the pace a bit and decided to run the first four slower with the final two faster. Slowing it down calmed down my calf and, fortunately, I didn’t feel it again during the race. The final two miles I did speed up and it felt good to do so. Kristi lapped me with about 8 or 9 to go and I used that opportunity to stay with her. The faster pace didn’t feel any harder and actually felt better on my legs. So we ran together for the final two-ish miles and then I ran my last lap a little faster and on my own.

It was a good mental experience to be on the track for 25 laps again, especially with no incentive (no time goal, no real racing, etc.). I’ll state that I was 2nd, rather than last. It simply sounds better and, technically, it’s true. I even have a medal that proves I was 2nd at the Championships.

Race #4 was the Cougar Mountain 8 Mile race – one of our own! I haven’t run this in quite a few years, back when it was 7.5 miles, but I’m extremely familiar with the trails.

The race itself was put on wonderfully and the runners competing and volunteering were great. I, on the other hand, felt terrible. My legs and body never felt good, I was never able to get into race mode, and I felt so terrible that I wanted to quit many times during the race. It’s only 8 miles, though, and I was in the lead, so I couldn’t very well drop out. (If only Uli hadn’t found me chatting it up with Greg and Phil beforehand to tell me the race was starting in a mere 20 seconds. Seriously though, thanks Uli. I thought I still had a couple minutes until the start!)

…My hope coming in was to run 61 minutes. I ran 63:33. While I know it’ll be tough, I think it’s possible to run sub-60. Hopefully I’ll get to try again next year.

My hope with these four races was to go 2nd, 1st, 2nd, 1st and maybe set a CR or two along the way. I think I made those goals happen, despite not feeling well, so I feel fairly good about that. It was important to me to race and get used to what that’s like again. My goal this year is to run a new 5K PR. That’s going to be tough, but I know it’s possible. Now I need to take some time to take care of my body, figure out if anything serious is wrong (and, if so, fix that), get some good training in and really go after my goal. I also need to find a flat, fast 5K to race and have as my goal. I should probably get on that.

Tags Brooks Team

Featured Race Reports

Enduring the “Yes” Race

This is part 2 of Marlene Farrell’s 2-part account of her trip to Duluth Minnesota to compete in the USATF Half Marathon Championships. If you have not done so, please also read Part 1.

If we were to meet on the street and you asked me about my “big” race, I’d normally hem and haw and try to put a positive spin on it. But enough time has passed that I’m ready to be blunt—it sucked! It’s not fun to aim high in an endeavor that means something to me, to work toward it, to feel the pressure, mostly from myself, to perform, and then to disappoint. Most athletes have been at this point at one time or another, but that knowledge does not ease the pain. In fact, the costs and benefits of racing don’t seem to balance like they used to. Maybe it’s time to run Fun Runs with my kids and call that “good enough.”

But I’m not always so dismal. If you still want to hear the story beneath the story, here goes:

“Mandatory technical meeting.” I should have remembered that is protocol for an elite race. I realize the day before that my travel plans won’t get me there in time, so I have some last minute rearranging to do. Immediately upon hopping off a three-hour bus ride to Duluth from the Twin Cities, I hug my friend Anne and head to the meeting. The last thing I want to do is sit longer and aggravate the tightness that runs from my hamstrings to my lower back. Thankfully the meeting is brief. I hardly remember what is said (the most “technical” part of the meeting is a description of the personal water bottle tables and how it is prohibited to have someone hand you your water bottle). We sit midway back and slightly to the side. From there I can glance up from the agenda and take in the room. Some athletes are like me, with a friend or alone. Many are grouped because they are teammates from elite development programs like the Brooks Hanson Project or Impala Running. Or they are clustered with friendly competitors after frequenting the same starting lines of the elite race circuit. Runners like these are a calm serious bunch. For me, a dilettante at the edge of this world, the room emanates the terrifying power of a sleeping tiger. I want to silently observe and then slip out before I get devoured by eyes that see through me to my small-town, train-alone self.

Preparing for a race, especially an important one, is ritualistic. After a homemade carbo-load dinner with some long-time friends, I am alone, draping my “uniform” on the bed, pinning on my bib (no number, just FARRELL in bold print), stuffing a gel in my shorts pocket, weaving my chip through the laces of my racing flat. I organize the other essentials, the race info, cell phone, Powerbar, water bottle, other layers of clothing for the bus ride and warm up. I get out my breakfast supplies so as to minimize the noise at 3:45am when the other houseguests will still be happily dreaming. There is pleasure in these details and I’m reminded of all the other prerace preparations I’ve done over the years, doing the tangible little things that matter. A lot of race factors are out of my hands, the weather, other competitors, and exactly how my body will respond when I put it to the test. Seeing my race outfit laid out, ready for dressing, gives me a modicum of control, fortifies me against excessive worry.

I refuse to complain about the 3:20am wake up, which is earlier still if one is on west coast time. Early rising is my specialty, perhaps a slight edge over racers that struggle to shake off sleep before dawn.

Anne drops me off for the elite bus ride. I choose a male seatmate. I don’t want to talk and women are more innately chatty. Instead, I sip my water, roll my ankles in the aisle and stare at Lake Superior, still and wide, reflecting the rosy streaks that cross the sky, pronouncing the approaching inevitability of the day.

The bus drops us off and we have a half mile walk to the starting area and the elite runners’ tent. I want to walk, am thankful of the opportunity to stretch my legs in long quick strides. A part of me wishes I could walk all day, following the ribbon of highway along the lake edge. However, I’m here to run, not walk.

I stash my bag in the tent. The men’s race is first so most of them are warming up. Many women have staked a claim on a chair, getting off their feet with fifty minutes to spare. I’m too antsy so I jog out and back to the one mile marker, which is two oversized blue balloons hovering sedately above the road sides. I’m relieved that my hamstring does not have the pinched feeling that’s been nagging on and off for a few weeks. Maybe the massage a few days ago, stretching and using a foam roller have worked it loose.

I feel smooth and loose but there is a missing element. Before successful races my muscles have a snappy exuberance, a light jumpy feeling like I imagine a dog team feels on the gang-line before their musher quick releases their tether. It’s an awesome feeling to possess this body that is almost quivering in anticipation. On those days I won’t even feel the first several miles because it will be like I’m running several inches above the ground.

Today a sliver of optimism remains, i.e. luck. Haven’t we all had races for which we felt poorly prepared or handicapped by life’s circumstances and yet we rise to the occasion and exceed our expectations?

If I did the math, I would know. This race marks the fourth highly competitive race that I have taken an airplane to. Sure I’d flown previously to some popular marathons and had a good time. For the three big races, “a good time” was not the plan. It was about a PR or negative splits and finishing high in the field. All three races ended up being about survival, about continuing on when my body pleads, “No more!”

My “Yes” race becomes a statistic. At the start I line up toward the back, soaking up the beautiful power in the hard edges, the heads turned to the first mile, the eager jostling, the last minute checking of a watch, straightening of shorts. In front, maybe not the tallest, but hard to miss in her thick dark hair and strong shoulders, Kara Goucher stands. My eyes stray to her and I am excited, not for myself, but for her, to dominate, to display her Olympics-ready speed.

The moments of my race, beginning after the starting gun, stretch unbearably long and thin. There is no blurring of the miles, no separation from my body as it propels itself with almost machine like precision. No, my body, and my hamstrings and quads in particular, blurt out a cacophony of complaints for the whole hour and 24 minutes of my race. At first it is warnings. By mile five they are speaking loud and clear about their inabilities. I glance down at my legs in wonder, thinking, “What is going on? I’ve been good to you with a taper of easy miles, massage and stretching. You have a job to do. Now do it!” Another dangerous thought is, “This is only a half marathon. It’s supposed to be easy!” My brain is unable to persuade or coerce so it denies. “Yes,” the pace is slowing down but I refuse to let the line go slack. And with three miles to go, the temperature rising, the crowds thickening, my mind fights back. “Yes,” I have my slowest half in years. But, “yes,” I also lower, through sheer will, my pace back down into the 6:20’s for the final miles. I read a Gandhi quote recently that says, “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” This quote refers to resisting an intolerant government or surviving other crushing challenges. However, today that quote speaks to me. I know what I did, and there is satisfaction, despite what the clock may show.

The trip is about more than the race. It is about a reunion with dear friends. I replenish on good conversation, and seeing the Midwest version of the good life, Duluth’s art shops, lush and winding trails, and from a canoe. With all that said, the race is still significant. There’s a lesson for this running veteran. It’s an opportunity to step back from racing, for a while, to be a thinker and not a doer, and search for a new approach to training and racing that suits who I am now.

Tags half marathon, Marlene Farrell, Race Reports

Featured Misc

Where are they now? Catching up with the McCoubreys

Post author By Greg Crowther
Post date June 19, 2012
3 Comments on Where are they now? Catching up with the McCoubreys

Scott and Greg at Adams Gulch
Greg Crowther (right) after a trail run with Scott McCoubrey at Adams Gulch in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Last week my son and I had the pleasure of visiting the McCoubreys — former owners of the Seattle Running Company and founders of the Seattle Running Club. They moved to Ketchum, Idaho last summer when Scott McCoubrey got a managerial position at Scott Sports. Scott is having fun directing people like Dusty Olson, best known to most as Scott Jurek’s old pacer, who is now Scott’s midwest sales rep. Meanwhile, Leslie McCoubrey has found more time to devote to her massage practice, and son Shaw, now 8, is skiing up a storm and recently completed a 4.2-mile trail race. They live in a beautiful ski lodge-like home that they rent from former Olympic skier Reggie Crist.

Having seen the McCoubreys endure some tough times in Seattle as small business owners, I was happy to find them now enjoying all that Sun Valley has to offer. And while many of us back here in Washington miss their enthusiasm for all things trail- and ultra-related, they do return annually to put on the White River 50 near Mount Rainier at the end of July. They look forward to reconnecting with some of you there.

[For a more extensive look at the McCoubreys and the history of SRC, please see the article and video I prepared for iRunFar.com last year.]

Shaw the Slacker
Shaw demonstrating his balance on the slack line.

Club News Race Reports

Spring racing news from Brooks/SRC team

Post author By Greg Crowther
Post date June 5, 2012
1 Comment on Spring racing news from Brooks/SRC team

I have put out a call for racing news from the members of the 2012 Brooks/SRC competitive team, and some responses have started to trickle in….

Marlene Farrell writes,

I have raced three times this spring. I did the Wenatchee Half Marathon on April 21st. I came in 1st. It wasn’t a super fast time for me (1:23:21 but I think the course is long) but I had a faster 2nd half, so I was happy about that.

I ran a low-key uncertified 5k called Run 4 the Nurses on May 12 in Wenatchee. I got a 17:57, for first place. I was psyched to win a handmade decorative belt a la WWF (made by a nursing student who used to make saddles)!

I ran the Red Devil Challenge 25k trail race yesterday, June 3rd, in Cashmere. It has somewhere in the vicinity of 4000 feet of elevation change. I came in 1st woman with a time of 2:18. I was happy with my result, given I was handicapped with only one contact in (and I have bad vision) because of minor eyelid surgery on Friday. One contact made foot placement on the descent a bit tricky. It was a beautiful course and I highly recommend it to SRC trail runners looking for a tough but runnable mid-distance trail race.

And I have the half marathon championship on June 16th, in conjunction with the Gary Bjorkland Half in Duluth, MN. Will give you all an update after that.

Trisha Steidl writes

I haven’t raced as much as I would’ve liked because of the track season, but I did represent SRC well last weekend at the Rhody Run. I finished 2nd woman, running a minute faster than last year. My [Seattle University track and field] team had a great season. We had far more medal winners (top 3) than we ever have in the past and our first distance event conference champion (Erik Barkhaus, who ran for us at XC Club Nats, in the 10,000m; he also earned the Most Valuable Athlete award for the 2012 Track & Field season).

Wendy Wheeler-Jacobs reports the following races done as preparation for the Angeles Crest 100 on July 21:

3rd Master, 6th Female at the Peterson Ridge Rumble 40 mile
2nd Master, 4th Female at the Capitol Peak 50 mile
2nd Master, 6th Female at the MacDonald Forest 50K
1st Female at the Soaring Eagle 50K

Wendy Wheeler-Jacobs at Soaring Eagle
Wendy Wheeler-Jacobs winning the Soaring Eagle 50K. Photo courtesy of Evergreen Trail Runs.

Tags Brooks Team

Featured

Heading Toward a Championship, Part 1

Post author By Marlene Farrell
Post date May 31, 2012

There it was – in my inbox – an email from USA Track and Field (USATF). It taunted in bold type. My mouse’s arrow hovered over it, about to turn the key and unlock its secret. This wasn’t an email announcing a BLOWOUT SALE on Team USA duffel bags and visors. It wasn’t a promotion for live streaming of the Penn Relays or some other far-flung (at least from Leavenworth, Washington) Race of Fortune.

Marlene Farrell at the 2011 Regional XC ChampionshipsPhoto: John Wallace III
I could tell the difference because this email came from Jim Estes, with the very official title of National Office Liaison of the Long Distance Running Division Executive Committee of USATF (whew!). It began at the keyboard from his office in, I imagine, an imposing bastion of “Running Authority.” It perhaps sat in his sentbox, nestled between messages to Olympians Shalane Flanagan and Bernard Lagat.

Jim was replying to my request to take part in the Half Marathon National Championship on June 16th in Duluth, Minnesota. Two weeks earlier I had received the invitation to participate in this competitive large-pursed national event. The list of invitees included anyone who had qualified for the marathon Olympic Trials. One’s running resume determined the level of sponsorship. I wasn’t deluded enough to expect travel reimbursement or hotel stay. Free entry alone would make me feel welcome on that big stage, making the trip and prior training worthwhile.

I hadn’t opened the email yet because of the threat of rejection. I had to qualify for free entry with a sub 1:20 half. I have exactly one, from a 2010 race in which the course was sabotaged with extra marking arrows. My time had to be adjusted to make up for a small skipped section.

Rejection or acceptance mattered. Due to injury the Olympic Trials had slipped out of my grasp. I had followed the televised coverage with the same coiled tension in my gut that spring loads me at the start of a race but with no outlet except to creep further and further onto the edge of my chair. My spring training and motivation both could be characterized by frustrating terms like inconsistent and haphazard. I needed a shake-up and a refocus toward a challenging goal.

“Thank you for your email. We’re happy to invite you to participate in the 2012 half marathon championships.” Yes! In so many words across my computer screen, I had been accepted. No frills, but that was fine because I have three friends (all runners) in Minnesota that I’m longing to see. They will ensure that I carbo-load, go to bed early and have a strong cup of coffee when I wake up on race day.

Now, a month later and less than a month until my race, I’m taking stock. Disappointment clouds my outlook. I ran a lonely track workout this morning. Short intervals – they were supposed to be easy with a feel of light, crisp drive in each lap. But my 400’s and 800’s were slow and got SLOWER. Twice I’ve run in the hills with friends. On both occasions I lagged on the ups. My will took over where my muscles failed. I would push into discomfort to avoid letting them down, to avoid embarrassment. In this month I haven’t woken to the half-lit road calling my name. I’ve woken midthought, my mind already reeling and sorting through the tasks ahead. Running is in there somewhere but not floating at the top. Instead I’ve been tardy to my running “appointments” so that I’m more likely to trim a mile off than add an extra.

A month ago my family suddenly thought we had to cut our ten-year-old roots in this tight community and replant ourselves in the big city. Some initial digging revealed that our roots had grown deep, fanning in many directions, intertwining in underground thickets of precious lives. Solitary running and a race trip away from this place were nudged to the outskirts of my mental geography.

Now, after embracing the move and researching Seattle neighborhoods, we find out we get to stay in Leavenworth. I need to heed the “yes”; I need to live the “yes.” I can and will return to the track and repeat the lackluster workout. This time I’ll stretch that tight hamstring beforehand, wear better shoes. I’ll be running up steep trails too. If alone there is no comparison, just lifting each leg, pushing off the balls of my feet, a steady rhythm, climbing higher. There’s a dropping away, of town, ordinary existence, of what is impossible. My excuses make elaborate fences but I have all the tools needed to dismantle them and see what lies beyond…

To be continued…

Media

Another perspective on Cougar

Post author By Greg Crowther
Post date May 16, 2012
1 Comment on Another perspective on Cougar

I hope everyone is enjoying Sara Malcolm’s pictures of the SRC’s 5-Mile race at Cougar Mountain. They’re great … and yet they don’t capture the aspect of the Cougar races that has been most important to me over the last 2 years. So here’s one more image — a supplement to the previous batch.

Sand-Hill Phil and the Tipi

That’s my son Phil sitting in front of a stick house that he made with three other kids that he met for the first time at the race.

As someone who is not currently racing, I’m grateful that I can bring Phil to Cougar and find a sand hill where he can play, other kids to play with, volunteers who happily let him help at the refreshment table (even though he doesn’t really speed up the work), and nice weather — at least some of the time — that make it a pleasure to be outside. It’s a healthy, kid-friendly environment that I’m glad to visit even when I’m not running.

Thanks to SRC and Northwest Trail Runs for continuing to make these events inclusive and fun.

Media

Cougar Mtn 5 Mile Images

Thank you to Sara Malcolm for taking pictures this past weekend! We had nearly 300 runners. The Cougar Series, started by Seattle Running Club and now run by NW Trail Runs, has contributed over $100K to King County Parks. Thank you to all who competed today. Without you, the trails of Cougar Mtn would not be in the condition they are to enjoy. Also a big thank you for our sponsors: The Balanced Athlete, Fleet Feet Seattle, and The Northface. Also thank you to the many volunteers who helped today! We hope to see you all at the 8 miler next month!

-Win

Tags Cougar Mountain Series, images

Featured Interviews Misc

Shoeless Joe Interview #1 – Uli Steidl

Post author By Joe Creighton
Post date May 1, 2012
23 Comments on Shoeless Joe Interview #1 – Uli Steidl

Welcome to the first installment of the Shoeless Joe Interview! I say “installment” assuming this will a) not be discovered and deleted by higher-ranking board members and b) I’m allowed to make this a recurring feature here.

For my first interview I wanted to go big, and when it comes to Seattle running, you can’t go much bigger than Uli Steidl! He and his wife Trisha Steidl form a sort of royal union in the local running scene, with countless wins and accomplishments between them at a wide variety of distances. Both also extend their expertise to coaching collegiate running talent at Seattle University, where Trisha is the head coach and Uli is an assistant coach.

After his great performance at the 2012 Boston Marathon (1st Masters, 5th American, 15th overall), and his excellent first pitch at a recent Mariners game, I had to sit down and get to know more about the man(ly) Seattle legend. With an awesome view of Lake Washington in front of us, we had a great time. Enjoy!

********

Shoeless Joe: First off Uli, thanks for taking the time to speak with me! I don’t know if you know me, but my name is Joe Creighton and I’m on the Seattle Running Club board. So you could say we’re like teammates.

Uli Steidl: Joe, of course I know you. I’ve been to several board meetings. And you text with my wife Trisha all the time, and meet her for track workouts every Thursday afternoon. At least that’s what she says.

SJ: Oh cool! I didn’t know Trisha was your wife. That actually clears up some confusion I had. And explains why you live in her house.
Before we get too deep into this interview, let me say congratulations! It’s not every day someone gets invited to throw out the first pitch at a Major League Baseball game. Was that one of the biggest thrills of your life?

US: Oh, definitely! Growing up in Germany, almost every boy dreams to someday play in the Major League. Baseball is our national sport, almost a religion.
Speaking of thrills, the biggest thrill in my athletic career was running in the 2007 IAAF Marathon World Championships in Osaka, Japan. And more recently the 112th Boston Marathon, where I finished 15th overall, 5th American and 1st masters.

SJ: Wow! That was actually my next question, if Boston was your first marathon. But it sounds like you’ve run two total. Any racing plans for the rest of 2012? Perhaps a third marathon? Ever thought about trying out one of those “ultra” marathons?

US: Joe, you have to qualify for Boston, so it can’t be your first one. You call yourself a runner and you don’t know this? I’m not sure how many marathons I’ve run. Thirty five to forty. Fifteen of them under 2:20. I am planning on running another marathon this year. Twin Cities, in the fall.
And yes, I have done a few ultras.

SJ: Wow, thirty five to forty…I was a little off! LOL! If we can move back to your beginnings in Germany, what initially got you interested in running? For me it was a woman. Was it a woman for you? If your wife will get mad at you, just make something up.

US: My initial interest in running was there because there was a race that started half a mile from my home. I was 17 at the time, did a lot of biking–about 20 miles a day–but NO running. Entered the race and won.
No, women (or a woman) had nothing to do with me deciding to start running. But running has since strongly influenced my interest in women. I have never dated–or even kissed–a woman who wasn’t a runner. It would be hard for me to imagine being with someone who doesn’t share this part of my life.

SJ: I think I know what you mean. Women can make good things even better…like how Facebook does with life. Speaking of, I saw on Facebook that you went to college in Portland. What was the transition to living in the states like, compared to life in Germany? Food, music, bros, etc?

US: I’m not so sure I would put “women” and “Facebook” in the same category. You can’t hug or kiss Facebook. On the other hand, you can ignore Facebook for a month without serious consequences.

SJ: ?

US: Moving to the US was not that dramatic of a change. Lots of changes that American freshmen also experience, like moving out of your parents’ home and living with a roommate in the dorms; cafeteria food, new coach, new routines. I spoke English fairly well before I got here; good enough to get a 4.0 my first semester at University of Portland. But then again, I took familiar subjects such as chemistry, physics and calculus. I did, however, have to learn some fine nuances of the English language, such as “Uli, you don’t HAVE a shit. You TAKE a shit!”

SJ: LMAO! Can we say “shit”? Oh well. And that’s true about Facebook, but you can “like” Facebook on Facebook’s Facebook profile. Just like a woman!
Speaking of, on Facebook, as well as Myspace and Friendster and LinkedIn and this pro-wrestling message board I post at, I asked people to suggest any questions they think I should ask. Are you ready for the Fast-Acting Lightning Speed Round, which I should mention is sponsored by our fast friends at Fleet Feet Seattle? I will ask a question fastly, and you reply fastly. Like, lightning fast. Oh, also…you wear this eye mask to make sure you’re focused. Ready?

US: Sure. Shoot.

SJ: …can you put the eye mask on, please?
US: [puts the mask on]

SJ: OK, buckle your seatbelt, here we go! And remember, if you think any of these questions are dumb, it’s because it probably came from one of my MySpace friends.

US: Just start, please.

SJ: Ok. How much ya bench?
US: I did 115 once in college. Pounds, not kilograms. Bench press max is irrelevant for distance running.

SJ: What’s something any American tourist should eat at least once while in Germany? And please don’t say Head Cheese.
US: Schweinshaxen und Sauerkraut.

SJ: Favorite flavor of Vitamin Water?
US: I don’t drink Vitamin Water. I try to avoid bottled water in general. Tap water costs 2 cents per liter in Seattle. Fruit juice, milk, chocolate milk, water, tea. And once in a while a beer.

SJ: I know he’s not German, but close enough — best Arnold Schwarzenegger movie: “Kindergarten Cop”, “Pumping Iron”, “No Really, That Guy Was the Governor of California?!”, or “Twins”?
US: Arnold is Austrian. Not German. Not even close! What’s next, you call a Canadian “almost American”?

SJ: (laughing) Touché! I was curious, what newspapers and magazines do you regularly read — to stay informed and to understand the world?
US: Seattle Times. I used to read the PI, but they went out of print. As far as magazines, Northwest Runner, Running Times, Ultrarunning. Oh yes and Fox News.

SJ: Is the Boston Marathon like the Olympics for marathoners?
US: (sigh) Not exactly. It’s the oldest continuously run marathon in the world. And the fact that you have to qualify for it makes it intriguing for many people. You actually have to be a decent runner to qualify. But the Olympics is a whole different level. You have to be world-class to make it to the Olympic marathon, and even that is not enough in many cases as only three athletes per country can run in the Olympics.

SJ: Oh, whoops. I suppose then that the Olympics are the Olympics for marathoners. What pair of shoes did you wear for the Boston Marathon?
US: A new racing flat from New Balance. It’s not available in stores until June 1st, and I only got my hands, or feet, on a size 10.5 when I really need a 10 or even 9.5. But it felt better on my feet than anything else I tried out. I did most of my training for Boston in the Scott eRide Trainer, though.

SJ: Do you think you could beat Ichiro in a marathon?
US: Yes.

SJ: What if it was just a half-marathon?
US: I think I can take him.

SJ: C’mon…a 5K?
US: Yep. I’d bet some money on me. Now, in the 400m, it might be a close race.

SJ: What’s your favorite spot to run in the general area, not including Cal Anderson Park, of course?
US: General area?! I like running along Lake Washington Boulevard to Seward Park. But really it’s not so much the place you run at, it’s the company you run with.

SJ: What would you do with all your free time if your legs fell off tomorrow and you could never run again?
US: What free time? I’d have to get a real job.

SJ: Is it true that Dirty Dancing is your favorite movie of all time?
US: Who told you that?! It doesn’t even come close to Pretty Woman! But I thought this was an interview for a running website, not ET.

SJ: Wow, great job Uli with the first-ever Fast-Acting Lightning Speed Round! Especially as our guinea pig. And yes I too am furious with my friends’ non-running questions. Although I already have a myriad of Pretty Woman questions I now want to ask…but I’ll wait for a 2nd interview.
Moving on, I wanted to expand a bit on something. You mentioned the New Balance and Scott shoes you wore leading up to and during that marathon in Boston. As you can see I’m wearing Vibrams. The cool white ones. Bikila. How long do you think it’ll be before the top marathoners such as yourself are racing in Vibrams and/or have you already raced in Vibrams? And before you answer, yes Vibrams paid me to ask this question.

US: I hope they paid you a lot of money! It tells you something when African runners who often grow up running barefoot all run in regular running shoes and racing flats. Personally, I will run in Vibrams when Christmas falls on the 4th of July.

SJ: (nervous laughter) Hmm. Well. This is awkward. I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree. I think these have helped make me a much better runner. Maybe not faster. Maybe not less injury-prone. But better.

US: If not faster and not less injury prone, in what way are you a better runner now?

SJ: Umm. Let’s switch gears, huh? The five-part Cougar Mountain Series trail races are starting up soon, in just a couple weeks. I remember one of my first-ever trail races, a number of years back, was the Cougar 10 miler…you won and I came in 2nd. It was real close; you out-kicked me. I don’t know where you went, but you weren’t at the awards ceremony afterward, so the 1st place prize of free shoes fell into my lap. And to this day that’s the best prize I’ve ever gotten.

US: You’re welcome. But what is your question?

SJ: Umm. I guess I didn’t have one. Heh. Hmm.
[rifles through papers]
Have you ever done any other Cougar races besides that one 10 miler?

US: Yes, I have done quite a few of them. In the first 2 years there was a guy who was opposed to those races and he would come out and change the course markings, directing runners onto the wrong trail. So sometimes I would run the course ahead of the runners, starting 10 minutes early and running with a can of spray paint and a roll of tape. But I also did a few of them officially, starting with everyone else.

SJ: If I see that guy at the 5 miler, I will give him a piece of my mind. I find the 13 miler to be the hardest, but the 5 miler to be the most frightening. Any thoughts on the progression of races? Do you have any advice for anyone who’s signing up for this year’s races?

US: Why is the 5 miler the most frightening? Do you have a lot of endurance but a lack of speed?

SJ: More or less.

US: The progression in distance of those races is ideal for beginning trail runners. Jumping from a road half marathon to a trail half marathon can be quite a surprise in terms of difficulty and the time it takes to complete the course. Starting with a 5 miler and working your way up gives you a good idea of what to expect. None of the Cougar Mountain trails are very technical by trail-running standards, but they are also not simple gravel paths either, so they are ideal for beginning trail runners.

SJ: That’s great advice, I agree! Maybe we’ll see you out there this year…and I can avenge my loss to you from that 10 miler!

US: I will for sure miss the 5 miler as I will be in Houston with the SU track team. So it’s your lucky day, as nothing stands in your way to win. Don’t know yet if or how the other races will fit into my racing schedule, but I will likely be at a few of them.

SJ: Awesome! I agree you will be out there!

US: …

SJ: Well, my girlfriend is going to kill me if I’m not home soon, so I think we should wrap this up…did you have any questions you wanted to ask me?

US: Sounds like your girlfriend is wearing the pants in your relationship! How do you feel about that?

SJ: (laughing) Well, it’s either she wear the pants, or I live alone in a dirty apartment, eating Chef Boyardee. I mean, Chef Boyardee is ok….but I’ll take the curfew if it means a few more dining options and a cool roommate.

US: I was also going to ask you if you know of a good way to stop hair loss, but it looks like whatever you’re doing isn’t working either.

SJ: (frowning) I dunno, wear trucker hats? No, I don’t know a good way, but I know a good silver lining. Me and you, we’ve got way more testosterone than other guys. That’s why our scalp betrayed us. Physically we may be repulsive, but in actuality, we are manlier.

US: I don’t know…you should get Trisha’s and your cool roommate’s opinion on that one! Or just solicit feedback from the readers of this interview.

SJ: Ok, I will! But what do women know about being manlier? I’m sure we’re manlier. And I think that’s a good way to end this. Thanks Uli, you’ve been very generous with your time! Congratulations again for Boston, for the amazing thrill of the Mariners first pitch, and good luck in all of your manly pursuits!

I want to thank Uli again for letting me into his house even though I was wearing Vibrams, and being the inaugural subject for what I hope will be a recurring installment here at the Seattle Running Club website. Both he and his wife Trisha are running ambassadors for our city. I was a little nervous interviewing such a talented and decorated runner, but I think I did a pretty superb job.

Call for Comments (from Joe)

Is Uli manly? (show your work!)
Are you bald?
Dirty Dancing or Pretty Woman?

Call for Comments (from Uli)

Is Joe manly?

Call for Support (from Joe)

Did you enjoy this? Are you already a club member, like Uli? If not, consider becoming a member, like me, and help support us! Who knows, maybe I’ll be able to do a second interview!
Did you not enjoy this? 🙁

All photos of Uli & Joe: Terry Creighton

Tags interview, shoeless joe, Uli Steidl

Club News Featured

Uli Steidl Wins Masters At 2012 Boston Marathon

Post author By Seattle Running Club
Post date April 16, 2012
1 Comment on Uli Steidl Wins Masters At 2012 Boston Marathon

Uli Steidl at the 2012 Boston Marathon
His brand-new Masters career is off and running! SRC’s own Uli Steidl (pictured above on Saturday before the race) braved the heat en route to a 2:23:08 finish at the 2012 Boston Marathon. Despite being about two minutes back at the half marathon mark, Uli took the Masters lead at about mile 23.5 and never looked back. He stated after the race that he didn’t know he had the Masters win until after the race.

Uli also finished 15th overall and was the 5th American finisher.

ULI STEIDL
Split    time  diff  pace    mph
5K      16:04 16:04 05:11  11.61
10K     32:41 16:37 05:21  11.22
15K     49:40 16:59 05:28  10.99
20K   1:06:53 17:13 05:33  10.82
HALF  1:10:36 03:43 05:28  11.00
25K   1:23:46 13:10 05:26  11.06
30K   1:41:10 17:24 05:37  10.71
35K   1:58:52 17:42 05:42  10.54
40K   2:15:30 16:38 05:22  11.21
FINAL 2:23:08 07:38 05:36  10.74

Also, check out a couple graphs made by SRC member Patrick Niemeyer, which show how strong Uli finished relative to the other top finishers. The first graph on the left shows Uli as the baseline (lines below him finished ahead, lines above finished behind). The heatmap graph on the right show, in Patrick’s words, “the fastest legs in the race, color-coded across the top 50 finishers (that is: the reddest cell in column H was the fastest person for the 25k split).” Patrick notes that Uli’s 40k split was the 5th fastest in the entire field. Thanks Patrick!

[Top Finishers at Boston 2012]

Tags Boston Marathon, Uli Steidl, Weird graphs