Category: Race Reports

Evan Williams’ Spring of Extracurriculars

Post author By Evan Williams
Post date May 3, 2015

Flying Lion Brewing Community Run

My family’s brewing business is really taking off, and so is the FLB5 (mi or km option) group run on Fridays. Attendance is consistently between 15 to 20 peopleeven on rainy days and the camaraderie is great! Theroute is posted to the SRC Meetup page, as well as Strava. Leading this run is often the highlight of my week as it is a perfect combination of my running and brewing passions. Conversations about stride length and cadence segue, via our bike-powered barley mill, to aroma hop profiles and fermentation temperature control. Because of the social training aspect, I get to talk about my Brooks gear and shoes even more than in race scenarios!

Image: Runners.Photos

Bridle Trails

I raced the 10 mi version of SRC’s Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival in January. Despite a week of tough life circumstances and very little sleep, I easily beat my time from two years ago and got second (to teammate Joe Creighton, who set a course record that day). It was a beautiful event, celebrating drizzly winter training with other like-minded runners on a Saturday evening. This was one of the first races following the #SRCBrooks team announcement and it was wonderful to bond with each other. We shared training plans and goals during warm-up and cool-down, set up running dates, and made our presence known in the final standings!

Olympic Hot Springs Training Run

Among several long runs in the mountains, this was particularly notable. My long climbing training really started to click after this and I felt more confident than ever in the decision to sign up for the Chuckanut 50k. On top of that, what’s cooler than taking a 30 min mid-run break in back-country
hot springs? From there, we only had a couple easy miles on a gentle downhill back to the car. Rubbery legs! http://guanderer.weebly.com/run/happy-lake-ridge-gt-olympic-hot-springs-gt-fat-smittys

Chuckanut 50k

Image: Glenn Tachiyama
This was the highlight of the year for me so far. Four SRC-Brooks members (Olin Berger, Matt Hong, Derek Reiff, and myself) drove up to Bellingham in March and all placed very well. We had our struggles and learned some valuable lessons about race-day nutrition, but even without perfect splits, I was very pleased with an 8th place finish and ceramic plate award from a local potter. I now eat my pre-run toast and jam from it everyday. Perhaps it will remind me of the most important lesson I learned…eat more than 300 calories during the race. Seriously. That was the difference between 5th and 8th! I loved this experience and can’t wait for next year. http://guanderer.weebly.com/run/chuckanut-50k-2015

Eugene Marathon (Training)

Post Chuckanut, I have returned to the flat pavement of Seattle’s coastlines to tune up for the Eugene Marathon. It has been difficult to move away from (nearly) daily trail miles, but this is a temporary and good mental break to work on pure speed. The spring is always a busy time anyway, thus city training is easier for my schedule. My workouts are looking good. I’m significantly faster than last year, I know the course, and I have a real nutrition plan that will make a big difference. It all starts with my recent habit of eating a breakfast sandwich and sipping on flat Coca Cola at the start line. I’m lucky to have a strong stomach. I truly believe 2:40 is within range…maybe even faster. After road shenanigans like a “week of half marathons,” I’ll get back to training in the mountains in May.

Pure Grit 3 / Biomechanical Engineering Grad School

The Pure Grit 3 trail shoes get a special mention in this summary. They are that wonderful. I have one pair designated for mixed surfaces (pavement, trails, gravel) and one that I only use on dirt and for trail races. I find that my stride is smoother in the Grits than any other shoe and that the traction is good even on cement. Last year, I ran Eugene in a pair of Pure Grit 2 and loved it. This year, I’m deciding between Pure Cadence (the shoe I like to wear for track repeats) and Grit 3. Both are good choices, with the Cadence being the better option for weight and flat roads. I’ve turned in 90% of my Biomechanical Engineering thesis and am waiting for edits from the review committee. I’ll soon be the most available biomech engineer on the market! And, with miles upon miles of thinking about gait and human motion, I’m excited to contribute to the field of movement and health. I know Brooks cares about the same things! Run Happy. Work Happy.

Tags Evan Williams, race images, Race Reports

Club News Media Race Reports

Gorges Weekend at the Gorge 100k and 50k!

Post author By Seattle Running Club
Post date March 30, 2015

Gorges Weekend
Seattle Running Club had a nice weekend at the pair of Rainshadow Running ultramarathon races, the Gorge Waterfalls 100k on Saturday and the Gorge Waterfalls 50k on Sunday near Portland in western Oregon.

Justin Houck was first up for the 100k, his first ever. A top-2 finish would earn him a trip to the famed Western States 100 miler this June.

Houck did more than enough to earn that berth, winning handily versus a loaded field in a course-record time of 9:22:56. He was in a lead pack of four at the turnaround point (50k) and from mile 40 to the finish put over 20 minutes on his next closest competitor.
Complete 2015 Gorge 100k Results

Sunday, while Justin gorged on ice cream, Trisha Steidl and Keith Laverty would be representing #SRCBrooks in the Gorge Waterfalls 50k. Trisha is a veteran of the ultra distance but this would be Keith Laverty’s first go of it. Both raced admirably and won for their respective genders, Keith winning outright in 4:27 and Trisha finishing 13th overall in 5:02.

We can only assume they too gorged on ice cream after their hard fought victories. We’re waiting to hear back on Keith’s race plans later this summer, but we’re happy to announce Trisha will be taking on the White River 50 again this July!
Complete 2015 Gorge 50k Results

Tags Justin Houck, Keith Laverty, Race Reports, srcbrooks, Trisha Steidl

Featured Race Reports

2015 Stewart Mountain Half Marathon Race Report

Post author By Rachel Johnson
Post date March 30, 2015

Rachel Johnson Stewart Mountain

I arrived at the North Lake Whatcom trailhead in Bellingham, WA to find rain that was bordering on a hailstorm. No one considered cancelling of course…runners being as stubborn as they are. The race preparation resumed as scheduled. The starting line was full of stoked runners happy to be outside and about to embark on an epic trail run. The race began with the faster runners breaking away early on the waterfront stretch. We then pushed upwards through the trees heading to the top of Stewart Mountain. Many runners were surprised by the hill climb that was awaiting and the lead pack quickly gained distance on the field.

I maintained lead for the women throughout the race and finished as I started. Congratulations to Nichole Braun who maintained 2nd for women throughout the race. The pace this year was considerably slower than last year due to very tough conditions. The rain and cold temperatures worsened as we neared the top of the mountain and the view of Lake Whatcom was nowhere to be seen. One lead male runner began to feel the effects of the effort and conditions and was forced to ease into the finish at half his pace.

Despite this there was much celebration at the finish…and plenty of pizza for those who’s diet allows for such delicacies. Much conversation was had regarding the conditions and all are stoked for the races to come!

2015 Stewart Mountain Half Marathon Results

Image: Ross Comer – ComerPhotos.com

Tags Race Reports

Featured Race Reports

Fuego y Agua Race Report

Post author By Keith Laverty
Post date February 27, 2015

Una corrida en las selvas, calles y playas de Isla de Ometepe

Before going into this race, I knew I likely had to throw out all expectations and expect the unexpected. I believe this ultimately helped me. Back in the PNW winter, I simply continued to train as I would any race: long runs, hilly trail runs, cut-down tempos, etc. The humidity? This I knew could be the X-factor. Fortunately, I had four travel days in Nicaragua to get accustomed as part of a 12-day vacation with my roommate and long-time friend, Brian Rakestraw, an avid trail runner and climber himself. If the first four days were any indication, I knew this would be warm, scratch that…hot race with a late start time of 10am. Even by 8am, the sun is in full force and the humidity strong. The Fuego y Agua is hosted appropriately by Fuego y Agua Events but they’re also known for putting on tough endurance events that include a boosted challenge such as the Widowmaker 50k and the Caballo Blanco Ultra in the Copper Canyons as portrayed in Born to Run.

I showed up one hour early to race start with a 2-mile jog from my hotel. I took in the views of Lake Nicaragua, the beach where the race actually begins and the extravagant hubbub of the start line with a giant inflatable Toña beer bottle (Toña and Victoria beers are essentially the equivalent to a Coors Light). My race gear featured the Brooks PureGrit 3, the SRC-Brooks sky blue singlet and my bright Brooks green plaid race short. It was also my first race with a hydration pack – not wanting to take a chance on the heat. Also, if you ever consider competing in this race, keep in mind that the advertised “25k” is actually good for a 33k.

Race goes off, first 10 minutes or so on beach, onto rolling roads and into the jungle set alongside Volcán Maderas. This is where the real fun began: the constant search for the next “flecha” (arrow) or señal (signal/streamer). With so many trails going off any which direction, it became a game of who could spot the next. The front pack consisting of me, two Costa Ricans and two Nicaraguans got lost at least three times. The worst of it being hiking around lost for what felt like 10 minutes with me throwing in my Spanish phrases into the conversation of where to go next. We came upon a ranch home and fortunately a local boy pointed to a nearby rock which contained the chalk arrow. The next few miles had a fun mix of technical and fast running through palm trees, big rocks and fields overlooking the water.

Eventually we made it out of the jungle and into the 3rd aid station in La Palma, the most eastern part of Ometepe. The next 15k or so was going to be rolling hills on dirt and concrete road in direct sunlight. Similar to the previous two aid stations, the other runners barely acknowledged the liquids and food provided and three of them hastily continued running. I took a bit more time and then quickly caught all three just a few minutes later. The two Nicaraguans looked beat at this point and eventually faded pretty hard. This left me and an older, experienced-looking Costa Rican to battle for the remainder of the race. Anytime I made a move, he responded right back. This guy was a fighter. I made another move and carried this lead for another 3-4 miles. It was only getting hotter and a couple buses drove by causing an awful dust storm, attempting to shield my eyes. My legs were slowly suffering and it began to feel like the last 10k of a road marathon. Heading into the final aid station, I took a quick glance behind and realized I still hadn’t shaken him. He looked to be about 15 seconds back. With under 5k to go, the sun seemed to deplete all of my remaining energy in my legs and I was finally overtaken on the final hill. The last two miles finished alongside the beach. I could see the finish way out in the distance and what seemed like the longest finish to a race ever. I ran tough all the way to the end and finished 2nd overall in 2:50:45, and the winning time of 2:49:48 set by Feliciano Davila Rodriguez. It was an unforgettable experience and learned a lot about my fitness and myself. After a clutch massage, a Toña beer, and Aleve gels being handed to me, I was presented with a volcanic rock trophy, a nice souvenir to take home. Not as nice to lug that thing around for the rest of my vacation!

****

Coming back to the Northwest to race the Fragrance Lake Half, hosted by Candice Burt and Bellingham Trail Running Series, was certainly a breath of fresh, cold air compared to the Nicaraguan humidity. Several runners use this race as a course preview for the Chuckanut 50k. It also felt like a shock to my lung and leg systems as I would find out later. The race went out faster than I was hoping, a Canadian runner taking the initial two flat miles out in what looked to be 5:45 pace. Fortunately I felt strong enough to put on a gap on the first, long ascent up the Cleator Road climb. From there, it was all about hanging on. Ten challenging miles later (the half had 3,300 ft. of vert), on the final suicidal downhill to the finish, I did exactly that: hang on. The second place runner made up some ground and got to a single step behind me as we were both bombing the switchbacks. One more gradual uphill was my friend and used it to snag the win by 26 seconds.

Thanks again for the continued support by Seattle Running Club, Brooks Running, Honey Stinger and all of my friends and family. And much thanks to Brian, for coming along to Ometepe, and my work, PopCap, who have supported my running antics.

Tags Aleve, Keith Laverty, Race Reports

Featured Race Reports

Three Random Guys Trying to PR in the Half Marathon: An Oral History

Post author By Joe Creighton
Post date December 10, 2014

After an autumn spent doing Wednesday Night Workouts together, as well as finishing very near each other at a few XC & trail races, an idea was planted to add *one more* race after the XC season ended. Evan Williams (1:18:13 half marathon pr), Derek Reiff (1:18:46), and Joe Creighton (1:18:41) would each try to set a personal record at the Seattle Half Marathon. Calendar proximity defeated course flatness in importance as their three-way date with destiny approached.

PART I – BEFORE THE RACE

Evan Williams
A couple months before the race, I had a feeling that I would be in town for Thanksgiving this year and wanted to go for a half marathon or 5k PR. In 2012, I accomplished PRs in both distances, three days apart. This year, there weren’t enough days after the Club XC Regional 10k to recover for a turkey trot AND the Seattle half. Thus, I picked one.

Joe Creighton
Running XC loops in Lower Woodland Park or in horrendous mud at Lincoln Park can mask yourself from what shape you’re really in. The Seattle Half Marathon was ideal in that it was, conveniently, one week after our last XC race.

Evan Williams
Joe, Derek, and I committed (to each other) to do the half on the Tuesday preceding the race, over pints after a regular Tuesday Fleet Feet jog.

Joe Creighton
I was carded for the first time ever, and I was empty-handed. My bald scalp didn’t convince her. My white chin-hair didn’t convince her. But my “sweet laugh lines” saved the day for me, before I had to pull out the case-closing white back hair.

Evan Williams
We all went home and then balked at the price.

Joe Creighton
The Seattle Marathon was *not* ideal in that it was, inconveniently, $135 fucking dollars for 13.1 miles. Do you realize how many energy drinks I could have bought with that money?

Evan Williams
On Thanksgiving night, Joe and I bit the bullet and then proceeded to enjoy whiskey while bombarding Derek with texts until he also pulled out his credit card.

Joe Creighton
Whiskey and Cointreau, to be precise.

Derek Reiff
I basically signed up under duress. But each of the three XC races I ran this year were run pretty closely with Joe and Evan, so I’d have hated to miss out on a potentially great contest.

Evan Williams
I should have signed up earlier, when the cost was semi-reasonable.

Derek Reiff
Tell me about it. I think all races should start cheap, like they currently do, and ramp up. But the days before, if there are spots left, race entry prices should start dropping, each hour. Fill those spots up.

Joe Creighton
The half marathon is probably my best distance, which I’m at times a little discouraged by. Mostly because of the race distance’s name. Half-marathon. Who cares how good one is at a HALF marathon? If a 5k was simply referred to as “half 10k,” then who knows if I would have wasted six years of my life trying to PR for 3.1 miles, which I did, back in Jun–.

Derek Reiff
The half is definitely my favorite distance. My first half I “trained” for was in Vancouver in 2011. The second half was miserable, but I signed up for another a year and a half later. I liked it because I was ready for it, and it doesn’t require speed if you don’t want it to.

Evan Williams
Half marathons are excellent. You get almost all of the beauty of a long road race with much less than half of the recovery time from a full marathon.

Derek Reiff
When we were discussing doing this race days before it happened, I was _extremely_ confident that I was in good enough shape to PR. Until Joe started talking about all the hills and the weather.

Joe Creighton
Before the race, I was probably 50/50 that I would PR, because I lack conviction of any kind.

::THE RACE EXPO::

Derek Reiff
There was a bathroom in the hotel in which the expo was held. Which was nice, as I needed one.

Evan Williams
I loved the sweet potato chips at the expo, which were almost as good as connecting with teammate Justin Houck at the trail running calendar signing.

Joe Creighton
Heh, “connecting.” Seeing Justin Houck brightens any day. Aside from that, my favorite moment was probably taking a free sample of EAS whey protein powder from what looked to be a 13 year old girl. My least favorite moment was days later when I made the world’s worst Egg Cream.

::TRAINING & PREPARATION::

Derek Reiff
I’ve been putting in consistent miles for a year now, so I’d say I’m in the best post-collegiate shape of my life. And team SRC cross country workouts helped considerably with getting my pace down a bit.

Joe Creighton
I’d dealt with a calf injury in August that kept me out of the (very comfortable Brooks) shoes for two weeks and slowed my preparation for XC. I probably wasn’t ~100% until the last XC race on Nov 23rd. I was only topping out at about 50 miles a week but I was very consistent the past 5 weeks. Still, 50 miles a week ain’t super for half marathons, so I just focused on happy thoughts, like Evan’s ridiculous quadriceps muscles.

Evan Williams
I usually have a pretty careful routine for loading up on energy before long races, but when there’s a holiday involved, the holiday wins. I ate an alarming amount on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. In order to offset food-coma grogginess, I followed up consumption with too much coffee. The one thing I kept consistent with past races was to not get stressed about pre-race plan deviations. The past is the past. Don’t let unchangeable decisions negatively affect your state of mind on race day.

Derek Reiff
My friend Eric says carboloading is dumb but I don’t follow diets of any kind except for no high-fructose corn syrup so I ignored Eric. (Eric did, however, turn me on to wet wipes for the bathroom. Which is necessary if you have a nervous day like I did on Saturday.)

And don’t wet wipes just make sense? I won’t go into details, but they make sense. Right?

Joe Creighton
You are a monster.

Evan Williams
I never felt the need to have a detailed race plan. The three of us are so similar in ability right now that it was going to be impossible to “drop” one another early without dearly paying for it later. Thus, stick together for a while, get faster in the second half if you feel good. Simple.

Derek Reiff
In this group’s recent XC past, I never pulled off a win against these guys, so I figured I’d tuck in behind Joe’s broad shoulders and Evan’s massive quads for wind resistance.

But seriously no, not that. I know that I wanted a PR and that these guys were in great shape and wanted a similar PR, so we should stick together and stay below 6:00/mile pace.

Joe Creighton
I had no concerns about running/racing with Evan and Derek, aside from Evan’s threats to be blowing ass all race and inviting us to “run in his slipstream.” Visually we likely appear to Joe Public as three very different runners, but we actually couldn’t be more alike, ability-wise.

Evan Williams
I went through extensive clothing research the night before, including weighing various shirt options as a joke to Joe/Derek and refreshing weather forecasts constantly. In 2012, I was way too warm in long sleeves and 36F. But, this year was drier and colder. Ultimately, I laid out my trusty pair of green judo shorts, gloves, sunglasses, and a black long sleeve Brooks-SRC shirt.

Derek Reiff
I’d like to solicit Brooks to make a cold-weather racing singlet. I paired two of their jerseys up for a nice little ‘duo-core singlet’ and boy was my upper body (core) warm.
No, it wasn’t at all actually. But it did make me feel more secure out there. Like a thundershirt.

::RACE MORNING::

Joe Creighton
It was really cold that morning. I wore gloves and covered my ears, but I run pretty hot so I figured I’d ditch them by mile 1.5. I never ditched any article of clothing though. And idoit liberal atheists still think global warming isn’t a hoax lmao

Derek Reiff
I assume complete failure will happen each and every morning of my life, so I like to map things out in order, in 15 minute blocks. 6:00-6:45 am was “Sit and wait.”

Joe Creighton
I just eat cereal and try to poop.

Evan Williams
When morning came around, I laid in bed as long as possible, called my mom, my wife, and checked texts to see if Joe and Derek were already at the start (Derek was). I skipped coffee, ate three clementines, and put on old sweatpants and an ugly sweater to bike 4 mi to the Space Needle. I felt barely warmed up and then jogged about 3/4 mi with Joe until my body was a little closer to proper operating temperature. Usually, I eat more before racing for 60+ minutes, but I didn’t have time and trusted my previous feasting to have saturated my glycogen stores.

Joe Creighton
I live out in the middle of nowhere so I had to get up at 5am and wanted to be on the road to lower Queen Anne by 6:30. I was also California-raised, and getting out of bed at 5am when it’s 25 degrees outside is literally the worst thing in the world.

Derek Reiff
After we miscommunicated and jogged to and from Evan’s bike for absolutely no reason, we got ourselves back to the start line with 1.5 minutes to spare. So at 7:29 I was thinking “I can’t believe Joe is just wearing a t-shirt.” Occasionally I’m self-conscious standing next to Rockstar-cap Joe. But so far it’s a 50/50 split between this and another hat. Turns out he wore it to the race.

Joe Creighton
I actually have two Rockstar hats and I’m not comfortable admitting how many minutes I spent deciding between the two.

Evan Williams
After a few last moment strides, I appreciated how easy it was to get to the front of the chute (excellent start layout), and bodied up with Joe and Derek to await the gun.

Joe Creighton
In my mind, the best-case scenario was all three of us running together en route to what we thought at the time was Evan’s PR (1:17:30), and then sprinting the final tenth of a mile on our own and letting the chips fall where they may. Which likely would have led to a finish order of Evan, Derek, and then myself, dry-heaving. :\

Evan Williams
I kept myself distracted from the impending pain by making a series of terrible jokes. And, several “don’t try to beat that guy” pointers in the direction of a handful of really in-shape specimens who had tights or shorts sculpted to their muscles. We would soon find out what kind of internal engines they had. Lastly, I located all the orange Club Northwest jerseys and tried to size up our rival competition.

Joe Creighton
I felt the typical “half marathon anxiety” on the start line. It’s gonna hurt, but I had about 30 minutes of painless running to ease me into it. I do remember around 7:27am Evan letting us know that he found out the night before his PR was actually only 1:18:13, which calmed me more, though I did wonder why he thought it was in the 1:17s to begin with. I probably farted at some point.

PART II – THE RACE

Derek Reiff
The end of mile 1 was about a half mile after I noted “Isn’t this so much easier than cross country?” We were just moving right along and we’re barely at 5:55 pace!

Evan Williams
I missed the first mile marker entirely. After my watch showed 7:45, I got concerned and asked Joe for the first split…5:55 I think, which was perfect.

Derek Reiff
“This is going to be a perfect race,” I thought to myself.

“Why does my left shoe suddenly feel a bit less secure?”

“Don’t look down. Don’t look down.”

(Look down)

“Ah shit.”

“How fast can I tie this shoe?”

“There should be professional shoe tiers on the course at aid stations, especially when it’s only 28° outside.”

“If I take a full 30 seconds to tie my shoes with my gloves off, can I catch up with these bozos? Would they wait for me if I asked nicely?”

Joe Creighton
“Oh geez look, Derek’s shoelace is untied on one of his shoes. What a noob! lol. So, wait…do we have to stop and wait for him if and when he decides to tie his shoe?”

Derek Reiff
“No, no way. Joe would never wait. His whole online persona is dedicated to being shoeless. What a jerk.”

“All right. This is where my expert stubbornness comes into play. No shoe tying. Maybe I’ll even rip it off at the end. Now my pre-race routine will incorporate triple knots.”

Evan Williams
Into the express lanes around mile 3, Joe, Derek, and I took turns leading through the headwind and tucked behind some fellow racers for a moment. These other guys weren’t too pleased about our drafting and dropped off pace.

Joe Creighton
That guy really didn’t want us to be drafting off of him. We were less than 1/4 into this race, on a 20-person wide road, and he’s cutting me off while I followed Derek into the lead of our pack.

Evan Williams
The tunnel mile was warmer (nice!) and as soon as we pulled away from the others in our pack, they charged back to catch us again. We couldn’t figure out what their strategy was, but the three of us kept steady and eventually chatted and jostled our way to isolation, about 20 seconds ahead.

Joe Creighton
Shortly after Mile 4, in the I-90 tunnel, Evan exclaimed “this feels fast!” I tried to ignore him. I figured Evan would feel strongest in this race while Derek and I slaughtered ourselves trying to keep up with him. I didn’t want to hear him suffering so early. Shutup, Evan.

Evan Williams
I had been suggesting a slightly slower pace for a while. Derek agreed, but Joe seemed full of energy and pushed on. Derek yells out, “5:35 pace, if you care!” I cared.

Joe Creighton
I’m self-taught to just go off the mile markers and cross my fingers that they’re accurate. I heard “5:35 pace” but right after Derek said that, we passed the mile 5 marker in 29:40. So I maintained my effort.

Derek Reiff
“Hey look, it’s lifetime members Uli and Trisha Steidl! I didn’t know they had a dog. Why don’t they bring the dog to practices? I love dogs. Not a bad place for a house either. Uli seems too happy to be outside in 28° weather.

Evan Williams
Trisha and Uli Steidl gave us some hollers. I felt like a champ, having been encouraged by our SRC teammates, and VERY accomplished Seattle runners.

Joe Creighton
“38:50” was what I saw on my watch when I crossed the half marker during this interminably-boring stretch of course. “Hmm, that works out to a 1:17:40 finish time, assuming I pull a rabbit out of my ass and even-split this course.” My confidence dropped from 60% to 30% upon doing this math.

Evan Williams
The rolling hills started near here, which caused moments of separation between us three. Ups have been tough for me all season, but I came back on the downs in order to keep everyone together for a few more minutes. The half-way split was a little terrifying when I realized I needed to even split the tough second half in order to PR. I had a little rhythm going, but was almost completely certain that my legs didn’t have enough gas.

Derek Reiff
“I wonder if Uli has any recommendations for my upcoming Germany trip. My god, it’s cold outside.”

Joe Creighton
As expected on the Galer+Madison hill, I felt like ass and I was probably down to about 20% confident I could PR. And I was pulling away from Derek and Evan?! We’re all gonna fail. This sucks. 135 bucks!?!?

Derek Reiff
“Oh my god. Dammit.”

Evan Williams
Joe and Derek put a gap on me up the Madison hill. No choice, I had to let them go in order to save my own race. It was bittersweet, knowing that all three of us were comfortable enough to be okay with the inevitable split. We shifted into our personal mental spaces and end-game strategy.

Derek Reiff
“Mother.”

Evan Williams
I recovered a lot of time on the downhill, post-Madison. Not enough to catch Joe or Derek, but sufficient to keep on PR pace.

Joe Creighton
Shortly after mile 9, the Interlaken hill settled down a bit and I cratered in confidence. Call it 10%. And I was leading us! And I couldn’t even hear Evan or Derek behind me! I really needed to see a cute woman around this point. Or a particularly happy dog.

Derek Reiff
“I’m so tired of seeing Joe’s back get further and further away. I can’t feel my legs. Are my legs actually kicking? Let’s do some high knees.” Nope, high knees are not possible. Too afraid to kick my butt for a few strides in fear of legs snapping.

Evan Williams
I increased my pain tolerance in order to maintain pace, but wasn’t sure it was sustainable. Things were looking dire. To beat 1:18:13, I needed to be at least 30 seconds ahead for the last 0.1 mi. I only had 20 to spare at this point. I had previously caught a guy named Phil, wearing a 7 Hills shirt, but he went into finish-mode and clocked some impressive late-race miles. I decided to refer to him as 7 Phills. He was not catchable, but I had to find some motivation. The thought of Derek and Joe ahead of me, reaching their PRs left me fearing the chance of being the odd-man-out. I could see myself regretting a missed opportunity and resolved right then to redline my aerobic capacity to the finish.

Joe Creighton
Coming out of Interlaken, slightly past mile 10, I knew I had moved well up that relatively hilly section, but I was still wary from prior races of the ~2 mile stretch before the downhills come around mile 12. Then I reminded myself that if anything, I would have a slight tailwind for that stretch, and I would say my confidence rose to about 80%. By the time I made the turn onto Republican (mile 12) and saw all that downhill in front of me, I was up to about 95%.

Derek Reiff
Mile 11.5/12 brought my soon-to-be-last attempt at catching Joe. Little bit of road ice here. Got into my recent habit of doing raspberries in the air to relieve race-stress. (It helps, try it. A bit weird when passing, though.)

But since I was upping my pace to try and catch Joe, I started doing it every breath. Spittle started flying. Started thinking “Is this the mindset those crazy people are in when they cross the finish line with spit all over their faces? I’d better stop.” /wipes mouth off.

I think it helped, though.

Evan Williams
Red lining is paying off! 40 seconds to spare for the final 0.1 and some downhill ahead. Finally felt like I might complete the PR trifecta. My hamstrings had moved from painful to numb. A Club Northwest guy was closing on me fast, but I was flat out already and he told me to hang tough as he passed…a rival, but a gentleman.

Derek Reiff
The final mile-ish is almost entirely downhill. Super hard on the legs at this point. Joe’s really putting me away now.

Evan Williams
The final mile was the toughest mile. There are a few surprisingly hard rises in the last full mile that just about caused me to DNF. It felt like some external being was marching my feet up and down to hold as close to pace as possible. I was fading, but my watch showed 46 seconds in the bank for 0.1 mi.

Derek Reiff
“Is it possible that I could get top 10 at this race? I have no idea how many people are ahead of me, but it can’t be too many now…

“You’re 11 and 12!” says the guy as we enter the stadium. “Shit. Way to go, Joe!”

Joe Creighton
I entered the stadium knowing I wasn’t only going to PR, I was gonna come in under 1:17. For a brief moment I tried to think of a clever way to draw attention to myself as I crossed the finish line in victory. Raising your arms doesn’t really make sense unless you outright won…I can’t do a back flip. At least I don’t think I can. Eh, I’ll settle for a subtle fist pump in my head. I turned around and immediately saw Derek coming in right behind me. We squeezed in a quick photo but I admit I kept glancing at the clock, not knowing if Evan would make it and not feeling particularly confident.

Derek Reiff
One last guy. Passed right before I hit the stadium. Sprinted the grass in. Announcer said “These guys got up very early this morning to be here. Great athletes.”

Joe Creighton
It felt like we dropped Evan really quickly on the Madison hill around mile 8, which is a brutal point in the course to lose contact. I was merely hopeful, doubting he was gonna make it, as I saw the clock tick towards 1:18. If anyone could somehow rally though, I knew he had the stones.

Evan Williams
Made it! Ten seconds to spare and badly needing to descend from the world of suffering experienced in the final 5k. I got a little emotional as Derek and Joe went nuts…they weren’t sure where I was and knew the PR would be really close.

PART III – POST RACE

Joe Creighton
I’m at a loss on how the race could have gone better. I suppose all of us finishing together (me perhaps a second ahead of both of them and with someone handing me a cheeseburger immediately upon finishing, that would have been pretty sweet.) But outside of that scenario…

Derek Reiff
Why didn’t the race director postpone a week? It’s supposed to be 50+ next Sunday!

Evan Williams
With a little more care in preparation, I would have liked to be a bit slimmer and better on hill repeats. But, those are both minor critiques. XC season is a great training plan for nearly ANY distance!

Derek Reiff
I was really expecting to see something hot in the recovery area afterward. Did I miss it?

Evan Williams
I’m sure the post-race spread was tremendous, but I was hurting too much to consume anything more than a bottle of chocolate milk. I remember the days of eating everything in sight post-race. I think I am now better at pushing myself further during the race, such that all my systems need some freak-out time before I can think about digesting solid food.

Joe Creighton
As I now expect from running this race a few times and pacing a few times, the post-race spread was fairly dismal. I did do the full marathoners a solid and (politely) requested the Darigold chocolate milk ladies set aside enough bottles for the 26.2ers, so if any full marathoners want to reach out and thank me, I can be reached at jayaresea69420@skaforever.biz.

Evan Williams
After finishing something like this, I: find family/friends, drink water, walk around, try to jog a little, and then make a plan that gets me to a horizontal resting state as fast as possible.

Joe Creighton
We enjoyed a post-race breakfast at Roxy’s Diner near Derek’s house since he was low on bus money and needed a ride home. My notes state we split about six mimosas and Evan made some joke about diuretics that I don’t remember.

Derek Reiff
I added about 3 pounds after the race, from 11AM to my last 1/2 pizza at 11PM. No joke there.

Joe Creighton
When I got home, I announced my accomplishment to my lovely girlfriend, who then asked me if I got any milk from the grocery store on the way home.

Evan Williams
Succeeding at the Seattle Half has given me confidence that I’m doing something right with training. In some sense, that also means my other job and hobby responsibilities haven’t distracted too much from running. Thus, I can now say that I’ve improved my life across the board in a very busy 2014. That’s pretty cool.

Derek Reiff
These legs aren’t going to massage themselves. Man, I’m going to take it easy for a good month.

Evan Williams
Next up is a month long break of more casual running, with hopefully higher mileage. Then, I’ll race 10 mi at the Bridle Trails Winter Running Festival in January and start thinking about a spring marathon. The Escarpment Trail 30k in NY state is on my summer calendar already. It will be a vacation race to see my running friends from the east coast. Oh! I almost forgot, the Mercer Island Half on March 22nd. I’ve wanted to do it for years, as it’s the perfect warm up distance from my house.

Joe Creighton
Evan is bandying about the idea of doing something at Bridle Trails in mid-January, and as I said earlier, I have no conviction so I’ll probably do whatever he tells me I’m doing that day. Maybe run the 10 mile, maybe form a mediocre relay team, we’ll see.

Derek Reiff
Can I ask again, why does this race cost so much? Can’t top 20 get a partial refund? Frequent racers club?

Joe Creighton
It’s gonna be a bleak Christmas for a few important people in my life.

Evan Williams
My last thought on this experience is that it is extraordinarily refreshing to place in the top percentages of a community race after being a back-of-the-pack regular for the club XC season. When all-out efforts and PRs put you 10 places from last, you know your competition is a formidable subset of Seattle’s running population. 17th place at the Seattle half feels really nice.

Tags oral history, Race Reports, seattle half marathon

Featured Race Reports

The Race Trance

Marlene Farrell Image courtesy Takao Suzuki

A race can be very similar to a training run with a friend. If you don’t take it too seriously, the main differences are wearing a bib number and friendly volunteers handing out cups of Gatorade.

For me, however, a race is a performance, even if no one is watching me. I’m watching myself and will know if I executed well. It is not a casual endeavor.

I am reminded of a running shoe model I used to wear. It was called the “Trance.” It fits the state of mind required for a great race performance.

I don’t mean the kind of trance that is a hypnotic daze, in which one is less aware or in control. Rather, my racing trance is a hyper awareness and focus.

I just ran the USATF Trail Half Marathon National Championship at Lake Padden in Bellingham. Before the start, I felt a tinge of reluctance because I knew my fitness didn’t match my ambitions. But still I wanted to test myself with a hard effort.

The starting line was a wide grassy field, and we took off, cross-country style. I was swept up in the tide of elite runners as we swished through the grass and funneled onto a flat trail, the gravel crunching under our thudding footsteps.

I ran smoothly, but faster than I have in awhile. I wasn’t trying to keep up with the champions at the front, but I was pulled along, somewhere close to tenth place, where I wanted to be. We went around Lake Padden and began the first climb. The hills weren’t long, but they were steep and frequent. The trail shrank to a winding single track, twisting around tree trunks, traversing big rocks, swooping up and down with the terrain.

For those first miles I was living through my muscles, feeling the strain and burn and reacting to it. I’m sure my face wore a hardened expression as I swallowed the discomfort and tried to not think of the many miles to go.

Around the five-mile mark a trance fell over me. The unpleasant strain was still there, but I was detached from it. I inhabited my mind, elevated above my body, which ran with graceful precision. I adapted technique to trail changes without thinking. My trained muscles took over so I could feel the thrill.

I started noticing the other racers. Hungry to overtake them, I hurtled downhill and ticked off the uphills with steps that hardly touched the ground.

Some sections of trail were splattered with fallen leaves over hidden rocks. It was an optical illusion of shifting patterns. In the trance I could mute the over-stimulation and pick a perfect path. The low clouds made some forested sections feel like dark tunnels. Then the light would brighten as we broke out into open patches, but I wasn’t distracted.

At the top of each climb I would feel a lactic build-up so strong I could taste its bitterness. Each time there would be a second or two of slower running, a stooped recovery. Then my shoulders would rise and I would feel a surge to bolt again. What had made me weak in the knees actually made me stronger and more determined.

A smile had replaced the grimace on my face. I ran that way all the way to the finish line, which was uphill after a long flat mile. My surges put me four minutes ahead of the women who were near me at mile five and edged me closer to my faster competitors, though I never caught them.

Afterward, the trance slowly faded away. I was left with a feeling of transformation and cleansing. No matter my finishing place, if I can race like that, facing fear and getting to the other side, it is a powerful experience. I just can’t simulate that in a training run. Now I remember why I love to race.

Tags half marathon, Marlene Farrell, USATF

Race Reports Uncategorized

Cougars, Coozies, and Cookies

Post author By Joe Creighton
Post date October 28, 2014

Volunteering may be something I *have* to do to fulfill my legal obligations as a famed member of the #SRCBrooks team for 2014, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve dreaded any of my duties this year on Cougar Mountain. Well, aside from that one awful wheelbarrowing task back in July which only reminded me that my oven mitts are probably better suited for getting manicures than manual labor. All in all it’s been rewarding and fun and dare I say pretty easy at times!

A couple days ago I found myself yet again pulling into the Sky Country trailhead parking lot with no intention of racing. I was there to work the “Finish Line” at the fall Cougar Mountain races, which includes 8mi, 20mi, and 50k distances. I had actually already fulfilled my volunteer hour requirement, so “Finish Line” sounded like a nice & effortless victory lap of sorts after a summer of wheelbarrowin’, aid-stationin’, and John Wallace-ignorin’. I would high-five finishers and hand them socks and beer coozies and they would thank me and hug me and maybe ask me out on a date (to which I’d decline because I have a girlfriend and she might read this post but probably won’t).

The following is a running diary I kept during the day on my phone.

*****

8:19am: I’m here! Parked, almost on time for my 8:15 shift start!

8:30am: Megan the volunteer coordinator just asked if I’d be willing to run to the mile 6.5 fork in the road and direct 8 milers to the right towards the finish line and the 20 milers and 50kers to the left and far away from the finish line. I really want to say no because I could see them setting up the food tent (with cookies!) like 20 ft away, but Erik Barkhaus, my 22 year old #SRCBrooks teammate and Finish Line co-worker today, hasn’t showed yet. So off I’m going.

8:33am: I’m slightly lost, not sure how I got off track so quickly.

8:47am: Ok I asked a nice old couple and they helped me find the right trail, and I’m here at the 6.5 mile fork.

9:35am: Lots of cool and happy people have run by! I am hearing a lot of British accents actually, which is kind of weird. Are they all related? I have been called “mate” three times too. Yeah, that’s the punchline to that anecdote, by the way.

10:10am: By and large the racers are much happier to see me than people usually are, especially QFC employees. If I’m being honest. I mean, I would literally eat garbage off their sticky floor if a QFC employee looked at me like this:

cougar8mi

10:35am: I went off trail twice but I’m back to the finish line to start doing what I originally signed up for. Eric Sach (owner of The Balanced Athlete and apparently now *not* the owner of razors at home) directed me on how to size runners for socks. It all sounded really complicated and I hope Erik can handle that specific task. I threw away my application to work at The Balanced Athlete while walking by the food tent for a cookie.

11:04am: Our first 20 mile finisher just arrived, #SRCBrooks teammate Martin Criminale! Addy Davis, the 2nd place finisher, was only 45 seconds behind! Erik and I were immediately thrown in “rush hour” and I’m sure one of them got the wrong size socks 🙁 Erik’s fault though 😉

11:15am: Beth Steen finishes 3rd overall and first for women! I think on the spectrum of “amazingly happy to see me” to “pretty damn miserable to see me,” Beth was squarely right smack dab in the middle. I’ll take it!

11:25am: The conversation with my coworker is currently kind of weak so I showed Erik a SICK youtube video of this guy’s awesome energy drink can collection, trying to see if we have any similar interests besides running and wearing Brooks running clothes and shoes. He’s probably a smart guy but I gotta say I’m not impressed with Erik’s knowledge of the energy drink culture.

11:40-11:50am: Big rush of finishers, I think I’m developing a callous on my left hand from picking up beer coozies and recklessly throwing out high-fives, so I took a cookie break. I’ve run the 50k at this race before and I have to say so far I’m impressed with the composure of the finishers. While most don’t laugh much at my jokes, they seem coherent and happy to have raced and finished.

12:05pm: Fellow #SRCBrooks’er Evan Williams has come over from the food tent and he bears gifts! By which I mean a cup of soup, which looks really good as I’ve started to get pretty cold standing mostly still at the rainy finish line. Well, he brings a cup for soup for himself and says I’m free to go get my own. So I get one…and why not, a cookie for dippin’.

12:12pm: When I got back the three of us brainstormed the best unusual pizza toppings. Everyone laughed at mine though I’m not sure what’s so funny about tortilla chips.

12:16pm: One of the afore-mentioned British racers just finished and wasn’t receptive to my high-five. He left me hanging in front of what was probably tens of people. I think it was a culture thing, not malicious. Unfortunately Evan and Erik were among those tens and are having a good laugh about it.

12:30pm: Spent 5 whole minutes explaining to Erik about this drink from my day (Erik is only 22 I think, did I mention that?) called “Caffeine Free” Pepsi that was like regular Pepsi but only drank by your middle-aged relatives at family reunion picnics and I think was only sold in the summer. Erik confuses me by saying “cool” but with not much enthusiasm.

12:40pm: Olin Berger is the 50k champ, and wearing a beautiful SRC singlet to boot! Some may recognize Olin as the 2014 Fat Glass 50k champ (see below) but ironically he was dirtier after that race than today’s muddy mountain run. I just said to him something like “A performance like that deserves a cookie!” (but more witty in the moment, I swear) and I went to get him one but then I forgot to give it to him and accidentally ate it.

Race leader Olin “that’s not how you pronounce my name” Berger through four loops and feelin dirty. #fatglass pic.twitter.com/3Rppu8A86x

— Seattle Running Club (@SeattleRunning) September 27, 2014

1:10pm: I can’t decide if I’m more impressed with the racers or with their friends and family patiently waiting at the finish line in this windy, rainy weather. I think they deserve at least a beer coozie too if not a pair of dry socks. They don’t even seem to be partaking in the cookies at the food tent. Heroes.

1:15pm: I found an app for my phone and Erik helped me figure out that my eyebrow hair is growing an average of 1/16″ per day! I’ll just say he didn’t not seem impressed. Phones these days!

1:25pm: Ugh, kind of embarrassing. I made a really funny joke (IMO) and Erik I think pretended not to hear me even though it was pretty obvious he did because I said it plenty loud so to get the upper hand I decided to retell the joke but then I mispronounced the word “Nantucket” and the whole thing was ruined so I did the first thing I could think of and that was to go to the food tent and get another cookie. Damnit!

2:20pm: Erik’s friend and ride and fellow SRCBrooks’er Matthew McClement has showed up after his volunteer gig at the Highway 900 aid station and now Erik is threatening to leave any minute. :\ Also I’m pretty sure they’re talking about me.

2:58pm: Erik is still here, still talking about leaving.

3:12pm: Uh oh, I just realized I gave two women *last year’s* Cougar tech shirt. I am already thinking of ways to blame John Wallace.

3:16pm: Erik finally left. It was fun getting to know him but I just don’t think we share enough life interests to really take our friendship to the next level. Unless he changes my mind. I’ll email him tonight.

4:37pm: It’s been 20 minutes and there are still three people out there. And their friends are waiting and it’s apparent that the friends are nervous. Two of them arrive though, separated by only a minute. You can almost see the breath of relief leave their friends’ mouths.

4:43pm: Nancy is the latter of the two recent finishers and after skillfully receiving my gift of socks and beer coozie, she more or less immediately turns around and heads back out. “Where is she going?! Doesn’t she want a cookie?!” I ask her friend who’d been waiting patiently the past hour. “She’s crazy!” she replies. Fifteen seconds later, Nancy re-emerges from the woods with Sherrard Ewing, the final finisher in 8:41.

This is what happens during muddy and wet and windy and arduous trail runs. You meet people you’d otherwise never meet and you suffer together and then you separate. Maybe you’ll see each other at another suffer-fest. Maybe never again. Who knows where these two met on the course and how long if at all they ran/hiked/ate/swore together. At some point and somehow they bonded enough that Nancy, rather than luxuriating with hot soup and cookies and warmth that she’d definitely earned over the course of 8.5+ hours today, headed back out into the muck to help bring in her new compadre.

*****

All in all, it was a great day for racing, especially those well-versed in late-October weather here in Seattle. Many other volunteers were working a lot harder than me Sunday to make this race happen, but it always feels good to at least lend a small, delicate hand. I know from experience that the course is pretty brutal and how happy it can be to finally cross that finish line and be done with it all. Seeing it from the other side, up close on so many people’s faces, was a joy that more than made up for the wet and the cold and the fact that the food tent eventually ran out of cookies.

You won my heart years ago, Cougar Mountain, and I’ll see you in 2015!

Tags Cougar Mountain Series

Featured Race Reports

Marathoning With Pure Grit

Post author By Evan Williams
Post date August 4, 2014

Evan Williams - Eugene Half Marathon

I set out on a mission to run a “good” marathon six months ago. On Sunday, July 27th, I ended up with a 13 min PR, 2:51:52, at the Eugene Marathon and the feeling of having finally accomplished something close to my capability. A “good” run would be one in which I didn’t fade to walking pace in the final 10k, regardless of the overall time. That’s the story of my two previous attempts. This was different.

As the pre-race week arrived, my day-job schedule got so busy that I didn’t have a choice about tapering. I wrote and turned in a 40 page thesis chapter, helped my brothers with a 12 hour journey from Portland to Seattle (moving our heavy new brewery tanks), ate several pounds of pasta with red sauce, and managed to start driving south to the race at 10 pm on Friday night. I arrived in Portland in the early morning hours, stayed with Meeks Brucker (former SRC XC teammate) and things started looking better after I woke up for a late breakfast and sunny 4 mi jog around the neighborhood.

Meeks and I caught up while running and revisited our usual conversation topics: Why run? Does an exhausting pace justify no kick at the end? When is the best time for a runner to drink beer? How is the knee bone connected to the elbow bone? Eventually, I had to depart for Eugene and pick up my race number before the expo closed. I was in a good mental state after the Portland stop and carried that vibe into the evening while watching Jordan McNamara win a 1500m elite race from waaaaay back in the pack at Hayward Field. To be that smooth and that fast is really special.

Evan Williams - Hawyward Field Mens 1500m

Ate. Listened to some Jon Hopkins. Slept.

I was up before my alarm at 3:55am and made the first shuttle to the start line. I’m never sure how much to warm up before long races, but, since I decided to go shirtless, I had to keep moving a little to fend off the chilliness of 59F air. The bathroom lines were incredibly long, so I gave up and headed to the corrals with 15 minutes to the gun. As planned, I had a sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich in one hand and 8oz or so of flat Coca-Cola in the other. I’ve always had a strong stomach, so I figured a few extra carbs and real-food protein were good late-race investments. I got some strange looks, deservedly.

The gun went off, the sun rose, and in a sea of surging and fading half-marathoners, I cruised the first 5k one second faster than my goal 6:20 pace (with a 10 second port-o-potty stop). I didn’t feel springy or fresh, but I was steady and relaxed. My three-step strategy worked perfectly, “settle down, dial in the rhythm, and have some fun.” Is there anything else to distance running, really?

Around 5 miles in, I either missed a mile marker or the organizers never put one in the ground. Other runners noticed the same problem later. Signage was sporadic and race clock displays were even rarer. After I saw the 10k clock display 42:50 (6:54 pace) I began to question my pacing ability and accidentally reset my own watch while trying to confirm if my second 5k had really been 7:29 pace (it wasn’t). OK, fine. I decided to restart my clock at 7 miles and put the rest in the past. Mile 7 to 8 was 7:47. I looked around in disbelief, only to hear some complaints about mis-marked distances and some strong language from the adjacent pack. Without being able to trust the clocks or the markers, I was left in a chronographic darkness for the foreseeable future. There was only one solution: listen to my body and keep moving forward.

Evan Williams - Eugene 2014

I caught up to a guy around mile 10 and we had some back and forth challenges for a while before we realized it was much better to work together. We had the same sunglasses, shared a total of ten words over 9 miles, and moved up about a dozen places. I had no idea how fast we were moving, but based on the 20 mile split later, it had to be near 6:10. Our team of two, spontaneously formed and sadly ephemeral, was one of the best running experiences of my life. We had smiles plastered on for an hour straight. Why compete? For moments of Race Magic like this.

Somewhere in that stretch, we crossed the half-marathon mark. Of course, there was no clock display. I asked my new friend if he had the time. Seeing as he had not reset his watch, he did – 1:22:49. Right on target! My confidence was restored.

Twenty miles in 2:06 felt great. Mile 21 (6:05, if the signs were correct) felt great. Then, I stumbled and almost fell over completely as both hamstrings cramped within two steps. I couldn’t believe it. Ideal pacing, great weather, a breakfast sandwich at the start – and now I was about to be derailed by two muscles without enough electrolytes. Walking wasn’t an option. I was determined to save this race and not have it be defined by a miserable final 10k.

I slowed to a crawl at the aid station a couple meters away and treated it like a buffet line. Gatorade, Gatorade, banana, Gu, water, water…go! I eased back into running only to be hammered to a stop again. I took 10 seconds to stretch and reassess. My daily occupation is biomechanical engineering research at UW. I know how every muscle and joint works in the lower body. It was time to throw my preferred mid-foot strike out the window. The (Brooks Pure Grit 2) shoes could handle reasonable heel pounding into the pavement, so I started moving again by contacting the ground with nearly straight legs and then pivoting over my hip in a half-march, half-run motion. It wasn’t quite enough relief to my hamstrings and I cramped again. By the third attempt, I had it figured out. I could manage 7:30 pace by alternating periods of tin-man running with skipping and prancing. The latter techniques allowed me to bounce forward by way of calves and quads and kick out in the air to stretch hams and glutes. Joe Creighton had instructed me to run the final 6.2 miles as if I was listening to Daft Punk Alive 2007. I don’t think he meant I should dance the whole way, but that’s exactly what it looked like.

Evan Williams - Eugene 2014

My semi-official goal of running sub 2:45 disappeared, but I held steady and couldn’t have been happier with 2:51. It took everything I had physically and mentally. I never bonked and I overcame a tremendous obstacle in the last 45 minutes by applying what I’ve learned in engineering textbooks to perform a decidedly un-textbook running style and achieve a very respectable time.

It was the perfect race that couldn’t have been any faster. Well, I guess I did accidentally finish in the half-marathon chute. I’ll have to work on that.

Evan Williams - Eugene Half Marathon

Tags Eugene Marathon, Evan Williams, Race Reports

Race Reports

Oooohhh…On The Cougar Mountain Tip

Post author By Joe Creighton
Post date May 16, 2014

Cougar Mountain Series History

Marathons, 5Ks, 100 milers, Ragnars, 12Ks, whiskey miles. If you run somewhat regularly, you’ve no doubt been quizzed on why you run and what you’re training for and what races you like and what distances you prefer and do you do speedwork have you ever met Jodee Adams-Moore cause I have and have you ever run an ultra and well, why the hell not and wait where are you going? I’d just like to say I’m sorry for bombarding you with those questions at the Fleet Feet group run last month but I’m socially awkward and have no clue what to talk about until I’m certain you’re a Seinfeld or Fraiser fan.

If you had harrassed me with the questions listed above, I’d probably refer to myself as a tried and true *distance* runner BRO who logs hella miles and reads Joe Grant blog posts and would totally be best-suited at gnarly ultras like the Hardrock 100 if I really *wanted* to. You’d look at my bald head and George Costanza physique and have no choice but to believe me, but my training* and list of races run the past couple years suggests otherwise.

*This includes weekly SRC Wednesday track workouts, which only perhaps further confuse my brain as I train with even less distance-inclined guys who somehow manage to lap me during 200m repeats. “It’s only cause I’m a hella milage *distance* bro,” I’ll tell myself while gasping for air.

No matter your preference, there’s something for everyone on the weekend mornings of Cougar Mountain races. One per month from May through August, there’s something for the roadie who’s never set foot on a dirt trail to the grizzled Pigtails veteran who only sometimes leaves the mountains and everyone in between. It’s been around since 2003 and has been the playground for many of the wacky characters many of us have heard about over the years in this occasional hotbed of running talent. Just browse some of the old results. In 2003 we had young unknown phenoms with familiar-sounding names like “Jodi Adams-Moore” coupled with a not-quite-the-Fleet-Feet-owner-nor-can-he-rent-a-car Brian Morrison. The future owner of the Balanced Athlete was only my age! Most of the women are running under maiden names you might not recognize today. It’s a time capsule, and with good reason. For someone like me, who can’t pick a discipline and type of running I want to move forward with, I can always rely on the Cougar Series.

So with the 2014 season opener to the historic series looming last weekend, and my lazy spring, the piddly little 5 mile it was. The 5 mile was my very first foray onto Cougar Mountain back in 2008 and I loved it enough that six years later I’m sitting here on my really expensive futon practically begging you to run it yourself (or any other distance in the series) before you die. Compared to the Fremont 5k, it’s an earth-shatteringly hilly course, but compared to all other races in the series it’s easily the gentlest. You climb for a bit after a mile, a bit before and after the aid station at mile 3, but for the most part you can let it fly. To put it another way, it’s the race at which you’re most likely find a Club Northwest runner. On that note, it’s also the race you’ll finish closest to Joe Gray if he decides to show up. I had run the 5 mile four times before last weekend, with what I think are spectacularly consistent results:

2008: 33:59*
2009: 33:31
2010: 33:41
2012: 32:57

*Interestingly, 2008 was the year I PR’d in the (road) 5k with a 16:40, a round, thousand second number I’ve not been able to touch since. As my track splits seem to also confirm my declining speed compared to then, my Cougar times are still somehow trending downward.

Last weekend I was back for #5, this though my first time as an “#SRC-Brooks” honoree. That wish to impress my new teammate Nick Symmonds, combined with the facts that I hadn’t *really* raced since last December and that short races terrify me, had me sweating bullets the morning of. But I had a good poo and ate well and made sure the hay was in the barn. Thirty three minutes and one second later I was done, two places behind the win, behind two fellow #SRC-Brooks “teammates” that I’m not ashamed to admit would have beaten me 99 times out of 100. Four seconds slower than 2012 but on a much sloppier and slower course. All things being equal, I probably ran my best 5 mile yet.

A few months ago I was still entertaining the idea of running the White River 50 mile in late July, because it’s been 3 years since my last jaunt past 50k and I need to believe I’m still a hella distance bro. But as is often the case, I’ve procrastinated and now I find myself only a couple months away from the race and really zero 50 mile-specific training done. Not even an obligatory Mt. Si ascent. Am I still an “ultra runner”? Does it matter? So far in 2014 I’ve raced a beer mile, a 5.2 mile leg in a relay race and a 5.14 mile trail race. In two days I’m going to race a road 5k and a couple weeks after that I’m going to look like am Oompa Loompa next to Brett in his purple spandex at the Fremont 5k.

TLC once famously said “what about your friends?” Well, at the moment my friends like track workouts and short trail races so I guess that’s what I like too. TLC also famously said “Realize the realism of reality treats” which I fully take to heart with my running. Realistically I’ve only got so many more “fast” miles on these legs. Lastly though, ultramarathons, TLC also famously said “Oh baby, baby, baby, I got so much love in me.” And I do. For you. Someday I’ll return to you and become an honest ultrarunner once again, but probably not before a few more of those historic Cougar Mountain races.

I like TLC 🙂

Brooks Ghost with Mud

Tags Cougar Mountain Series, Race Reports

Featured Race Reports

10th Annual Redmond Watershed 12 Hour

Post author By Arthur Martineau
Post date March 24, 2014

Arthur Martineau Recaps His 10th Running of the Redmond Watershed 12 Hour Race
All images courtesy http://www.runners.photos/

This was to be my 8th and final time running the 12 hour. I think I’m actually going to miss it. This race holds a special place in my running heart. The first year I ran it, I was ramping up to run my 1st 100 miler. I did almost 60 miles, gave it all I had, and couldn’t walk right for days. It was the first time I’d ever run that far or for that long, and after the race was over, I knew I could finish that 100 miler. Well, I was pretty sure I could! I’ve improved my distance nearly every year, which is always one of my goals. Last year I was just shy of 75 miles, and I was in the best shape yet due to my training for Western States. I knew that would be a tough number to beat this year.

Pre Race
As usual with family, work and pets vying for my attention all week, I threw my gear together at the last minute, the night before the race. My needs are pretty simple at most races, even more-so at this one with its 5 mile loops. I use an Ultraspire Proton belt to hold my water bottles because my noodle-like arms could never make 12 hours even with the smaller 16 oz size, and it gives me a place to stash a few small items. Also I feel like I run much smoother without anything in my hands. I wear the Brooks Launch for all my runs of 50 miles or more unless it’s muddy. I’d like to be able to wear a little less shoe but my feet are too sensitive. No race drop bag is complete without a few Little Debbie Nutty Bars and peanut buttercups, they’re a nice break from gels. I also had to make sure I didn’t forget my new SRC-Brooks team singlet. This would be my first race as an official Brooks-Seattle Running Club team member.

I rolled up to the race in the family minivan around 5:45 AM. Normally I like to relax before the start, but today I would be shuttling runners from the park and ride to the start. I’ve been shuttling runners since they outgrew the trailhead a few years ago. As with most trail races, parking at the trailhead is pretty limited. The race directors, Chris Ralph and Tom Ripley, are great people and even better race directors, so I’m glad to help out in any way I can. I think every runner should volunteer at a race each year. It’s actually fun, most of the time.

After I finished shuttling there were barely a few minutes to get ready. I hit the bathroom and then went through my drop bag. I had my Blue Steel lube, extra water bottle, gels, salt, snacks, extra clothes for the forecasted rain, but no duct tape. Damn! No time to fix that now. Hopefully I could get some before my nipples started to bleed. I figured I had 6-7 hours to remember to ask at the aid station.

Redmond Watershed 12 Hour

During the last minute race instructions, Tom announced that he and Chris would not be hosting this event next year. There was a simultaneous groan from about 85 runners. Then he announced that the race would continue on and that I would be the new race director, at which point there was an even louder groan but only from about 80 runners. I could really feel the love in the air as most of the runners I passed during day gave me a big congratulation on my new endeavor.

Race Plan
The 5.375 mile loop makes planning really simple for me. I take one bottle and one gel every loop. I mix in some aid station food once in a while, normally a chip or a pretzel, sometimes a piece of fruit. My realistic goal was 70 miles and to keep moving with a strong effort for the full 12 hours. Since this isn’t an ‘A’ race for me, it was also important to stay injury free.

The Running
I love the start of most ultras. Everyone acts like middle-school kids, all hopped up on sugar, laughing and joking around. We all feel we can run forever. We all think today is surely going to be a PR day. And at this race you never know who’s planning on running for 12 hours and who’s just out for a quick 50k before they go about the rest of their weekend. After a few loops, everybody’s race plan becomes apparent. At the start, I held back the best I could but the first two laps were still a little fast, just like in the previous seven years. Some people don’t like loops or timed races but I love seeing all the runners that you never get to see during a fixed distance or non-loop race. I love giving and receiving so much encouragement. Even if it’s just a grunt later on in the race, it can snap you out of a funk and get you back on track. I was the most inspired this year by Bob Stoyles. At 84 years old, he did over 16 miles. I hope I can do that at 84. Another reason I like the 12 hour is it seems to get harder as the day goes on. I love the extra challenge of not having a fixed finish line. After 6 or 7 times up, that small hill now seems like a mountain, and that short loop can seem like it’s twice as long as it was last time. It takes a lot of focus to continue giving more effort for the same result. Then, out of nowhere, the opposite happens and you can’t believe you’re done with the loop already.

Eventually, around 30 miles, I remembered to ask for duct tape. No bloody nipples today! As the day wore on my fitness ran out, somewhere around 55 miles. I did a good job at pacing and fueling, I just didn’t have the training volume needed to sustain the pace. Every year there’s a loop sometime after number 9 or 10 that I give all the extra effort I can muster to try get a faster lap in because I know I’ve been slowing down, only to finish the lap 30 seconds slower than the previous one. This year the last 3 loops were like that. I stopped a few minutes early so I could watch the timing system in action.

The Finish
I accumulated 70.595 miles in 11:48. I finished 1st in the over 40 year old age group. I’m normally rather critical of my performances, nearly always thinking I could have done better, but this year I’m happy with this result and look forward to building on it for my summer races.

I’m excited for 2014 when I can watch all the crazy runners go around and around and around. The new website for the race is wp12hr.com.

Tags Brooks Team, Race Reports, Redmond Watershed 12 Hour