LBL50 Race Report

Land Between the Lakes 50 Miler Race Report

Troy Shellhamer March 12, 2011



Trying to sit here the week after the race I have so many thoughts on the race I am not quite how I want to spin my report of the Land Between the Lakes 50 miler. Should I start with an action packed opener? …At the halfway point I couldn’t believe it; I caught and passed Zach Gingerich, one of the fastest ultra runners in the country, winner of the infamous Badwater Ultramarathon. My goal pace was 1h30m per lap and I was currently ahead of schedule running 1h25m per lap. We were setting a blistering pace, both on par to crush the course record. Who would blow up first?

Should I discuss training leading up to the race? …The weeks leading up to the Land Between the Lakes 50 Miler were some of the best weeks spent training in the past several months. Finally completely free of concerns of injury, I could tackle the climbs out at Jefferson Memorial Forest once again and get in big miles. That was my goal, getting in big miles to lead up to the Umstead 100 which was only 7 weeks after Lovin’ the Hills. Squeezing in Land Between the Lakes would be considered a training race for Umstead, but one in which I was trying to break the old course record in hopes of leading up to a great performance at Umstead.

Should I start with a deep introspection? Telling the story of how it feels to achieve a goal of beating the old course record, but still coming in 2nd place to the old course record holder.

Or, should I just recall it all- tell my story and recall what really down during the LBL 50 this year.

The week leading up to the LBL50 was rather smooth. Much smoother than a usual race week I might add. There was no threat of a head cold, which usually appears the week before a big race. There was promising weather on the horizon. I wasn't stressed about race day, even though I had high hopes of setting a course record. All in all, it was just calm and smooth. I believed it was just another training run. The course at LBL is set up in a loop format, which is run 4 times. This is a stress free set up, in that you can have a drop bag at the beginning of the loop, and there are several aid stations throughout the course for extra fluids or nutrition. I didn't need to worry about the course markings or fluids or nutrition, I have run hundreds of miles at previous LBL races. So all I had to do on race day was go and run 50 miles as quick as my body would allow. I made the decision on race week to stick with my tried and true La Sportiva Crosslites. They might be a little heavy and overkill for the high quality singletrack at LBL, but the new shoes I had ordered and toyed with were a little tight in the toe-box and maybe a little too minimal. If I went with the minimal shoes, my legs would probably get a little more trashed from the lack of stability offered and unfortunately, this race wasn't the end-all be-all. I had to think about my "A" race which loomed in the future, The Umstead 100, only 3 weeks after LBL.

Two weeks ago I went down to LBL and ran some practice laps on the course to assess the possibility of breaking the previous record . The course record was set by Zach Gingerich the previous year. Last year was the first year anyone has ever gone sub-seven hours on the course. Zach ran the 50 miles in six hours and forty minutes. That equates to running 4 laps at one hour thirty minutes per lap, and then allotting forty minutes of time for the road run section. (The start and finish is in Grand Rivers, which is a little resort town several miles outside of the loop which the race runs the majority of its miles on. You start in town and then run to the loop, then run back from the loop to the town on the road once again when you have finished your laps on the trail.) When I went down for the training run, I ran laps of 1 hour 24 minutes which would have broken the record. My training run was only 32 miles though and I needed to hold that pace for the entire 50.

As no one before Zach Gingerich had run a sub-seven hour pace at LBL, and I was shooting for his six hour forty minute course record. I felt I was in good company. I didn't think many others in the race would be shooting for that time. I was curious as to the likelihood of Zach Gingerich showing up again this year, which could put a big damper on my hopes to win this race. To clarify; Winning was goal number 1. Setting the course record was goal number 2. I heard it through the grapevine that Zach had not signed up to race the LBL 50 this year, but that Steve Durbin, the race director, (a great guy too!), had held a spot open for Zach "just in case." I was fairly certain Zach wouldn't be there and that the race would be open to the lowest bidder in the field. I don't quite know why I didn't think Zach would be there. Maybe it is the win of Badwater, or the 100 mile PR he ran at Umstead last year in just over 13 hours. (Yes, 13 hours and 23 minutes to run 100 miles) For some reason, I just didn't know what his goals were this year, and I didn't think he'd be there since he hadn't signed up.

Race morning was the most beautiful start I have been present for at LBL. It was in the mid-fifties already at six in the morning and there was not a cloud in the sky. I saw Russ Goodman at the starting line, (who thankfully was running in the 60K! ), and other friends of mine, Ricky George, Lee Lingo, Cynthia Heady, Melanie Bloemer, and a whole crew of Louisville people who are all awesome fun. We were all chatting away taking pre-race pics and then I felt immediate anxiety like when you're five years old and your parents just busted you doing something naughty. My stomach dropped out slightly and I felt tightness in my chest. Seeing Zach at the starting line was like seeing the hangman walking with a noose. I know he has been beaten before, but not on this course. This is flat and fast, his style running. He was coming off of a DNF at the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler in which Ian Sharman just ran a sub-thirteen hour 100 miler. Zach probably had something to prove.

In ultras if you begin to slip for one second and get caught up in running someone else’s race, you lose. The trick to running the perfect race is to run for yourself and yourself only. You can't gauge your performance and more importantly your race on another’s position relative to yours. Finishing strong is everything, and to do that, you must forego the wild antics in the beginning when everyone else is starting like bats out of hell. Long and slow and methodical is the key to success. It is a magical balancing and juggling act. Therefore, seeing Zach at the starting line should not have altered my race in any shape or form.

At the command to start I jumped on Zach's heels and began pursuit. I was in front of 99% of the race field, including hundreds of racers who were doing much shorter distances. I didn't mind this scenario, as honestly, a strong runner can recover from a quick start after their bid has been made in the beginning and their claim has been staked. My strength is strong finishes and so by the time that we had run our 1.75 miles on the road to enter the trail network, Zach was already out of sight. I knew that since I jumped in front of the rest of the field early, I wouldn't have to contend with maneuvering my way around the other racers as I ran on the narrow singletrack trail. The course record was 6:40, and I knew that if I stayed true to my effort, strategy, game plan, whatever, that I would run the best race possible.

The first few miles on the trail I ran with a guy named, Tim, from St. Louis. As always, the best aspect of Ultra is the multitude of 'Ultra-cool' people you run into. After the first aid station I was by myself already, and making haste. I didn't have a sense of ease and calm. I wanted to assassinate this race and destroy it. I wanted to do with flowery emotions or a good time out in the woods today. I do love the trails and the mountains, etcetera but today was about running fast. I wanted a continual effort from start to finish. During the Lovin' the Hills race, my competition stayed with me, not in front of me. I could rest and then take off again. This race though, the finish line was pulling me recklessly towards it like a city slicker being drug behind a rabid devil horse in the wild ole west. I don't think I was honestly running for me. My first lap was one hour and twenty four minutes, which was six minutes ahead of schedule. I didn't slow and recover for lap two; even though I was putting forth what I felt was less effort. I once again ran a one hour twenty four minute lap. Towards the end of the second lap I was doing great. I had settled into the pace I wanted and I was running with the mentality that no one else was out there, (which is when I do my best). Then the unthinkable happened. I caught Zach Gingerich. Near the end of the second lap, I saw his red baggy shorts bobbing through the forest and I was gaining on him. My plan was NOT to pass him, but follow behind him at his pace while I recovered and then I could wage my attack once I had recovered by running the pace he was setting that enabled me to catch him.

I led the 50 milers into the beginning of the third lap, with Zach Gingerich in tow. How could this be? It lasted about two minutes. At the aid station, I had no crew to pass me a bottle and so I had to run to my race bag to grab my bottle. This cost me a minute in which Zach took off. The first half of the loop was flat, and Zach was faster. The second half of the loop is hilly, my specialty. I would catch Zach at the end of the lap, see his red baggy shorts in the woods, and then I would have to WASTE another minute at the beginning of each of my laps, and he would be gone. It would take me another 11.3 miles to catch him, when the routine would start all over again.

My third lap hurt. I ran a fraction faster than my goal pace, at one hour twenty nine minutes. I was still ahead of schedule to beat the course record. Zach and I spoke briefly while running together at the halfway point about how the LBL course record would probably fall today. It was refreshing to finally talk with one of the fastest runners in the world. Seriously, this dude ran the Umstead 100 in thirteen hours twenty three minutes. He won the Badwater Ultramarathon which is 135 miles of pounding pavement in the heat to through Death Valley to Mount Whitney.

He was right in front of me, dragging me through the Land Between the Lakes Recreation area. Was this my greatest race ever or my worst? What could I do besides delay the burning in my entire body? I wanted to stop but there was no chance I could, or would ever do that. By running my first two laps six minutes faster than goal pace and running a minute faster for the third lap, there was no room for a stellar finish. I was hanging on for dear life, pushing through the pain and trying to not think about anything. As I stated earlier, I find the best ultra finishes come when you can surge ahead the last 25% of the race. To "surge" ahead, all you really need to do is hold pace. This strategy has worked beautifully in the past, but it just wasn't going to happen today. I had dug too deep. I was in maintenance mode. Fighting hard to hold pace but it was proving to be a difficult task as I clocked in my final lap at one hour thirty-six minutes, only six minutes slower than goal pace. I was still far ahead of the curve and knew that the record was going to fall that day, but I still wanted to seek out Zach and bridge the gap.

I knew that as soon as I completed my fourth lap, I would be able to hammer on home. I could handle any amount of pain for the last three miles of the race, especially since these miles were on the road. I knew I could jump up to at least 8.5 miles per hour from the 7.5 miles per hour I was running on trails. Once you exit the trail, there is a small out and back section of the course that is uphill. You have to do this small out and back before heading back to the finish line in Grand Rivers to actually make the race 50 miles.

I saw Zach on the out and back. We gave each other a high-five and congratulated one another. I knew that although he was only a few minutes ahead which is a tiny gap in a 50 miler, I could not catch him on the road. I did however, want to kill myself to try to get as close as possible. I wasn't giving up. I was attacking. I wanted the smallest fraction of time possible between our times. I managed to run just over 6 minute miles, (just under 10 miles per hour), for the last two miles. I lit a fire under my tail as soon as I realized that I might be able to break the six hour thirty minute mark. I crossed the line in 6:29. Six hours and twenty-nine minutes for 50 miles. I broke the old course record by eleven minutes.

Zach broke the old course record by around 18 minutes; Unbelievable. He finished in 6:22.

Apparently, Zach absolutely demolished the last two miles as well. I did not gain any time on him in those last several miles at all, and I was absolutely flying. I would like to think that maybe seeing me that close at the out and back, lit a little fire under his tail, but who knows...

It has taken me over a week to really take a step back and analyze this race. I was so shot after it was done; I was just rather emotionless and stoic. I said I was happy, but I didn't really know how I felt. Could I have done better? Could I have paced myself better for a stronger finish?

I honestly don't think I could have raced any faster. True, maybe I could have taken the first lap a bit slower, but my last lap was only six minutes over goal pace. That basically negates going slower the first lap. This violates everything I usually practice. But this was a true race, and I believe it is because I truly pushed myself to the complete edge, and barely held on, that I was so shot. I did hold on. I didn't blow up. I wasn't able to hold pace for the last lap, but going slower in the beginning wouldn't have saved my fourth lap. My fourth lap was actually pretty good, I was just fried, and I like finishing strong.

The emotion wasn't overflowing the day of or after the race. I was pleased, but I didn't really know how I felt. It was a mixed bag. It was a huge and complex race. I am, however, growing happier with this race as each day passes. It was just a lot to take in at first. I was really close to winning. My goal wasn't to get second. It was to win, and set the course record. In the past I tried to not gauge success on placement, but on finishing time and goals more pertinent to self and not others. By setting my goal on winning and not just breaking the breaking the course record, I managed to go above and beyond the realm of what I thought was reality. I thought on the best day possible I could run a course record 6:40. By spending my day chasing down Zach in hopes he would drop or blow, I ended up surpassing my own expectations of self. I stayed ahead of the 60K, (38 miler), race the whole day. I am very happy with that. There are a lot of factors I am now seeing that show me this race was more intense than I felt originally.

As always, the best part of the day was hanging around at the finish, talking to friends and racers about their races. Land Between the Lakes was my first 50 miler five years ago, and I have run it every year since. It will always be held deep in my heart as a very special event, with amazing people and community to support it.

Now, in only two weeks I tackle the course at Umstead, one hundred miles on a crushed granite running path. A super fast running surface, with the same elevation gains as Land Between the Lakes, just doubled. The course holds approximately 8000' of climbing on its 8 laps of 12.5 miles each.

Every race holds lessons. Sometimes the best performances aren't the most fun, and sometimes the most proud moments aren't relative to placement. Pinhoti holds such fond memories, and Umstead shall too. Running 100 miles in less than a day is always the definition of an epic experience. I can't wait.

Avia Stoltz Shoe Review

If the Avia Stoltz trail running shoe was a car, it would probably be a sporty little Subaru 4x4 wagon. True, it’s not the most beastly 4 wheeling machine under the sun, but it handles cruddy off road conditions well enough while it also drives well on the road.

I always use my golf club analogy for running shoes. There isn’t really one shoe that is going to fill every need. There are drivers, putters, sand wedges, etc. With trail running shoes it’s the same- there are racing flats for single track perfection, cross country racing shoes, long mileage beefy trainers, mud shoes, and there are shoes that fill the middle ground in-between.

I came across the Avia Stoltz while researching shoes that I could wear during my upcoming 100 mile ultramarathon, the Umstead 100. I wanted a shoe which was what I call a hybrid, one that performs equally well on road and trails, because the running surface at Umstead is a fine crushed granite powder loop, which one could wear a road shoe or a trail shoe on. I wanted a firm sole in a light shoe, and the Avia looked like it might fit the bill.

The Avia Stoltz is a do-it-all trainer which can fulfill all your needs. It was designed for off-road triathletes. The shoes weighs in at 10 ounces, and still offers more cushioning and support than most other shoes in that weight range. The light weight is achieved by a micromesh upper which feels very comfortable against the foot, as it hugs your foots natural curves and anatomy. The shoe has a long pull tab in the back, making it easy to get on and off, since it is designed for fast transitions. The cut on the ankle is honestly higher than a lot of other shoes out there now, as minimalism is a movement which is taking over the running world. Personally, I don’t really like how high the ankle/collar/tongue rises on the shoe, but that being said, I feel that the sole on the shoe is so good, (and comfortable), I am willing to overlook the somewhat high ankle cut on the shoe which impedes the natural motion of the foot, and I will keep enjoying the shoe for its intended purpose. I have a disturbing amount of shoes in my arsenal, so that is saying something for this shoe by the way! I like it…

The shoe is very cushioned by dual density foam, and the heel provides plastic stability supports which aid in guidance. This shoe is still classified mostly as a cushioned trail runner by Avia, and they say it has minimal guidance even though it has plastic heel inserts. The forefoot cusioning is awesome, you definitely won't get jarred by rocks, roots, etc. You will not feel them through the forefoot of this shoe. After putting it through the ringer at Jefferson Memorial Forests highly technical singletrack, I find it feeling better after putting a few miles on it. It excels on terrain which is not technical, because the fit in the toebox in heel is rather high volume, which means my foot slips around a tiny bit. This is highly PERSONAL, because my foot is rather medium to low volume. The heel is definitely high volume in this shoe though, and so if your foot is high volume, you might really love this shoe. I find that I will be wearing mostly on non-technical trails where road work may come into play as well. Running at Cherokee park would be perfect terrain for this shoe, where you often find yourself on road traversing to the next trail.

The sole provided firm cushioning, which feels great on the crushed running path at Tom Sawyer. Once again, terrain in which this shoe truly excels, since it is not technical, and the wearer needn’t have top-notch trail-feel and the ability to handle tight switchbacks.

This shoe could readily and willingly handle high mileage due to its incredible sole which is my favorite aspect of the shoe. The tread pattern is tightly spaced so it is best suited for mostly dry trails, in which they won’t get caked with mud. I prefer more lugged tread for winter snow or heavy mud, but in dry conditions, this tight tread pattern truly shines and feels best, especially while traversing terrain like roads or gravel it feels great.

The upper, fits better than most any other do-it-all type trail runner I have tested. True, it is designed for a medium to high volume foot, but the microfiber air mesh upper is designed to hug the foot regardless, which aids it fit to all feet.

As far as sizing goes…I usually wear a 9.5 or a 10. Right now I am trying a size 9.5 out. I could probably jump to a 10. You really need to try them out. If anything, I would say order your normal size, or if anything, size up a ½ size if you usually float between 2 half-sizes.

This is one that I definitely recommend trying out for anyone looking to get into trail running, or for any other trail runners who are always looking for a new shoe to try out. It is only available locally at VO2 Multisport, so stop in and try it out. The guys at the shop are all awesome, and Jeff, the owner, even runs ultras too, so he is a great resource to help you find the right shoe.

As far as do-it-all shoes go, it’s going to be hard to beat the Avia Stoltz. Most shoes in this category usually feel a little sloppy to me as I tend to wear more minimal footwear, but the sole on this shoe is awesome, and the upper hugs the foot well enough that you don’t lose all dexterity and trail feel. This shoe excels on non-technical terrain, so for most mountain bike trails and singletrack trail it is a very good shoe that most runners will love. It offers all the support and cushioning one could want in a lightweight package, which is hard to do! It’s a sporty little Subaru, ready to tear it up off road and then get you home in style and comfort too! Oh and speaking of style, I think the shoe is pretty damn good looking too! But hey, I like a little flash…

Training Runs at LBL / Pacific Crest Trail start date nearing!

Hi!




-Just dropping in for a quick update.

Friday, Kara and I took off to Land Between the Lakes for some training runs of the Course for the upcoming 50 miler in March. I was anxious to receive my new Montrail Rogue Racers, but I had yet to receive them as of Friday morning. Fortunately, just before departure in the Prius, Kara got work that the shoes were awaiting me at the Quest Outdoors warehouse!

We didn't end up camping on Friday night since we got down late. We got a room at the Grand Rivers Inn, and drank some wine and watched some TV, and ate our camp food that we had prepared at home the previous night...It was pretty awesome to stay in the hotel and "veg" out instead of setting up camp on Friday in the dark!

We ate at our favorite local joint in Grand Rivers, "The Light Side" and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast over several hours and drank a ton of coffee hoping to energize our spirits. Around 11 pm the sun came out and we were ready to hit the trails.



The run started with a runny nose and the onset of a cold, but I quickly began to feel better, I managed to run the 11.3 mile loop much faster than anticipated and I have very high hopes for the 50 miler in March. Last year Zach Gingerich ran a 6 hour 40 minute course record on the 50 miler so I know where I need to be. Hint Hint... My goal is to go under 7 hours.



The Montrail Rogue Racers were pretty awesome. I have been searching high and low for a minimal shoe, which still offers enough support for a 50 or a 100 miler. I probably wouldn't wear the Rogue Racer on a singletrack course that was 100 miles, but for me, it is probably perfect for the LBL 50 here in 2 weeks, since it is on high quality singletrack.



The Rogue Racers offer a race slipper fit, which could be described as narrow in the toebox. In La Sportiva I wear a 10 in Crosslites, and in Montrail for the Mountain Masochist, (my 100 mile singletrack shoe), I wear a 9.5. My New Balance 101's are also a 9.5. With the Rogue Racer's I have a perfect fit if I wear literally the thinnest sock I own. If I even wear a thin Injinji the toebox is too tight and I would have to jump up to a size 10. If you are usually borderline on shoes, like how I wear a 9.5 or 10, I would recommend sizing up...That being said, my 9.5 are great, (perfect fit), as long as I wear a tiny teeny weeny sock.



The Rogues offer surprising support in such a light package. I would say that anyone who likes the La Sportiva Crosslite would also like the Rogue Racer for different applications which require less support and traction. The cut of the Rogue Racer is very low which allows for natural movement of the foot. The weight of the shoe is all in the sole, which provides good traction when needed, but the upper is so light that is sacrifices protection from rocks and roots and stumps. This means you best not stub your toe!



Overall, I am very pleased with the shoe. It is the lightest shoe I can imagine actually wearing for the entire 50 miles. I have tried the NB 101 in 50's before, but I usually don't stick with it for the whole race. The Rogue Racer offers the beauty of not having to change shoes.



I ran the 31+ miles for my training run on Saturday, in a little over 4 hours, which pleased me, as my last 2 laps were at race pace and I actually went faster than anticipated.



We camped that night at a beautiful secluded spot by Lake Barkley and slept well in our new Nemo Asashi tent. It’s very nice to finally have a car camping tent that we can actually sit upright in!



Upon returning to Louisville on Sunday and going to my mom and dad’s house to pick up Kody, (our dog), I was super excited to see that my PCT guidebooks had arrived.

It was a tough choice to decide upon a set of guidebooks and maps for the PCT because there are several options and honestly, many have their drawbacks. The set I had wanted from the beginning is also the most expensive, and once they arrived and inspecting them, I am very glad we got the ones we purchased. They contain maps within the books so you needn’t carry separate maps. (The set is made by a former thru-hiker named Erik the Black.)



I had the chance this week to read some journals written by former thru-hikers. My love for the lifestyle has me feeling lucky and wide-eyed in anticipation for the hike and for a thru-hike of the Continental Divide Trail in the future.



March 1 has arrived also…This means less than 2 months before I step foot on the PCT for a 2658 mile journey on foot from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Louisville Lovin' the Hills 50K Race Report -February 2011

Louisville Lovin’ The Hills Race Report –February 12, 2011.
Troy Shellhamer

Race Literacy

I spent Wednesday prior to the Louisville Lovin’ The Hills 50K sitting on the couch, watching Without Limits. The movie chronicles the life of Steve Prefontaine, one of the greatest American track runners of all time. Steve made himself known not only by being the first to cross the finish line, but by the style with which he did so. Steve lit out of the starting blocks, and had to be in first place from the start of each race to the finish. He defined bold and risky, and he had the luxury to attack from the gun. Steve ran races which were over in less than 13 minutes.

Saturday’s race however, Louisville Lovin’ The Hills, was nearly 33 miles, all on trails, with an elevation change of 14,000’-15,000’. True, to win this race, a runner may need a fraction of boldness. Most importantly however, that runner would need to know how to read a race to attack at the right moments, practice discipline to stick to a game plan, and have the ability to change that plan if needed.

Here is my journal of the 2011 Louisville Lovin’ The Hills 50K Ultramarathon.

Race day had finally arrived and it was beautiful, blue bird skies and temps forecast in the low 40’s. I had spent most of the week prior to race day hoping I wouldn’t catch the cold my wife had been suffering from, and although I had a little congestion, I managed to escape the worst of it. My nerves wanted to be on overdrive anyways, which lends itself to illness. I wanted to freak out about catching her cold, but I tried to remain calm and chill, knowing that was the most beneficial attitude. I trusted in my training, and relaxed on race week, only running 5 miles on Wednesday to break in my new LaSportiva Crosslites which I would be racing in. I didn’t stress about the head cold, or anything else. My work was done, and my job was solely to let the race come, and run my own race, doing the best I could do.

There were about 160 runners at the chilly start, for the two mileage options available, the 50K and the 15 miler. I made sure that this year, I wasn’t getting my shoes on in the car at the command for runners to “Go!” I searched through the crowd of runners for Russ Goodman and Tim Barnes, as I wanted to be right behind them for the opening mile. The opening of the race through the Horine section was set at a blistering pace. My heart rate monitor was in the 170’s and as my friend Jeremy and I chatted away, we talked about the intense pace being set up front.

Running a strong race is a fine balancing act, you must run your own race, yet remain in contact with your closest competition in the beginning, what a contradiction! Russ Goodman and Tim Barnes were looking incredibly strong as usual up front. I placed myself right behind Tim, as he usual starts strong and I didn’t want to let him, (or Russ), get too far ahead, as they are both truly amazing athletes with many past results to prove it. I was hoping we would settle into a more manageable pace once we exited the 5.5 mile Horine section, and entered the 6 mile Yost loop stretch. Regardless of what their pace was, after Horine I knew I would be settling into a pace which I could handle for the duration, as my goal is always to finish stronger than I started. The beauty of an ultra is if you can pace yourself well enough in the beginning to finish faster than you start, you’ll achieve amazing things. The challenge with that same philosophy is it takes a lot of discipline, and you can’t start too easy either. It takes a lot of training and knowing your potential.

During the week prior to the race I talked frequently with Ricky George about the race sharing our excitement for our hometown Ultra. Ricky estimated to hit my target goal; I would need to exit the Horine section in 48 minutes. Sure enough, as I exited that stretch, my watch read exactly 48 minutes. Ricky and Tim however, were edging a gap on me, and the pace had quickened. I didn’t fall into the trap though. I ran my race, and listened to my body.

Upon exiting the Horine section, you enter an Aid Station before you head out to Yost, and Stephanie was there to cheer me on with my big bucket full of EFS bottles and Powerbars. Stephanie crewed me the entire race even though she was sick, and without her EFS refueling, who knows what would have happened?!

Russ and Tim flew out of the Aid Station and I let them go. I had to stick my guns, and I had faith that in doing so, I would be able to finish strong and hopefully catch them again if they tired. Fortunately, we were all together again in only several minutes after the excitement of the Aid Station. In hindsight, maybe they just sped up to get through the Aid Station. Regardless, I was proud of myself for being in the right mind frame to run my own race from that point on, and it felt even better when we still regrouped only minutes after I let them go since I was running on my pace at that point.

Russ, Tim and I were only inches apart for the first several miles of the Yost stretch and it was probably the most enjoyable stretch of the race for me. I’ve been watching Russ and Tim for several years as I got into running ultras, and so it was great to be up there with them chatting and enjoying the beautiful weather we were running in. These are the guys I’ve looked up to for years as they made podium year after year in this race in others.

The Yost section for me has always been the hardest stretch. The climbs are relentless, and it always seems monotonous. I was starting to feel comfortable running with Tim and Russ, and I knew it was time to go back to running my own race. I didn’t want to go out too fast, and I didn’t want to be in front of them really, but I knew I could run faster than we were currently running through Yost, and still pick up speed in the second half, so I moved in front after summiting a climb midway through Yost and moved on. I found myself relatively alone for several minutes, but Russ had quickly followed suit, and I found myself running with Russ close on my heels to finish the Yost stretch.

It was a great feeling seeing the welcome center knowing that ahead of me lay the Siltstone Trail section of the race, since I’ve run that trail multiple times weekly for the last six months. There is an Aid Station at the beginning of the Siltstone stretch and it was warming up, so I stripped off the shorts I was wearing on top of my compression shorts, as well as my arm warmers. It was time for battle! Russ took the lead as I was shedding layers and getting more Powerbars and EFS, and so I made sure to make haste in my pursuit to get back within eye sight of Russ on the first climb of Siltstone. We ran together for about two miles, with Russ in front, and me on his heels, catching my breath from catching him again. I was feeling good on the climbs, and I reached a dilemma. I didn’t want to light up the race at this point. We were only 14 miles into the race, and if I took off, I would surely die in the end, and Russ would pass me. He is known for his ability to pace perfectly and run the same speed throughout. What should I do? Jump in front, and let him control the race from behind, or let him take the lead throughout Siltstone while I conserved energy and hopefully could light it up for the end? It was a tough choice, but I knew the answer. I pretended like I was alone, and ran my own race. I took first place back from Russ even though we were only at mile 15, it was tough to do knowing how early it was in the race and that I would have to defend first from then on. I knew I could control the race better from the front and inadvertently, I could just zone out and run my own run, on trails I knew well! I didn’t run “looking behind”, I ran by attacking what was in front. I was on the offensive, not the defensive, looking ahead not behind.

I ran the Siltstone out in 59 minutes which basically matched most of my fastest training runs. I was pleased to say the least, but it was about to get confusing. Siltstone is an “out an back” section, and you run a 3.2 mile loop around the Scotts Gap Trail before you head back on the Siltstone towards the finish. I was refueling my EFS and Powerbars, when I saw a runner leaving Scotts Gap. What the hell? I also looked back and saw Russ heading my way. Russ was right behind on the monster climb up Scotts Gap and I asked him in shock if he knew who the runner was who was leaving Scotts Gap. I had been sure I was in first. We both laughed and said we hoped it was someone who had taken a wrong turn on the course. It ends up, that is exactly what happened. Several runners had accidentally missed the entire Yost section. I took off again into the demoralizing Scotts Gaps section attacking what lay in front of me, not worrying about anything else. I was pretty calm and felt good. I made it out of Scotts Gap in record time, (35 minutes), and couldn’t see Russ anywhere behind me upon leaving Scotts Gap. (There is a great vantage point upon leaving Scotts Gap which provides views of the course behind).

I decided to take the first climb back onto the Siltstone ridge pretty easy and finally gave 110% from there to the finish. I completed my Siltstone back in less than 65 minutes, and I could definitely feel that the temps I was running in were the warmest I had experienced in the last few months. It was in the 40’s. I was mildly dizzy at a few points during big climbs, but I still pushed on, and focused on catching the runners who missed the Yost stretch, which entertained me! The out and back Siltstone stretch is also a favorite of mine because you get to see of all the other runners heading out to Scotts Gap and encourage one another. Upon finishing Siltstone I wasn’t actually sure if I was in first or not due to the confusion of runners skipping the 6 mile Yost stretch, but I had chased down most of them.

The final 2 miles of trail are all uphill to the finish, and there are several great vantage points. I didn’t see Russ behind me, and I knew I could dig deep and maintain pace.

Coming in to the finish was an amazing experience because I realized I could break 5 hour 10 minutes on the longest course that Lovin’ The Hills has ever been run on. With the addition of the new Yost Ridge Trail and the Connector trail, the entire race was on trails this year without the one mile road run, but it also meant the race was closer to 33 miles, so I was ecstatic to hit so close to 5 hours. Hearing the cheers of friends Ryan King and Kevin Sullivan from race sponsor Quest Outdoors was an awesome feeling. Ryan handed me my first place awards and I screamed as loud as I could and fell to the ground in elation. I had just won my hometown ultra, which happens to be one of the hardest 50K’s in the country.

One of favorite moments of every year is sitting around the finish of Lovin’ The Hills, with my friends talking about our races and sharing stories from our day and catching up on each other’s lives- The ability to do that after a win was pretty awesome, but not as awesome as seeing that all of my friends had great races too and were still smiling. Russ came in second only 10 minutes behind me, and Tim came in third.

My wife Kara was able to run with Kelly Morris and Melanie Bloemer and they all had a blast out there running together. Ricky George was able to run an impressive race even after an ankle injury that prevented him from training much on trails. I love seeing the look on racers faces such as Beau Hollis who just completed his first Lovin’ The Hills, such an amazing accomplishment, this race is no joke! All these runners overcoming the odds and running one tough race, that’s what it’s all about!

A great day and I’ll never forget this one.

New Spring Shoes to Get Excited About.

I wrote two entries today, so check out the entry below as well...

Finally! There is a whole batch of shoes to get excited about!

Maybe it is the FiveFingers movement, or just a total lack of low'slung racing flats for trails supportive enough for a 50 miler, but there a lot of great things coming to stores in spring 2011,

Keen A86
Haven't gotten a chance to  road test these, but I'm getting some in a few weeks to test out! Could be a competitive shoe for Keen finally!? It would be a first! 9.4 oz, drop unknown



Montrail Rogue Racer- Getting to test these in one week, Feb is here! 8.8 Oz 10mm drop





Saucony Peregrine- Still trying to source these without paying retail! The peregrines counterpart for the road however, has been getting nothing short of RAVE reviews, and a friend of mine, even wore the Kinvara, (road version), during part of the Pinhoti 100! I am excited to try this as it has the lowest drop in most any trail racer I have seen which still has enough support and cushion for most to run a 50 miler in as long as the trails are good singletrack 9.2 oz. 4mm DROP!

Late Winter and Early Spring Racing

So after the Lookout Mountain 50 miler in December, it was time to make sure a little residual shin/tendon soreness was resolved permanently before attempting to tackle the big mileage weeks needed for the 3 upcoming ultra's in Feb, March, and April- a 50K, a 50 miler, and a 100 miler respectively.

January included a lot of treadmill miles, and I ventured from my typical training style. Doing long runs on the monster grades at Jefferson is my favorite terrain for 30 mile training runs and had been the staple run for Pinhoti training in November. However, due to soreness in some tendons in my ankle and shin I decided to take it easy on the grades at Jefferson and limit my run mileage to mostly 20ish mile runs on the Jefferson trails. I bumped up the number of days I run weekly to compensate, and ran flat and treadmill miles to still get in the mileage.

January was actually my biggest mileage month ever, and I averaged over 15 mi per day on my training days, which is good for me. I usually prefer one or two 30 mile runs weekly, with 5 to 14 mile runs in between. But the long runs seemed to leave me dragging, so I just took it easy with 20 mile or less runs and was able to actually get in more miles overall in the process. It has been a balancing act, but I feel like a did good balancing it all out on the tightrope.

Lovin' The Hills is a 50K here locally, which brings in some pretty great competition, and it is an "A" priority race for me. It's followed by the Land Between the Lakes 50 miler in March only four weeks after Lovin the Hills.

On April 2, is the Umstead 100 miler. (Only 3 weeks post the LBL 50 miler.) The race entry filled in 9 minutes, and I was able to get in via one of the competitive slots that the event organizer leaves open. I had to fight hard to get in, and I definitely DO NOT want to let the organizer down, so I am planning a 100 mile PR for Umstead, NO PRESSURE RIGHT!?!?!?!? LOL. Umstead is a course unlike many other 100 milers. It is a 12.5 mile loop which is run 8 times. I am shooting for inbetween 15 and 16 hours, so we'll see what happens. 

After UMSTEAD, I have 3 weeks until we fly out to San Diego to start the Pacific Crest Trail on the 2700 mile Journey from Mexico to Canada. I suppose I call it my "off season"- No running, only hiking 30 miles per day on trails at 10,000' with 35 pounds on my back!

The plan after Louisville Lovin' The Hills, is to get back into Pinhoti mind-set- this zen like training state where I run for fun only, not worrying about mileage or training, but for the shear love of running. The past month involved hitting it hard, and trying to avoid injury in the process, babying my shin and ankle and making sure I recovered from a big race season throughout the fall, involving Ironman, the Pinhoti 100, and the Lookout Mountain 50. (by doing more flat miles and treadmill runs as mentioned earlier).  I took care of myself, and chilled out on the 30 mi runs. I took it easy in relation to intensity, and in the process, managed to get in the monster base mileage needed to formulate a strong foundation, now it's time to zen out, and revive the childlike excitement that comes with running in the moment and being present in the now, which also means ramping up intensity when I feel like it, and taking days off when I feel like it, FREEDOM! God I love running.

QUEST RUNNING TOPS THE PODIUM!

Lookout Mountain 50 Miler Race Report-


QUEST RUNNING TOPS THE PODIUM!

Troy Shellhamer- 12/2010

I tripped and took a nasty fall in the first mile just trying to keep up with the blistering pace that Josh Wheeler was setting up front. The first ten miles or so, my eyes were watering from the sting of the cold and my vision was blurred. My heart was in unchartered territory for a fifty miler at 170 beats per minute. There were maybe 6 of us trying to keep up, and over one hundred others behind from all stretches of the country. We were failing at keeping up with Josh. As we gasped for air, we managed to chat and BS with one another as we struggled to chase down the leader, who was increasing his 5, 10, 15, 20 minute lead at every aid station. Prior to the race, I watched an interview with him, and he said he usually tries to guage his competition by starting with an unmanageable pace in the begining. He eases into his true race pace after several miles once he's broken some of the field.

The course was beautiful. It was supposed to rain for several days before the race and on race day, but the forecasters were mistaken. The course stayed dry, and although covered with leaves and strewn with rocks, roots, and boulders, the singletrack trail was still in top shape. The course for the Rock Creek Lookout Mountain 50 Miler is the most entertaining and beautiful course I have run. The first ten miles are on the northern side of Lookout Mountain, and you run along and on cliffsides and bluffs overlooking the Tennessee River Valley for miles upon miles. Around mile 16 you start the biggest climb of the race, back up to the start/finish line at Covenant College atop Lookout Mountain. You reach Covenant College around mile 22 and then head to the Lula Lake Land Trust, where you are blessed with the chance to run by Lula Lake Falls.




After running by Lula, you climb the steepest stretch of trail, which actually has a rope on the climb up to help gain your footing. It's about as steep as any stretch of trail I have ever seen that didn't require actual hand over foot rock climbing. You then twist and turn and climb your way through some tightly wound singletrack near a mountain stream to Long Branch Aid Station. From Long Branch you run a four and a half mile loop, and then return twelve miles to Covenant College for the Finish.




... So, back to the race!

It's mile 22, and we've just finished the biggest ascent of the race. I managed to pass quite a few runners and take third place on the climb despite gastric issues, which forced me off the trail several times to expel various fluids and foods from every hole in my body, I held second place for a moment, but lost it during another explosive excretive episode. My stomach was in great shape though coming into Covenant at mile 22. Stephanie, my crew, had my fluid bottle ready for handoff at Covenant College so I could blow though the Aid Station. This bottle swap was much smoother than the first in which I managed to run off with a full bottle of EFS, but no Powerbar! Otherwise, this race held the fastest and smoothest aid I have ever expereinced in a race thanks to a great crew. While switching bottles and grabbing Powerbars at Covenant I nabbed second place from David Worth whom was at the Aid Station. I had a great chat with David while climbing up to Covenant. We talked about the Appalachian Trail which we had both thru-hiked in previously and it made the time fly. This was shaping up to be one of the most social races I had run in the last few years, and it made it that much more enjoyable. I was also glad to have the chance to run for a few moments with Kevin Boucher from Chattanooga whom I raced with last year as we talked about various Ironman courses to pass the time. This is what trail races are all about! It's always so much fun to go back to races and catch back up with the other runners!

The climb up to Covenant College had finally thinned us out, but it was still the closest race I can recall. I came into the Long Branch Aid Station at mile thirty-four holding second place still. I had closed the gap to Josh Wheeler whom holds the course record. He was now only three or four minutes ahead, and he had lost his 20 minute lead. I didn't care though. Miles thirty-four through thirty-eight were some of the most pivotal miles in the race. Taking it easy for this little four and a half mile loop was the most important aspect of my race strategy. My plan was to take it painstakingly slow and easy throughout thirty-four to thirty-eight and then use my renewed energy levels to pound out the last twelve miles of the race faster than everyone else while they were hopefully slowing down, worn out from their efforts to get to mile 38. I did exactly what I had planned. Coming back into Long Branch Aid Station at mile thirty-eight point five, I felt better and more energized than I had felt since the start, even more surprisingly, no one passed me on that four point five mile stretch. This was very shocking, because only several minutes seperated the top seven guys coming into Long Branch at mile thirty-four.

Near mile thirty-eight I had recovered from the psychotic pace Josh had opened us up with, and it was time to light it up for the last twelve. I blew through the thirty-eight mile Aid Station once again as Stephanie had my bottle and my Powerbar ready for a fast handoff. I realized this would be the first fifty I've run without taking a single minute for a break. I was heading out of the aid station and saw Josh Wheeler. What?!~

Josh had his arms around someone, who was helping him back to the aid station. My face was contorted in shock! How could this be?! What was happening?! Josh was dropping because of gastric issues. He didn't look so hot. Josh had run an unbelievable race last year covering the near 7000' elevation gain in a course record setting time. He is a machine of a runner. He had opened with a demoralizing pace to guage his opponents, but now he was blown and I was taking the lead. I felt good too. Could this be mine?

I forced every climb up to threshold and sprinted the flats, I wanted this race. I imagined my competition closing the gap to me, and envisioned that every climb I could widen the gap if I just endured the pain. Embrace the pain and widen the gap became my mantra. This was supposed to be a training race after recovering from the effort required at The Pinhoti 100, but I was in first and I wasn't going to lose it. I ran back by Lula Lake Falls and experienced its beauty. I knew the way back home, and was familiar with the course. My energy levels sustained and I felt no abnormal aches or hints of injury. I was originally worried about some shin pain I had experienced since Pinhoti six weeks ago and I didn't want to injure myself during this race, but I guess I was recovered and back to 100% post a light training month. Only twelve miles though and I was in first. I was hammering and it would be hard for someone to catch me, and I made sure I didn't ease up. I stayed in the pain threshold.

The beauty and diversity of the course kept me entertained and I found myself at the finish line. I couldn't believe it, my first ultra victory after placing third in almost every run this year! I was wondering if I would be full of emotion, dead tired, or what?! I was just happy and excited. I wanted to call friends and family, but more than anything, I wanted to thank my crew for an awesome job done and cheer on my friends who were about to finish! The finish area at the Lookout Mountain 50 is in grand scale. With the generous sponsorship titles, it is party central, with a large blow-up finishing arch, and many of the sposors have tents set up to show off their product. I waited at the finish line for second place, Chris Petit, to come in and cheered him on. He must have run a wise race because he finished really strong. David Worth came in third, and I was glad to see him finish such a great run, since we had encouraged each other up the Covenant College climb talking about the outdoor industry and the Appalachian Trail. We stood on the podium, and I finally took the top step. A perfect way to cap the race!





For a month before the race I wasn't sure how it would end up. It was supposed to be a training race. I didn't even know if I would finish. I was fully ready for this race to be my first DNF. Training ever since Pinhoti in November had been haphazard at best because my main focus was getting back to 100%. So I ran when I felt good, and took it easy and backed off when I felt sore. My biggest weeks were all less than 75 miles. It all worked out though. I didn't get to train much on the monster climbs at Jefferson Memorial Forest because I was nursing my shin back to health and in place I ran on the easier trails at Cherokee. I didn't get to run my standard 32 mile training runs as my body couldn't handle it after Pinhoti. I focused on Recovery. I changed my footwear too. I went to Quest Outdoors three days before raceday and grabbed my old favorites, the La Sportiva Crosslites, which I hadn't been training in much recently as they are primarily a winter shoe.They performed magically and I'll be sticking with them for the Louisville Lovin' The Hills 50K, sponsored by Quest, which is next on the race calendar. For now though, I'll sit back, relax and recover. There's no sense putting in junk miles and not recovering. I'll relish this first victory for a moment and try to remember how it happened... Hmmnn...and then duplicate it!