Pre UROC 100K- Race Week

As Dave James said earlier this week via Facebook in reference to the Ultra Race of Champions 100K;

Its almost time for the big dance!

The UROC 100K this year boasts a plethora of competition even surpassing the smorgasbord of talent accrued last year for the inaugural event. Seeing what newcomers like Nick Clark, Max King, and David Riddle can do on a course which suits their talents will be exciting to witness. This years throwdown arguably holds more talent on one course than any race of ultra distance the country has ever seen. Names like Dave Mackey, Max King, Ian Sharman, Dave James, Jordan McDougal, Sage Canaday, Todd Braje, and many more will be creating mayhem in the pissing contest up front for the $20,000 prize purse. Bryon Powell of www.irunfar.com has put together a comprehensive list of potential podium finishers HERE;  and I am proud to say my name was thrown in the mix as a wildcard/darkhorse.

I predict like last year when this many elites get tossed in the mix the pace will be hard pressed in the opening miles and the wisest tactician will be the one who races his own race and puts his pride aside for the opening miles. The last 10 miles are the only ones that matter.

New this year will be the newly blazed UROC trail which feeds runners down to the Blue Ridge Parkway via singeltrack trail thus eliminating the 3 mile descent on pavement exiting the home base of the race. Runners then return back up the climb for the epic mountaintop finish where the top 5 runners will be earning a nice payday this Saturday, September 29th.

The forecasted temps look to be less formidable than last year's ominous fog which added an air of epicness to the race last year. Temp should hover in the low 70's and the chance for T-Storms is about 30%. The elite wave starts at 7:00am est and the cool 50 degree temps will be a runners dream for fast splits on the highly technical singetrack portions of the UROC course which was slightly longer than 100K last year, (closer to 64 miles according to GPS).

One guy who won't be racing this year is 2011 5th place finisher Jon Allen who barely made it to UROC due to the birth of his child. Likewise this year, my wife is due to give birth on October 10th to our first child, so lets hope I'm not out on the course when her water breaks! She'd be over a week early but stranger things have happened...

I'm looking forward to racing in my new Smith Pivlock shades with the Ignitor lens which is pefectly suited to provide high optical definition for technical trails. I'm racing in the Montrail Rogue Racer footwear which performed well last year on the multiple surfaces which make up the UROC course and of course I'll be rocking the best socks out there, SWIFTWICK!

Thanks to my PT, Lauren with Advanced Ortho in Louisville for getting me in this week several times for some last minute tune ups! The legs are feeling fresh and ready!
 

Iron Mountain 50 Race Report

 

Iron Mountain 50 Mi Race Report-

Troy Shellhamer

Sept 1, 2012

The air was thick, oppressive, and as warm as steamy tomato soup. The same moisture that provides such a beautiful and lush mountainscape in the Blue Ridge Mountains surrounding Damascus, Virginia hung in the atmosphere.  It clung to our bodies not allowing even copious amounts of sweat to cool us.

Saturday September 1^st, 2012 was the 7^th running of the Iron Mountain 50; a 50 mile footrace on trails starting and ending in Damascus, Virginia. The race holds well over 8000’ of elevation gain over the 50 mile distance, claiming the most vertical gain of any other 50 miler I race each year. It also offers a 30 mile and 16 mile distance. This was my second running of the race, and I had strong hopes to improve upon my 2^nd place finish from last year.

Damascus has always been a place which has served  to shape my life; this year it has already done so by being the starting point of The Tour De Virginia in which Eric Grossman, Anne Riddle Lundblad, and I ran from Tennessee to West Virginia, (via the Appalachian Trail in VA), over the course of 14 days. The journey covered 560 miles crossing every white blaze on the AT and was truly a feat of stamina and will. We completed the TDV on July 14^th and the Iron Mountain 50 was my first race since finishing the Tour. How appropriate it also took place in Damascus?

Race morning was a social experience. Many friends I’ve made over the last few years were slated to be racing as well, and likewise, this Iron Mountain 50 would be one of the most competitive races I’ve raced this year, but I was feeling great the week prior to the race, mentally and physically, and was ready to battle.

“Why is everyone so quiet?!” I heard behind me as we rumbled down the Virginia Creeper trail in the opening miles. Johnny Clemmons was out front leading the 30 mile race in what was sure to be a new course record. The usual suspects I’d expected to be fighting for the 50 win were right there with me; Brad Hinton, Jon Allen, Shaun Pope, and Brian Pickett.  For a group of guys who all knew and liked one another, there was a lot of racing early on and not much talking. We all broke the ice by talking about what a stupid pace we were running in the opening miles, and had a good chuckle about it.

Going into this race I had been training differently than usual, applying the art of mindfulness in my training regime ever since returning from the TDV. When I felt poorly I backed off and waited to run later in the day, and when I felt good I pushed hard. I became better at listening to my body and focused hard on not overtraining but instead tried to always leave a little extra in the tank. I’m a numbers guy, and I try to focus on heart rate, etc. This race however, I felt stronger than ever in the week preceding the event, and I knew I wanted to push the pace from the gun to the finish. I wasn’t concerned about HR or pacing as much as usual. I wanted to truly test myself and lay it ALL out there like never before, and most of all, I wanted the best performance possible regardless of placement. I felt like even though the race was more stacked with high level competition than in previous years, I couldn’t care less about what others were doing or who else showed. I was just focusing on running my own race and staying in my head. It was a great vibe.

Leaving the Straight Branch Aid Station at mile 5 begins the serious climbing as well as real trail finally in the form of singletrack exiting the crushed surface of the Va Creeper Trail. I had pushed the opening pace, but entering the climb Shaun Pope and Brian Pickett surged out in front and I lost sight of them. I pushed harder than usual but still went at my own pace, not concerned in the least at the way in which Shaun and Brian had destroyed the climb. I knew I was running strong on the climb and my pace was furious enough. My legs still felt better than usual even after the quick opening 5 miles and my Plantar Fasciitis was only minimally nagging me which it would do all race.

After climbing a couple thousand feet I came unto the undulating rolling stretch atop the Iron Mountain massif. I was running with Jon Allen and we had the chance to catch up on each other’s lives since we last raced one another at the Umstead 100 in March where he finished a painful 8 minutes ahead of me!

The descents on the Iron Mountain trail are frequent and technical. I found myself running very well on the downhill sections. Coming into Skulls Gap aid station at mile 16 I saw Johnny Clemmons heading back up the climb towards me in the lead of the 30 mile race as expected. (The 30 mile option just turns around at Skulls Gap and the 50 milers continue onward.) I was pleased to actually be so close to the 30 mile leader. Exiting the Skulls Gap Aid Station I had caught up to Shaun Pope, Brad Hinton and Brian Pickett and lead my pace out of the aid station. After another clockwork speedy bottle exchange at Skulls Gap from my incredible race crew, Stephanie, I was now leading the race again at mile 16 and Brad Hinton was in 2^nd for the climb out of Skulls Gap. I was quite relieved to have caught Shaun Pope as I knew him to be a formidable runner. He’s won Iron Mountain before and holds the 2^nd fastest time run on the course. Shaun has already won 2 Ultras this year and at least 12 others in his impressive career. He’s only 24 years old and he will continue to only get faster through the years. The usual suspects as I refer to the group I pinned to be fighting for the win were all together again momentarily as we entered the mid-stage of the race. I felt comfortable leading the group up the climb from Skulls Gap and I held my pace as no one was challenging to take it at that point.

Hurricane Gap aid station found the top 4 still close together. Brian Pickett had dropped due to knee pain. Jon Allen and Shaun Pope, Brad and I were all swapping places. I had to relinquish my lead to Brad for a very quick bathroom break and Shaun also passed. I managed to finish my business before Jon Allen passed me, and  caught back up to Shaun and Brad within minutes for a group entry into Hurricane Gap at mile 22.

Exiting Hurricane Gap runners are blessed with some speed in the form of running down fire road for several miles. Brad Hinton and I found ourselves to be running together in the lead towards Rowland Creek inching ourselves further away from Jon Allen and Shaun Pope. The descent from Hurricane Gap can be a bit challenging mentally because although it’s nice to knock out so many miles descending thousands of feet to Rowland Creek, you can see the top of the mountains getting farther and farther away and you know you have to climb back up them.

I hit mile 25, the halfway point, in 3 hours 45 minutes running downhill towards Rowland Creek running shoulder to shoulder with Brad in 1^st and 2^nd. Brad was running with authority and wasn’t letting up, but I decided I felt good and wanted to attack at the beginning of the climb back up after Rowland Creek aid station. I knew the climb to be a very technical, steep and challenging one and upon reaching the summit of the climb at mile 32 I knew that I could gain as much as 10 minutes from an inspired climb. Hopefully it wouldn’t blow me so hard I would die in the remaining 18 miles as that is still a long way to go.

I made haste at the Rowland Creek aid station and said a quick hello to Beth who helped crew the Tour De Virginia last month and was manning the Rowland aid station. Brad was filling his bottle and I bolted and treated the climb like the finish of the race was at the top of the mountain only several miles away. Some horses blocked my path and had to hault momentarily until the equestrians allowed my passage and I continued my assault of the climb with fury and purpose. From the first moment I began the climb I couldn’t see any other runners behind me and I knew I was running stronger than I had all race and I could gain a big advantage on the climb as long as I could keep fueling perfectly and maintain pace.

I reached the Hurricane Gap aid station again at mile 32 in first and felt victorious but knew the day would still be long. 18 more miles in first place and I planned on destroying every cell in my body running as hard as possible to protect my first place finish. I didn’t slow at the aid station with the help of Stephanie’s awesome crewing. I swapped bottles on the fly and she tossed me my ipod as I planned on the remainder of the day being a feat that would require some musical distraction from the pain and agony I planned on indulging in! I have actually read clinical studies which show time to fatigue while listening to music can be delayed by as much as 10%!

The climb continues out of Hurricane Gap and I pushed even harder. I wanted to command the race and run with everything in me, and that’s what I did. Leading a race for that long, the miles can drag on trying to protect the placement, but I was running faster than ever for the day from miles 32 to 39. I punished myself and loved every second. I was focused and in the zone. The descents were light and airy, floating over the most technical sections with surefootedness and confidence over ankle trashing rocks and roots and off kilter trail. My plantar fascia, (foot pain…),  screamed at me occasionally and I screamed back telling it shut up, and I would let it heal after the race. It abided and didn’t get better or worse.

Looking like hell! -But feeling better than ever!

I began to finally lose my focus and all empowering drive entering the stretch of trail after the Skulls Gap aid station at mile 37. Those 6 miles between 37 and 43 were my low point for the race and I was paying for my efforts over the last 10 miles, but I forged on and knew I was in the home stretch. I pushed on regardless and didn’t slow, but it took every effort within me. I would glance at my watch and still be pleased with my heart rate and the power I was able to put down on the trails. I was praying I could maintain and I knew that as strong as I was running with each step it would be hard for anyone to gain on me.

I contemplated walking every climb I was faced with, but ran everything, never slowing once…I knew I had no choice. I wanted to do this for me, not just to hold placement, but I wanted the fastest time I was capable of on that day, and yielding to a desire to slow was not in the cards. I shut my mind off and tried to maintain focus and not tire.

I began to finally pass people who were finishing the 30 mile race after I exited the forest service road 90 aid station at mile 43 and it was fuel to my fire. I was trying to yell encouragement to the runners I passed and it helped me stay upbeat and focused. The heat was getting unbearable and my head felt like it was swelling and I was overheating, but I pressed on. I had been fueling and hydrating better than ever and was not about to slow this late in the game. I finally had some adrenaline surging for the remainder of the short 7 downhill miles to the finish after the hellish 6 miles from 37-43.

Apparently I narrowly averted a bear another runner completing the 30 miler had just passed and I flew onward and down towards the finish. I felt a sharp pain in my foot and knew I had just burst a major blister on my small 5^th toe and didn’t care. The magnetic pull of the finish line was pulling me home and nothing could stop me.

I wanted to break Shaun Pope’s 2^nd fastest course time if I couldn’t touch Grossman’s course record from last year, and I used this to fuel a furious pace for the last 3 miles. Several people thought me to be a tad insane bombing down the treacherous rocky trail at speeds unknown to me. A lot of people who run the last 3 miles down the technical trail get similar reactions…

After exiting the Iron Mountain Trail there are several miles of pavement/Creeper Trail. I began my pursuit of Shaun’s time and knew it would be close. I pounded the pavement, and then the soft crushed surface of the Creeper Trail as I tore through Damascus. I knew I had first place locked but I wanted to best Shaun’s time and I used this to motivate me to dig deep as I hacked and coughed and pressed on trying to be proud of my finish. It was nice to finish the race with some fire in me. I rounded the corner off of a pedestrian bridge and I was now visible to the crowd at the town park in Damascus and heard the cheers. I had done it. I won the race! (I missed Shaun’s 2010 time by 33 seconds) I was elated. After getting some fluids in me I cooled off in a perfectly placed river next to the finish and waited for 2^nd place to arrive. My time was 7 hours and 28 minutes. I was pretty excited to have run a negative split for the race. 

I got to meet David Horton at the finish whom helped to create the Ultra community as it exists today. He directs many races and I informed him of my desire to race the Hellgate 100K this year and so fortunately I have a spot now solidified.

Running with so many friends out on the course whom I have met through running is a blast. I love going back to venues which I have run previously because of the community aspect of the sport. Through the Tour De Virginia adventure and running so many other races near Virginia I have gotten to know quite a few great folks and hanging out at the finish isn’t just something to do because I can’t imagine walking back to the car, it’s that there is nowhere else I’d rather be than hanging out than shooting the breeze about racing and running!

Brad Hinton held on strong and finished in 7:52. Jon Allen was 3^rd in 8:03 rounding out the men’s podium.

I’ll be racing with Brad in the Ultra Race of Champions 100K, (UROC), in 4 weeks which will be more challenging than ever with the stellar field they have lined up this year. Luckily my gracious wife is the best and had no problems with me racing in UROC which is billed as the penultimate event in the sport with a $20K prize purse. UROC takes place only a week and a half before our first child is due! Next on the docket after baby girl Shellhamer and UROC is my first Montrail Cup race in the Pinhoti 100 miler on November 3.

 

Here's the top 10 for the day;

Place	Time	Bib	First Name	Last Name	Gender	Age	City	State
1	7:28:41	578	Troy	Shellhamer	M	31	Louisville	KY
2	7:52:51	540	Brad	Hinton	M	36	Steophens City	VA
3	8:03:37	502	Jonathan	Allen	M	33	Simpsonville	SC
4	8:17:19	546	Brian	Kistner	M	42	Florence	SC
5	8:46:50	568	Shaun	Pope	M	23	Akron	OH
6	9:00:13	500	Scott	Adams	M	44	Charlottesville	VA
7	9:11:34	520	Antonio	Cillo	M	26	Triangle	VA
8	9:11:47	557	Fletcher	Meadema	M	24	Danville	VA
9	9:22:53	531	Jason	Flassing	M	38	Roanoke	VA
10	9:25:31	534	Edward	George	M	36	Wilmington	NC

 

 

   



My tradition after Iron Mtn! Well deserved waffle cone with a double scoop!
 

 

Special THANKS to these GREAT folks!

     
     
 

 

Iron Mountain 50- Race Preview

Looking forward to a throwdown in Damascus next week!

Just heard that Jonathan Allen will also be running in the Iron Mountain 50. Jon beat me by 8 minutes at the Umstead 100 this year, and made the podium in 5th last year at the Ultra Race of Champions, winning the last money spot. This year Jon has won the Camp Croft 26mi Challenge, placed 4th at Umstead 100mi, and placed 3rd in the Logan Peak 28mi. He's also won the Mind Over Matter 15K and placed 2nd in the Uwharrie Mountain Run 40.

Shaun Pope will be tearing up the course as a former winner of the Iron Mountain 50. Shaun recently paced Jay Smithberger in the Leadville 100. This year Shaun has won the Buckeye Trail 50K, the Buckeye Buster 50K, and placed 3rd at the Holiday Lake 50K. As stated, Shaun has won Iron Mountain before, (in the second fastest time run ever).

Brad Hinton and Jeremy Pade are also going to be challenging and formidable front runners in what could be one of the closest races any of us have run this year. Brad has won or podiumed better than 3rd in 5 races already this year, including his win at the Rosaryville 50K, and a 2nd in the Bel Monte 50K. Jeremy has podiumed at Oil Creek 100 placing 2nd, and ran 3rd in the Cheat Mountain 50mi.

Brian Pickett will be looking to his win from last years Iron Mountain 30 as he tackles the 50 mile distance this year.

It's not only going to be the best tactician who wins reaches Damascus first after a day of climbing in the gorgeous Virginia mountainscape, but the man who is willing to endure the most pain for over 7 hours.

My training has been going great...I've been recovering well since the Tour De Virginia, and running hard when it's right and recovering a lot when it's called for. I'm feeling stronger than ever and can't wait for my first race since the TDV! (It's been over 3 months since I've run a typical one day race and I'm chomping at the bit. The Tour De Virginia was great, but grueling it out for 2 weeks is definitely not the same as a 50miler!)

Asics Gel DS Racer 9 Review

Every so often, the stars align and you slide on a shoe that feels like a glove straight out of the box, and you know that it's a model you'll add to your arsenal for the foreseeable future. This was the case yesterday when a pair of new Asics Gel DS Racer 9's arrived on the doorstep. As far as road shoes go, for the last year I've been running primarily in the New Balance minimus line, and the Pearl Izumi Streaks. I have a penchant for minimal footwear, and at the 7.7 ounce Asics Gel DS Racer fit the bill at least as far as weight goes, if not in its medial posting and heel:toe drop however.

After a heavy race season this past spring, I developed a case of Plantar Fasciitis. The footwear I had been running in provided no arch support, and so I was looking for a light shoe which offered a higher arch and some medial posting in a light package. That being said, PF is not typically a footwear problem, but moreso related to imbalance in strength, ie, poor hip strength on the affected side, imbalanced stride lengths, previous knee injury, etc. The purpose of this write up is however a shoe review, and NOT an open forum on PF, so I digress- back the Gel DS Racer.

As a finely tailored suit is custom cut to each dimesion of the body, a shoe should fit every curve of the foot. Shoes are all built on different lasts; some with wide heels, midfoots and forefoots, some with narrow heels, midfoots and forefoots, some with narrow heels and wide forefoots, etcetera. The list could go on for quite some time. For good running form and injury prevention, we should run in shoes made for our specific foot. I know for me, that means running in shoes with a narrow heel and a medium forefoot. The Asics Gel DS Racer 9 has just that, a narrow heel and a medium midfoot and medium to wide forefoot. (The NB Minimus line is the same in fit characteristics.) In the NB minimus line however, I wear a 9.5 and in the Asics Gel DS and Pearl Izumi Streak II, I wear a 10. If you typically fall between 2 sizes, order the larger of the 2. My size 10 Asics fit perfectly.

The upper of the Gel DS is flawless, very light, yet still hugs the foot. The material is about as light as can be expected in a racer, and provides great ventilation. In the same vein regarding ventilation, the sole of the shoe has holes to drain water, which comes in handy during summer races where water may splash down the legs and enter the shoes. It now has an exit point in the drainage holes.

The midsole is cushioned well with stack height of 24 in the heel and 13 at the forefoot, providing a near standard 11mm heel to toe drop. For those into more minimal footwear, I can say I've been running in mostly 4mm and 0 mm drops lately, and converting back in this shoe was a non-issue and the shoes feel great and don't hinder proper form. In my case, my form has actually improved greatly and I plan on racing in this shoe and doing the majority of my road speedwork in this model. Back to the midsole, I would say the actually cushioning is medium, not totally spongy like the Kinvara and some Brooks, and not uber firm like some Mizuno's and the NB Minimus. On the inside of the midsole, (medial side), Asics has placed a firmer midsole durometer, their "Duomax" posting, which provides support for pronation. There is great coverage on the sole for higher mileage and you get near total coverage of adequate rubber, not just in high wear areas.

I'm pretty excited to have found this shoe, and although it's a "racer", it definitely provides enough support for my frame to be a daily trainer. I plan on using it primarily in training, and in racing as well, with about 3 other road models from various brands to use for more specific workouts.

Tour De Virginia June 30-July 14 560 Miles On The Appalachian Trail

On June 30, 2012 the Tour De Virginia Prologue stage began.

Rebekah Trittipoe, Rob French, Eric Grossman, Anne Riddle Lundblad and Myself embarked on a 560 mile stage race on the Appalachian Trail across the state of Virginia. The TDV consists of 14 stages and a prologue, each stage averaging 40 miles. We had to carry our own gear, food, and means of treating water for each stage. We camped at nights at trailheads, or stayed in hostels or houses. We had a chef, James Grossman and a crewman Adam Bolt.

Prior to the TDV, I had my first bout of Plantar Fasciitis which hampered my training substantially after a successful spring ultra season. I'd now say that after completing one of the hardest foot races ever conceived by man, PF is not a death sentence.

Now, one week after completion of the Tour De Virginia, I still find myself dreaming of the TDV every night while I sleep and missing the routine of waking to the smells, sounds and sights of the Blue Ridge Appalachian Mountains, and running all day only to stop before dinner and crashing for night.

At the end of the brutal stages running through 100+ degree temps and climbing and descending incessantly, we would often wonder how in the world we could wake up and do it again, yet we always did. and found strength and solice in knowing the bodies incredible ability to recover in only 12 hours from the previous stage.

A central theme in my run was as always, run your own race and run with patience until the last third of the race.

I'm still piecing my thoughts together and hope to complete a more thorough write up of this incredible adventure in the near future.

Hawthorn 12 Hour Relay and Ultra Pacing Report

This past weekend I had the chance to shoot up to Terre Haute, Indiana for the Hawthorn 12 Hour Relay and Ultra. I wanted to crew and help out my friend, Traci Falbo, who was attempting to break the current course record.

I arrived at the park about 5 hours into the 12 hour race and Traci had run 40 mi by the 6 hour mark. It was hot and the sun beat down brutally, and the conditions were starting to take a toll on the runners, but Traci was still holding pace and looking strong as ever. Her training partner Jeff Mires who is many times a Hawthorn veteran had been manning the crew station for Traci. (He was on crutches too, making his feat more impressive!)

“Hawthorn” is run in a 5K loop format for 11.5 hours and then the last 30 minutes are run on a closed 800 meter course where closer tabs can be kept on the runners. From a crewing and aid standpoint, this is very convenient as you can refuel and see your crew every 3.1 miles. (The relay division of the race consists of 6 person teams which each run a 5k loop before swapping runners. This is a sweet event for XC teams looking to have some fun in the sun…)

I picked Traci up and started pacing her a lap earlier than planned because she looked to be pushing it very hard in the heat and could maybe use a little encouragement and perspective. Her form still looked great, but it was 90 degrees and humid, and the conditions would get worse until the heat dissipated at 5pm when the true race began. She was in first place overall at the time and none of us quite knew it yet. I think she had completed 43 or 46 miles when I started pacing. I know it was about 2:30 pm.

Jeff had pointed out her fluid intake was minimal when I arrived, and she stated was having trouble getting in more fluids as she stated she felt overhydrated. She cut back on the electrolyte replenishment for a bit and focused on just drinking water and was able to improve her fluid intake. She was getting in a gel at each lap.

I kept up lots of encouragement while pacing her the first hour I ran with her. She called it "bubblegum positive pep talking", and she requested I yell more! However, she seemed to need a bit of recovery and so I thought it wise to wait until 5pm for her to put herself into the ground for the final 2 hours.I wanted her to try to just hold pace for the remainder of the afternoon until 5pm when then she should try to race hard. I think she played her cards right.

She held rhythm and dug hard and kept a great pace going all day. I finally told her she was in 1st place when she hit 100K, (62.1 miles), in 10 hours…That’s a great 100K time.

She went off on her own again and destroyed the 10th hour of the race. I was done pacing for a bit. She was probably glad to trash herself and stop listening to me tell her to take it easy! Her form still looked like it did in the beginning and I knew she was going to crush the overall male and female past course record and win for the day overall too.

Since it's a 12 hour event, starting the last half hour, runners are funneled into the 1/2 mile loop, any runner still out on the 5k loop once the race finishes gets their distance rolled back to the last lap they completed. Which makes for some interesting strategy near the end.

Traci finished her lap with only 35 minutes left, so she wisely decided to wait the extra 5 minutes and recover and then finish her last 30 minutes on the 1/2 mile loop. She was an entire lap ahead of second place, Mike Crowder who is a strong runner too, but he couldn't catch her that late in the game!

Jeff Mires on crutches also did 2 laps around the half mile loop to continue his streak of Hawthorne finishes!

While Traci started her first lap we wanted to make sure that Mike was a full lap behind so I checked the scoring table and confirmed that Traci had a commanding lead even amongst Mike's strong performance in 2nd place. To add some fun and fuel to the fire, Jeff Mires held the former Master's record on the course which Traci was about to break. I ran the first half mile with Traci and informed her of her placement, distance, etc. She was still shockingly strong and even singing to some pop music on her IPod. -Fun times...

Traci won overall by running 71.2 miles in 12 hours, beating the CR.

I had a blast and it was a nice learning experience for me trying to be a good pacer. I had to balance pushing hard and allowing recovery for the latter half of the race, or at least give my opinion! Traci was easy to pace as they come though, she is a veteran and a huge talent and she knows what she is doing. I never had to crack the whip except once when she was sitting down to change shoes!

Sometimes it’s just nice to have someone along for the for the ride while you’re running for 12 hours! After the race I helped clean up a little and realized how bad I suck at forcing someone to take care of themself! Traci needed to get in a bunch of fluids but felt like crap after destroying the race, and it was my job to make her drink and I did a pretty poor job of making her get in fluids and calories! Luckily for me, she’s a machine and rebounded shortly thereafter just in time for the awards ceremony to claim her check and Trophy!

I wasn’t ready to leave after the awards ceremony at 9pm and Traci, Jeff and I shut the post race dinner down. We were the last to leave! I have to say, pacing was almost as fun as racing. It was like being awesome by proxy. Thanks!

Just did this one for fun...

Had planned on only doing the relay for the Taylorsville Half Iron but due to rain and my cyclist cancelling, I rode too...

After running 100 miles on trails this week and coming off of the double marathon two weeks ago this was just for fun...

Had a blast riding in the rain for 56 miles regardless; and ran a half marathon in the 1:20's on a hilly course...

Overall a fun day of racing to cap off a big week of training...