Reflecting on MOG100 (2013)

There is something about a race born out of hard work and passion that makes the experience and ultimate finish especially satisfying. The Mogollon Monster was the final race of my 2013 season and is an experience that is forever burned into my memory. Both the highs and lows are badges of honor I will wear proudly for a very long time. It truly is the bar I use when comparing other race experiences.

I'm bummed that I can't be at the race this year volunteering (I'll be at my own race that weekend) so I thought the next best thing would be to share my thoughts and experience to get you through those 30+ hours and across the finish line. Have no doubt this will probably be the hardest course you ever experience so bring all your fears, hopes and questions to the table and just make it happen.

Best of luck conquering the Monster!

3 things I'd do again

Carry the map

The best map for the race is here and is an excellent reference to keep with you at all times. There are a number of turns and loops on the course that you may find yourself asking, "What the hell direction am I supposed to go?" The map answers all those questions very easily. Alternatively, there are multiple places to get the GPX course to keep it in your watch.

Bring experienced crew and pacers

This isn't a Sunday stroll on the canal. Despite the excellent course markings, athlete guide and map there are still plenty of opportunities to get disoriented, mentally beaten and/or confused down while you're wandering out in the wild country of the Mogollon Rim. An experienced pacer (combined with a fore-mentioned map or GPS course) is a must-have if you intend stay on track heading up Myrtle or up Webber at mile 95. I had pacers for miles 50-85 and another from mile 85 to the finish.

Mary (L), me and Jon (R)

Take your time down to Washington Park

Given that Washington Park is the 'hub' of all the aid stations, there's bound to be cheers, noise and the welcoming prospect of clothing changes, food and a place to rest your weary bones. You'll be tempted to hurry down this section into the aid station but beware - larger slick rocks often covered with sand make this a potentially hazardous stretch that can easily end your race. Take it slow (both times) and ensure your footing is solid...even more so if you hit this section at dusk or early evening. If nothing else, your knees will thank you :)

3 things I'd do different:

Prepare for lower temperatures (on top of the rim)

The first thing that comes to mind is obviously clothing and being prepared for colder temperatures - this is definitely the first priority. Equally important is placing these in the appropriate drop bags/aid stations. Thanks to my pacer, I reconfigured my drop bag clothing the night before and it ultimately saved my ass while navigating those 35+ miles on the rim that night. The one thing to also consider is how the cooler temperatures will affect the nutrition you plan to carry. 2013 saw nighttime temperatures on the rim in the low-40's...gels, chomps and wafers aren't as chewy and delicious when they're hard as rocks.

Bring more shoes and socks

Post-MOG Hobbit feet

At times, the MOG course is an enigma wrapped in a mystery given the diversity of the many trails it covers. Silty sand can quickly turn to rocky cover. Undulating washes are littered with small boulders and quickly drop off into pine-needle-covered single track. And there's Donahue. Point is, your feet will experience every inch of these trails and unless you take care of them, they will betray you somewhere during the race. I only changed my shoes at miles 50 and 85. Looking back however, I should have changed both my shoes and socks at these checkpoints.

Wear calf sleeves

Yes, we all look cooler with calf sleeves and there might be some side benefits due to compression (or something) but if nothing else, they will save your legs from all the manzanita bushes and agave plants that typically overgrow the Highline trail. A leg massage by Freddy Krueger would feel better than the sweat and dirt mingling with the fresh cuts from these unforgiving plants.

Don't wrestle the natives

You can my my original race report here.

Summer fun

I am honestly ashamed that I have been completely absent from this blog over the last couple months. I think it's because my personal race schedule has been pretty low-key (up until now). I'm certain my level of blogging correlates with the number of races on my calendar. No races, no blogs.

Just to bring you up to speed however, it hasn't been a boring summer at all. Please stand by while I bend the space-time continuum and take you back through some of the highlights from the previous months.

June

• Paced GG at San Diego 100. His first hundo ever and he did a stellar job finishing in 30 hours. Night miles are the toughest miles and we learned that GG gets very sleepy at night and needs stories to keep him awake. He also gets grumpy doing 1% incline switchbacks up a mountain in the 80 degree sun.
• Got to spend some quality time on the trails back home in South Dakota. This included running with old friends and setting a PR at the Fat Tire 10k.
• Got to pace JK at the Black Hills 100. His second hundo attempt and I'll be damned if anyone DNF's on my watch. I picked him up at mile 50, ran him through the night and helped him earn that buckle. It was a beautiful night to run and he reached pretty deep to come back from some GI issues.
• 170 miles for the month

The Black Hills of SD

July

Not much to see here except an epic family road trip across 7 states (yes, I ran in every one of them!). 150 miles for the month.

August

• Not a lot going on except the weekly San Tan Trail runners group (Tuesday and Thursday) and the Cadence Running trail run on Saturday. Turnout has been growing and new folks are continuing to show up each week. This makes me happy.
• Got a weekend pass to head up to Payson and hang with JD - race director for the Mogollon Monster 100. I do love that area and the trails are some of the most awesome (and brutal) in all of Arizona.
• A pretty good month considering the heat - 240 miles

Running through the ferns on the MOG rim

September

• Going to be working pretty hard this month to get ready for the Bear Chase 100k in CO on the 27th. I expect some pretty tough weeks and lots of miles.
• Also trying to keep the mileage up in preparation for Javelina Jundred in November.

Above all, I'm on day 171 of my running streak...which I'm pretty proud of. It's been tough through all the races, pacing and vacations. A mile here, a mile there. Through allergies, humidity, hangovers and just plain "I don't wanna"...I've managed to gitt'er done.

I'm looking forward to cooler temperatures of course but about the time it starts to get cool, I'll probably complain that it's too chilly :)

Happy running friends!

Goodbye to 2013

It's unlikely I'll be wearing any other bibs in the coming months so I figured I'd take the time now and look back on the year. Being an engineering dork though, I always have to comb through the numbers...

	2012	2013
Miles	1,575	1,613 (to date)
# of runs	166	137
Time	275.5	327.5 hrs
Calories	195,636	180,905
Elevation Gain	77,600 ft	141,397 ft

I'm not sure I buy all that data. How do you run more miles over more hours and burn fewer calories? Run backwards? How about that elevation though?! Holy sh$t. Almost double the amount of climbing over last year.

I couldn't be more happy with this year. Yes it was a lot of work and yes, I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone but for the most part, had great success with everything I set my mind to. I have a quick recap of my 100-milers below along with some closing thoughts.

Black Hills 100 (race report)
I love running in South Dakota. This course has sweeping views, a well-defined trail and great aid stations. The perfect weather made for an overall strong showing and multiple course records went down. I know I could have done better at this course but I finished strong in 28:20.

34th OA, 5th AG

Hom 100 (race report)
Born out of love and hope, I created this run to support my good friend Tony and his battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and it was a resounding success. That 100 miles not only raised over $7,000 but it rallied friends, family, neighbors and strangers to be a part of something special. Even though Tony lost that battle on September 19th, I will continue to honor his memory through the Hom 100 as long as these legs will let me.

26 hours, $7,000 raised for ALS

Leadville Trail 100 (DNF) (race report)
Winning an entry to the 'Race Across the Sky' was never in my plans but thanks to Strava and those friends who nominated me, I got the opportunity to run some legendary trails and become a part of Leadville family. Despite timing out of the race at mile 60, I am proud to say I did my best and had a great experience.

Mogollon Monster 100 (race report)
I can think of no better way to end my year with a home-grown race right here in my own back yard. A true spectacle of mother nature, this course showcases everything that is rugged and beautiful here in Arizona. Given it was just added as a qualifier for Hardrock should clue you in on how challenging this course really is. One of my most memorable finishes after 33.5 hours.

14th OA, 6th AG

Zane Grey (DNS)
Who would have known that shingles in adults under/near the age of 40 is actually pretty common? That's what it took to bring me down and end my race day before it even began. I had a blast though helping crew for the Phoenix boys. After doing the Mogollon Monster though, I'm not sure I want to go back for this :)

San Tan Scramble 50k (race report)
Being my home course, I was clearly stoked for this race. This was also the first year of the new course that incorporated the Dynamite Trail making for a much improved course that mentally allowed you to conquer Goldmine 3 times, rather than 6. The heat (for this time of year) definitely caught me by surprise. I battled some cramping over the last couple miles to come in with a 50k PR of 6:06.

18th OA, 5th AG

Adrenaline Night Run 65k (race report)
I will never forget the pity party I had for myself during this run. I was mad, pissed off and wanted to quit so badly. I would feel good and then feel like crap. I learned a few things about myself that night despite the warm weather and lack of enthusiasm. It solidified my mental toughness and made me realize that I'm stronger than I think I am. 8:52 later, I was more than happy to cross that finish line.

11th OA, 2nd AG

Mesquite Canyon 50 (race report)
I was not feeling great this day (due to allergies) but decided to toe the line anyway. I was literally in my car with my bib considering handing it back to Jamil...that's how crappy I felt. I had barely made it 17 miles when my vision blurred, I lost my balance and just felt crushed. It was yet another lesson in pushing through the mental barriers and sticking with it. I would finish just under 12 hours - 11:51, a 50-mile PR for me.

14th OA, 5th AG

No Regrets?
By any measure, 2013 was an epic year for me. Numerous ultras between 26.2 and 50 miles along with four 100-mile runs...I can barely believe it myself now that the season is done but there you have it - a new bar has been set and I feel good about my accomplishments. I'm thankful for my friends who have supported and encouraged me in every way along with new friends who continue to inspire me.

I want to particularly thank Jon Nelson for his support this year. He crewed and/or paced me in every single 100-mile race this year and I'm eternally grateful for his support. He is even more meticulous than I am (which has saved my ass more than once!) and a good friend (I adore his family too!)

If there is one regret I have it is the amount of time I've asked my family to give up for me to accomplish these things. My kids don't quite get it - they just know daddy's out running again. My wife however, has set her own endurance record by spending the most weekends ever as a single mom. I say that with a hint of sarcasm but it's the unfortunate truth.

Family matters most

So here's to enjoying some down time and letting my body rest. I'm looking forward to having a few beers with friends at the park or even staying up 'late' to watch SNL with my wife. No training schedule means I can revel in those few extra hours of sleep on Saturday morning :)

Thanks for reading and for following my adventures this year.

Mogollon Monster 100 Race Report

Three weeks prior to the race, I had gone up to Pine for a training run with a buddy. We navigated many of the Mogollon Monster trails and climbed many of the same climbs I would face on race day. We put in a meager 25 miles and my legs were trashed, my lungs on fire (from the altitude) and my shins raw from all the thorny bushes covering the Highline Trail. If you had asked me then how I felt about the race, my abilities and my level of confidence, I would have given myself a 30-50% chance of finishing.

Jump ahead a couple weeks.

I honestly did not have the time to stress over this race or feverishly study the maps like I normally do (due to the loss of a close personal friend). It wasn't until Wednesday before the race that I started to think about the course and mentally prepare for the possible 36 hours I'd be spending on my feet.

The evening before the race, Jon and I were discussing logistics at our cabin. Despite my seemingly uncoordinated and thoughtless race plan, I was enveloped with a aura of confidence about the race. It's difficult to describe...I wasn't being cocky or arrogant, but I just felt like this race was going to go well. I could already see myself crossing the finish line but I honestly couldn't tell you why I was feeling this way. It just felt right.

Straying from my traditional race report, I decided to list out the memorable moments from the race rather than taking you through each aid station (honestly, I don't remember some of them!)

• The acapella Leann Rimes version of the national anthem is amazing.

  

  Descending Turkey Springs
  (courtesy of AP Photography)

• The view descending Turkey Springs was breathtaking. (Just don't gawk while descending - it will end badly)
• Between Geronimo and Washington Park, I remember thinking to myself, "No way I want to do Zane Grey..."
• Where's my crew chief?!
• JohnV gives a great neck and shoulder massage (Houston Bros. A/S)
• Houston Brothers trail has got to be the most wonderful trail in all of Arizona.
• My knees feel like they're going to explode descending into Washington Park. (How am I going to do this again?!)

  

  Coming into Washington Park
  (courtesy of Michael Miller)

• Sitting next to a heat lamp eating a grilled cheese sandwich and trying to change my socks at the same time. Multi-tasking = fail!
• JonN begins pacing duties and we begin the daunting stretch to Buck Springs (via Myrtle). Very little running during this stretch...
• We catch up to Tawnya and spend several hours navigating the 'grasslands' with her. Nice gal, mother of 5 reveling in the fact that she's out here and her husband has the kids all weekend (insert maniacal laugh!)
• Holy crap the climb up Myrtle sucks! Covered in grass and 2 feet away from the edge of the rim makes for a slow and scary climb.
• It's really cold on top of the rim (was that sweat or snot dripping down my face?)
• Back to Houston Brothers at about 5 am. NoahD gives a great neck and shoulder massage as well.
• Sunrise while running down the Rim Rd - spectacular.
• The lyrics of 'Lose Yourself' (Eminem) playing over and over in my mind:

"Here I go it's my shot, feet fail me not...this may be the only opportunity I've got. Success is my only mutha-f*ckin' option. Failure's not."

• MaryK waits patiently to pace me the last 20 miles (goodbye Washington Park!)
• Want to know what you're really made of? Climb Webber after 95 miles.
• Descent down Donahue - first time I've ever felt like my legs were actually made of Jell-O.
• I was waiting for the lights to come on in the tunnel and for it to start spinning
• My son and daughter waiting for me 20 yards from the finish line - "Daddy, let's race..."

33:37 - 14th place overall

Couldn't have done it without these two!

Thanks to my wife and kids for all their support. Love you!

Of the race, I will tell you 3 things:

1. You will not find a race director who is more insanely passionate about the course, the participants and showcasing this beautiful area of the Mogollon Rim to ensure this is the best race you will ever experience. It's top notch and should be on your list for 2014.
2. Some folks talk about graduate-level trail races. These trails, combined with the distance and climbing, requires a Ph.D. It is nothing short of hard. Expect to find out what you're really made of.
3. Some folks believe that the Mogollon Monster is a legend. By just toeing the line, you too become a part of that legend. Finish under 36 hours and you become legendary...