ㄣƖ0ᄅ oƃıʇɹǝʌ

My body is sizzling. My mind is fried. I put one foot in front of the other. One foot in front of the other.

"One more loop.." I moan. "One more loop and I'll win this thing."

Suddenly a gust of wind slaps me across the face jolting me out of the daze that had enveloped me.

"What the..?" 

I am sprayed with sand, all over my body and into my eyes. A rain drop hits my skin and quickly turns to steam. 

----

If running has taught me anything, it's taught me that the more I think I understand, the more I realize I have yet to learn. 

I had a phenomenal race at Adrenaline. I ran my first ever sub-4 50k and continued on for another 14k feeling like the energizer bunny. I won the race but more importantly, I gained more confidence in my abilities. I had something to build on.

I probably wouldn't have decided to race the Vertigo 63k had it not been for my training partner and good friend, Korey Konga. I had a great race a few weeks prior, it was time to focus on the Mogollon 100. But Korey was registered for the 31k and I really enjoy the Insomniac Series of night races that Aravaipa Running puts on.

The final element that helped me pull the trigger was the fact that I had run Vertigo last year and had a sub-par race. I didn't run my race and it ended up ruining my day. I wanted a little redemption at Vertigo.

So I signed up. Korey and I put in some grueling runs in the heat to help us prepare for the smoldering temps. Last year it was very hot but once the sun dropped, the temperature dropped as well. It was still hot but made it more bearable. I assured Korey that he would enjoy the conditions once the sun set.

I was wrong.

So the two of us set out to the White Tanks on a blistering July afternoon. When we arrived it was even hotter than I expected. It was a furnace. 

"Damn, it is going to be a hot one.." Korey said.

"Yeah, this right here.. This is ridiculous.." I responded.

We mingled with some of the others while killing time before the race(s) started. Jamil had made the suggestion to carry enough ice water to pour some over our head throughout the race. That idea made sense to me. That idea was vital.

Nick made the announcement that it was time for the 63k runners to line up. Korey wished me luck (the 31k started a half hour later) and I made my way to the start.

I've often mentioned of that special feeling I get when I toe the line of a race. It is a sacred feeling. A moment of time that puts hours and hours of hard work into the forefront of existence. I live for this feeling. I crave it. 

I love to race!

The countdown ensued and we were off! I promised myself to run my race, so I eased into a nice pace. I watched young Cristian Rios fly ahead of the pack and make separation. Last year I got sucked into a sprint with Cristian, this year, I knew better.

"This kid is gonna blow up.." I thought to myself. "Run your race."

I trotted along with Michael Carson and another runner. We cruised at an comfortable pace while maintaining a conversation. The heat was brutal as the sun began to settle behind the mountains.

About two miles into the race I noticed Cristian in the distance, he had already slowed to a walk. Carson and I quickly caught up.

"You alright? Carson asked.

"No." Cristian answered.

"Do you need anything?"

He shook his head.

We continued on. 

As soon as I left the North Ridge aid station I began getting some gnarly stomach cramps.

"I hope these fade.." I thought. "Or I'm in for a long night."

Carson and I finished up the first loop together, grabbed a few things from the aid station and quickly continued on our way.  

Fairly early into the second loop the cramps got increasingly more severe. I decided to let Carson pull away and focused on my breathing. The cramps were on both sides of my stomach. It was wrenching pain. 

"I can't do this.." I sadly thought. "I'm gonna have to drop. I'm just going to have to.."

Being negative so early in a race is bad news. My attitude had plummeted. The cramps and heat were sucking the life out of me. The combination was ugly. 

The remainder of the second loop was a grind. Darkness replaced light and my headlamp paved my way. I was sure I was going to drop but as soon as I made my way into Aravaipa's Ultracity, I got rejuvenated. 

I refueled, loaded up on some Honey Stinger Chews and departed. 

Loop three was no better than loop two. The heat was not going away. Not at all. Neither were the cramps. I began using Jamil's suggested "ice-water douse" technique and it was helpful. It would cool my core temperature down briefly, allowing me to feel comfortable if only for a few minutes. But all I could think about was dropping.

"Pull the plug, Sion." I mumbled. "This just ain't worth it.."

If I was going to finish this race, I was going to have to suffer. This race was nothing like my last race. This was going to be an all-out sufferfest!

I finished up the third loop and Nick announced that Carson was now eight minutes ahead. Eight minutes is a substantial lead, which made me want to quit even more. However, I did feel like maybe he was going too hard, that it may catch up with him. So reluctantly, I set off on loop number four.

Nothing was fun about this. I hurt. I felt like I was having heat stroke. I wanted to stop. But I didn't. I kept trudging along with cramps that decided to make a home for themselves in the pit of my stomach. I kept going.

Some lightning off in the distance began popping off. More and more of the flashes lit up the sky. I tried focusing on the beauty of our planet. I watched the lightning illuminate the clouds, painting the dark sky blood-orange. For a minute, I felt comfortable.

I continued battling and soon made my way to Ultracity, finishing up the fourth loop. Korey was there and asked what I needed.

"Did you win?" I asked

"Yes. What do you need?" He responded.

Glad to hear that he had won his race, I wanted to know where I stood in my race.

"Water. How far ahead is Carson?"

"Carson dropped. You're taking over first place." 

This was music to my ears. I had run my race and it was paying off. Carson walked over to me and gave me five. I had two more loops to do. I felt more invigorated than I had the entire evening. I was ready to win this thing!

I loaded up and bolted out of there. I knew that I had a large enough lead that if I just stayed relaxed, I would stay in front. I found a nice rhythm and consistent pace.

The lightning strikes were almost non-stop at this point. The wind was picking up as well. I hit the North Ridge aid station and quickly carried on. I began to daydream. I thought of finishing the race, of winning the race. It was so hot. The heat just didn't want to go away. 

It wouldn't go away...

----

"Rain!" I shouted aloud. "Nice!"

The drops began falling more rapidly and the wind whipped around. Only it didn't have that "blow-dryer" feel to it anymore. There was now a crisp-coolness to it, which I appreciated immensely. The temperature suddenly dropped and running conditions became almost perfect.

"This is unbelievable!" 

I picked up my pace and felt better than ever. I was ready for the last loop! 

As I came around the corner and made the final approach to Ultracity, I realized it looked darker than before. It looked different. 

I got closer and realized that everything was being broken down, packed up.

"What the hell?" I thought. "What's going on..?"

Korey was standing at what used to be the finish line. 

"It's over, man." 

"It's over?" I thought to myself.

But I wanted to fly through the finish. I wanted to throw my hands in the air and scream "I won!" I wanted a damn champagne shower! 

Alas, it was not meant to be. 

He snapped a picture of my watch and the race was over. It was over the moment I was ready to race! 

Apparently the wind had become so severe that it was was reeking havoc on Aravaipa's Ultracity, not to mention making conditions dangerous. The Coury brothers were forced to shut the race down.

This is the third race I have participated in this year that was affected by severe weather. Old Pueblo, Zane Grey and Vertigo. A torrential rainstorm, a blizzard and a haboob. Bizarre.

As always, a big thanks to Aravaipa Running and all the helpful volunteers! I never leave these events disappointed. Congrats to everyone out in the blistering heat pushing themselves beyond their comfort zone. That's what it's all about! 

As disappointing as it was to not get to finish the race off, I completely understand and respect the decision. 

It is the experience that I take home with me.

Korey and myself getting ready to race! Photo: Jamil Coury via Twiinkly App.

Getting my mind right. Photo: Aravaipa Running

Off to the races! Photo: Korey Konga

Hot. Hot. Hot. Photo: Aravaipa Running

And one for the road! Photo: Michelle Sager via Twiinkly App.

Nighty night. Photo: Kristi McCauley

Adrenaline

One of the perks of living in Southern Arizona is we have those Coury brothers putting on a ton of well organized trail races all year long. Aravaipa Running is putting Arizona on the map as one of the premier places to live if you are into racing on trails. 

It's kinda funny how my past, a past full of wreckage brought me to Tucson. That wreckage in turn allowed me to find a passion that has since defined who I am... But that's a whole other story in itself!

Moving forward...

Aravaipa Running puts on a series of night races during the smoldering Summer heat. Last year I had a blast at both Vertigo and Javelina Jangover, so I was excited to get to participate in the "Insomniac Series" for 2014. 

Looking over my schedule, I decided on the Adrenaline 64k. Adrenaline is held at the McDowell Mountain Park, which I am very familiar with. The race was set to be on some new trails and it looked like it would be some fast running. 

The moment after I registered for the Adrenaline 64k, I began regretting my decision. I was just getting over some nagging aches and pains that were a direct result of the mud-fest I endured at Zane Grey. 

Sickness had forced me to take a few undesirable rest days and I just had one of the worst runs of my life at TTR's Sunset Loops. Seventeen miles completely wrecked me and I just registered for a race that was more than twice the distance...

Maybe I should have my head examined.

But the decision was already made. I paid my entry and I was not going to back out. I was very nervous about how I would perform, probably more nervous than I have ever been going into a race. But the truth is, I love to race!

I hadn't been putting in very many miles since prior to Zane. The heaviest week leading up to the race, I put in a mind-boggling 42 miles! 

However, I did have a few things going for me. The running that I was doing was brutal. Most of my running was done during the hottest part of the day and the majority of that, was done on Blackett's Trail.

In recent months, I have become obsessed with Blackett's Trail. Blackett's is no ordinary trail. Blackett's is steep. Blackett's is rocky. Blackett's is unforgiving. 

Blackett's is the shit. 

So I scrapped a lot of "garbage" miles to abuse myself on Blackett's. I've been told that in the end, all that really matters is the time on your feet. I was going to find out if that held true. I was definitely getting stronger. Would this all translate into better endurance? Was I prepared to race 40 miles or was this going to be an all out sufferfest?

I also decided not to taper down the week of the race. Instead, I put in a solid week of running. Something I have never done.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect as Kristi and I packed our bags and hit the road for Fountain Hills. 

"I'm really nervous for some reason" I admitted to her, "I haven't been putting in very many miles. The longest run I've done since Zane was seventeen miles and I completely fell apart..."

"You'll be fine." Was her response.

"She has way too much confidence in me." I thought to myself.

"I'll know around 25 miles whether I will be fine or not. That's when I'll know.." 

We arrived at the McDowell Mountain Regional Park around six o'clock. I had about an hour to grab my bib and prepare for the race. It was hot out but there was a nice breeze and I felt a sense of comfort wash over me. All of a sudden, I felt relaxed.

Lacing 'em up

The course consisted of two different loops. One loop was 6.2 miles and the other, 10 miles. The 64k was five loops; Short loop, long loop, short loop, long loop, short loop. An interesting thing about loop courses is how much different each loop feels, even though they are the same. Strange as that sounds, it's true.

Nick announced that it was time to line up. Kristi wished me luck and I made my way to the start. I got my game face on and let the adrenaline course through my veins. I envisioned crossing the finish line. I felt like an animal and I craved it. It's time to be released into the wild!

This is what I live for!!

The countdown concluded and the race was underway! I had told myself to stay relaxed and not jump out in front, which was the opposite of what I did. While I did remain relaxed at a comfortable pace, I took the lead spot from the very beginning.

Off to the races!

Adam Barstad was hanging on my tail and the two of us quickly created space from the rest of the runners. A mile or so into the first loop we began a nice steady climb. I attacked the ascent at what seemed to be an unreasonable pace, being that it was so early into the race. I felt unbelievably strong going up that hill.

"Damn, Blackett's training is paying off!" I began thinking, "This is a breeze.."

By the time I topped out I had created a nice gap between Adam and myself. The sun was setting beyond the horizon and I soaked in the beautiful views.

I felt full of energy but had a little nausea. I tasted my dinner coming up. 

"Hope that subsides.."

I continued on and soon reached a nice descent. I flew down the single track. It whirled around and made me feel like I was riding on a roller coaster. I was going fast and had total disregard for holding back. I turned around and to my surprise, Adam was not far back.

"This guy is gonna push me all night.. I should have held back, I think I just screwed myself." I sadly thought.

The remainder of the loop was basically flat single track delight. I was cruising around 7:15 pace without a care in the world. I peaked behind me and saw nobody. 

"This pace is going to destroy me." I morbidly mumbled under my breath. I kept going.

I finished off the first loop (6.2m) in 44:47, feeling fresh and loose. Bret Sarnquist was there helping out at the aid station.

"You look solid, man. Nice consistent pace. Is there anyone behind you? 

"There was..." I responded.

"He must have fallen back." Bret encouraged me.

"I don't think he is that far back!" I said as I took off. 

I met up with Kristi and swapped my handheld for my pack. I gave her a hug and took off, starting my second loop.

About a minute into the loop, I saw Adam coming my way. We exchanged quick grunts and carried on. He was looking very strong. I figured I had about a three minute lead, depending on how long he took at the aid station. 

The second loop was fantastic single track that hugged the side of the mountain. Soon there were a ton of other runners appearing. There were now several other races going on. The sun had settled and darkness had arrived. I saw dozens of little headlamps bobbing up and down in the distance. I began passing runner after runner. 

Dust was flying as hundreds of feet pounded the sandy trail. I soon hit the Escondido aid station. Maria Walton handed me some S-Caps and off I went. My energy level was still solid but the nausea was getting more severe. 

I felt the urge to throw up and began taking deep breaths. Soon it was too much. I let it out, mid-stride. I didn't skip a beat.

"Wow, I never thought I could throw up while running and not even slow down.." I laughed to myself, "...and didn't even get any on me!"

While that did make me feel a little better, the process was repeated several more times throughout the race. 

My pace remained consistent as I reached the flat section that leads back to the start. I cruised through, finishing loop number two (16.8m) in 2:01:38. I filled my pack, chomped on Honey Stinger chews, threw on a shirt, gave Kristi a kiss and bolted out of there! 

I still felt very strong. Surprisingly strong. I saw Adam about a mile in, so I knew I had created a comfortable lead. I cruised up the steep like a caffeinated mountain goat. I continued passing other runners and was extremely invigorated. 

The moon had begun to rise into the dark sky. It was nearly full and painted a spectacular blood orange. There were pockets of cool air that refreshed my body and mind. These are the moments that I am fully at peace. I hit the flat and my pace felt a bit more forced but remained surprisingly fast. I cruised into the aid station wrapping up my third loop (23m) in 2:52:01.

"You are doing awesome, babe!" Kristi exclaimed, "How do you feel?"

"Exhausted.." I admitted, "There is still a long way to go.."

I said good bye and headed off on my fourth loop. I knew this would be the loop that would define the race for me. I knew I was in for some suffering. I was ready to fight. There was no sign of Adam or any other runner. I had a large lead but could I hold on? Could I finish off this ten mile loop feeling strong?

The trail had become steeper and less forgiving. I felt like I was going to bonk. Nausea wrapped it's evil tentacles around me. I dry heaved while continuing to run. It was dark and I was all alone.

"Just walk for a minute. Stop running. You must." My mind barked at me.

I ignored it. I kept running.

I hit the Escondido aid station and quickly continued on. One foot in front of the other. This loop was longer this time around.

"I don't remember this.." I was delirious.

 I finally made it the the flat section. My pace picked back up. 

All of a sudden, I was running sub 8's again!

I hadn't stopped running through all of the pain I was enduring, now I felt like I had a second wind!

Soon enough, I was wrapping up the fourth loop (33.6m) in 4:19:56.

"Last loop.." I moaned to one of the volunteers at the aid station. I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as I walked over to Kristi.

I didn't waste much time before I took off. I wanted to get this thing done! I figured my lead was large enough that if I need to do a little hiking, I would be okay. I felt really relaxed as I approached the last climb of the night. 

To my surprise, I continued running. I ran the whole way up and topped out.

"Holy crap.." I was in disbelief  "I still feel good!" 

I barreled down the roller coaster descent and hit the flat section for the last time of the night. 

"It's time to give it all that I got!"

I hammered out the last few miles toward the finish. I saw the lights of ultra-city glowing in the distance. I got one last burst of adrenaline as I whipped around the bend and shot through the finish line (39.7m) in 5:16:10!!!

Wrappin' it up!

"Oh yeah!" I shouted! 

Kristi came over and congratulated me. 

"That was the best race of my life." I said.

And it was.

Jamil and Nick congratulated me as did Mr. Entertainment himself, Michael Farris. I was blown away by my performance. I felt like I could have headed out for another loop... But I was glad it was over.

Good times!

I ran every single step of the race. Besides the nausea and a brief encounter with the dreaded "wall", I never really suffered. It gives me a new confidence moving forward. I have a brand new outlook and approach on the way I'm going to train and prepare for races. 

It was an incredible experience to feel that strong for a race of that distance. It's tough to put the feeling into words. 

Congratulations to Magi Redlich, the overall female winner and Adam Barstad, who also ended up going sub-6 with an impressive time of 5:53:06. Nice work! 

As always, Aravaipa Running put on a first class event. To all the volunteers, you make these events so incredibly special. Thank you. A big thanks to Honey Stinger for fueling my wild adventures and making products that actually taste good! And thank you Kristi, for always being out there supporting my running endeavors. You are the greatest.

Until next time... 

I don't normally run relays but when I do, I run them solo.

Sunset Loopy

Running is very interesting because you never know how you are going to feel until you actually start running. 

There are the days that I feel like crap and I try to give myself every excuse in the world to skip my run, yet when my feet hit the ground I am filled with energy. It's like I have wings. 

Like I can fly! 

On the contrary, there are the days that the motivation to go run is overflowing, that I'm chomping at the bit to pile on some hardcore miles. I lace up, bolt out the door and I'm completely bonked of energy and I have to force myself to continue.

In a nut shell, some days are better than others. 

I had been looking forward to running TTR's "Sunset Loops". I had never run the course and was excited that I would get to explore some new terrain in the Santa Catalina Mountains. 

Unfortunately, I had been under the weather for the last week. But I felt like I was on the mend and that my strength was coming back. The moment my alarm jolted me up that morning, my body told me otherwise. 

"Go back to sleep Sion, you're too weak.." My body felt lifeless as I silenced the noise.

"I don't feel too good. I think I'm gonna skip it." I mumbled to Kristi.

"No. No, I'm not. I'll just beat myself up the rest of the day if I do. I'm going."

So I ignored my body.

"I'll show you who's boss!" 

I got all my stuff together, choked down two bites of shredded wheat, cursed myself for not listening to my body and headed out the door.

As I cruised up the Catalina Highway, I lost myself in thought. I remembered the first time I rode up this mountain with my parents and brother. I was living in a halfway house and they were visiting me for the first time since I had been placed there. We shared lunch on top of Mount Lemmon. We talked about my road to recovery, about my new life in Tucson.

Little did I know that the very mountain we shared that meal on would end up being part of my recovery. That it would give me a new life. 

As it turned out, I had a lot more suffering to do before I found a new life. Before I found this mountain. Before I found myself.

I arrived at the Sunset Trailhead and mingled with some of my fellow TTR'ers. I didn't feel right. I felt groggy. After the pre-run briefing we all clicked our time pieces and took off!

I ran behind Catlow and Duer for the first mile or so. I immediately found myself gasping for air. The two of them were having a conversation as we skipped and hopped over the rocky section of Sunset Trail. I tried to join in but felt like I couldn't breath. So I just focused on running.

"This is weird." I thought to myself, "Why do I feel so weak?" 

Soon the three of us scampered into Marshall Gulch.

"Go ahead" Duer said to me as he made a detour. 

"I guess..." I thought to myself as I followed behind Catlow.

We hung a sharp left and connected to Aspen Trail. I love this trail. It's covered in shade for the most part and has some amazing views. It's quite a climb from the very start and my breathing became extremely labored.

I was talking to Catlow about his most recent ultra glory when I began to feel faint. I decided to let him pull away as I slowed my pace down. The climb seemed relentless yet this was only the beginning of the run. 

"Maybe I should just cut it short today" I began to think.. "I can't see running for another three hours feeling like this."

I've had a few runs where my stubbornness triumphed my logical thinking. One of those runs I felt like I was on the edge of death. If interested in reading about that wonderful experience check out Desert Delirium. 

Soon we hit Marshall Saddle. I realized that the next section would be the toughest climb of the run, that this would be the time to cut it short.

"I could just head down Marshall Gulch Trail and call it a day.." I thought to myself as I ran right past it.

"No, you'll get your second wind. It's just a matter of time."

I continued on Aspen Trail and began the climb that takes you to the summit of Mount Lemmon. Catlow had taken a detour and was behind me for a few minutes before quickly catching back up.

"Go ahead, bro." I said as I moved over and let him by, "I don't feel very peppy today."

"Yeah, you seem quiet. Do you need any food?" Catlow offered.

"No, I'm fine. I'll be okay. I'll survive."

I slowed down and watched Catlow effortlessly cruise up the steep. Each switchback that followed he was further in front of me. 

"I can't breath!" I shouted in frustration.

"Maybe I should just turn back..."

I said those words but only continued putting one foot in front of the other. 

Each step my legs became heavier. My heart was ripping through my skin. I reached timberline and the sun sprayed me golden. 

Despite my worsening condition, I gazed for miles into the distance and absorbed the absolute beauty that was surrounding me. 

"It's good to be alive!" 

I eventually reached the summit. I stood there dazed for a minute, sucking air. I snapped a picture and looked ahead. I saw Catlow in the distance flying along the ridge. I chomped down some Honey Stinger chews and set off..

I enjoyed the descent along the ridge. The views were breathtaking as I made my way to Mt. Lemmon Trail. I couldn't find a good rhythm for the life of me. Even with all the downhill, I still was having to slow to a walk in order to catch my breath. I think it was at about that moment that I realized that I was in for a long day. 

Lemmon Trail is pretty awesome. Fast runnable single track trail blanketed in shade. I was able to slip into a groove and enjoyed some sustained running. 

I finally, at what seemed like an unreasonably long time, reached Wilderness of Rocks Trail. This was the part of the run I had been looking forward to. I had never been on the WOR Trail and was excited to see some new terrain. Only problem, I was beginning to really suffer. The heat was on and my energy had decided that it wasn't going to visit me on this day.. Not even for a short conjugal visit. Not at all..

I did my best to stay positive but my demeanor was quickly evaporating. The Wilderness of Rocks didn't disappoint. Huge boulders towered overhead, surrounding me. It was quite magnificent. I used every excuse to take a break, snap a photo and catch my breath.

I began to feel like I was being baked in an oven. Blurred lines wafted off the gigantic rocks. I grew increasingly more nauseous and felt the urge to vomit. I became concerned that my water was going to run out. I was scared.

"I knew I should have stayed home. You're an idiot, Sion. I wish I was at home.."

I staggered on, forcing myself to run until I was on the verge of passing out. Only to repeat the process. The trail was amazing. Single track delight. Wonderful landscape and incredible views. Yet, I was in hell. I was suffering something awful. 

Running was becoming alarmingly difficult. At this point I was taking breaks to sit on the ground and catch my breath. I would envision finishing up the run and collapsing to earths surface.

"If I can make it to Marshall Saddle, I'll be good.." I thought to myself. 

I knew that once I got to the saddle, I would have screaming downhill all the way to Marshall Gulch, then onto Sunset Trail and to the finish.

"Keep moving."

The last stretch to the saddle was the dagger. I grew increasingly more faint. My equilibrium felt disrupted which caused severe dizzy spells. I felt a migraine developing. I felt sleepy. I sat down and panted like a dog. I wondered if I could keep going, if I could make it back. Did I need help? Search and rescue? 

Feeling the threat of running out of water looming, I slapped myself together and finished off the last climb to the saddle. I took a seat on a log, sipped on some water and caught my breath. 

"You're going to run every step of Marshall Gulch Trail." I told myself, "Every step."

And so I did. I ran the whole way down to Marshall Gulch. I managed to avoid tripping, despite the dizziness that had enveloped me. I took a breather and walked to Sunset Trail. 

"This is it. The last stretch. You are going to make it." I encouraged myself.

I was able to lift myself out of the funk and focus on the last stretch of the run. I ran and walked without taking anymore breaks. And just like that, I was back at the trail head. I was alive. 

I made sure to do what I had daydreamed about, so I picked a spot and collapsed to the surface of earth. I enjoyed that briefly before getting attacked by a swarm of horse flies. 

It just wasn't my day.

                     "You may encounter many defeats but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it."

                                                                             

                                                                 ~Maya Angelou      

                                                                     1928~2014 

2014 Zane Grey 50 (The Storm; Part Deux)

I've been hearing about Zane Grey since I stumbled upon the sport that has since become my reason. I've heard the war stories about the difficulty that the 50 mile race embodies. How it chews-up even the toughest of the tough. How gnarly and gruesome it can be. And the heat...all about the heat.

The Zane Grey 50 runs point-to-point along the Highline Trail from Pine to Christopher Creek and is "regarded as the toughest, roughest and most beautiful 50 mile trail runs in the country."

So needless to say, I've wanted to take a stab at Zane Grey for the last few years. Last year I wrecked my foot and couldn't make it. So when registration for the 2014 installment of Zane Grey opened up, I had my credit card locked and loaded. I was in.

I had also registered for Old Pueblo, which I felt would be a nice trainer to help me prepare for Zane. It was going to be the my third straight year running Old Pueblo and I had high expectations for the race. If you are not already aware of what happened at Old Pueblo 2014 click here. But I'm sure most of you are now aware that the Santa Rita Mountains were hammered with a torrential rain storm on race day that reeked havoc upon everyone out there.

As it turned out, I wound up having what was probably my best race ever at Old Pueblo on that dark day. Sean Meissner and myself shared a tie for first in a debacle of a messy race. I handled the conditions, braved the storm and pushed through some serious rough patches. My buddy Duer, who was out braving the elements while volunteering said "This is probably the only year that Old Pueblo will be harder than Zane." It was an Epic day.

I thought, "If I could handle running through those horrendous conditions, I surly can handle Zane.." I had more confidence in my abilities and after a short recovery, I resumed my training.

The remainder of my training went well. I managed to smash a couple of my PR's on two of TTR's exceedingly brutal runs. I had the added bonus of getting a nice 25 mile training run on the course and what I had been told rang true; The Highline Trail is rough and tough.

It's beautifully brutal.

All in all, I made myself do some serious suffering as I prepared and I was ready to tackle the beast known as Zane Grey.

I made it to my taper feeling free from any significant aches and pains. As we all know, that is half the battle. I was pretty damn excited about the race!

I am not entirely sure how I first heard the news. It may have been Facebook or it may have been word of mouth. It may have been the news. Hell, it may have been telepathy. But no matter how I got the news, I was left speechless. The news was saying that a storm was supposed to hit on race day. Not the day before, not the day after.

A storm was expected to crash the Zane Grey party. 

"How could this be?" I thought to myself, "this is crazy.." I was in shock. On the other hand, I was excited that it wasn't going to be a scorcher. I hadn't had much heat training yet and with how I handled the stormy weather at Old Pueblo, I felt like I had a nice advantage. I would know how to better prepare for it.

Plus, there was no way it could be as bad as Old Pueblo. No way. Not possible. Not in a million years.

So as the days ticked off closer to the race, the weather reports grew increasingly more grim. And as the reports grew more grim, I grew more excited. "This is gonna be amazing!" I would convey to Kristi, "Who would have ever imagined that this would happen? Two Arizona ultras in a row, both getting smashed with wild weather.." 

I just couldn't believe it and I couldn't wait.

The day before the race, Kristi and I packed far more than we needed into our car and headed off to Payson, AZ. Kristi was crewing me during the race so we both made sure to have all that we needed to handle the conditions. We were quite meticulous. No, not really. We just took everything we owned.

As soon as we hit the road I received an email that said that the race had been changed. Due to the increasing risk of high water crossings, the course had been modified. You could now choose between a 50k(ish) or a 50 mile(ish) distance, both ending at the Fish Hatchery. This storm was supposed to get nasty. 

"This is crazy.." I whined as I read the email to Kristi. "I didn't train all this time to run a 50k, I'm running 50 miles regardless of the weather." I was definitely disappointed that I wasn't getting the opportunity to show what I was capable of on the "classic" Zane Grey course.  

The trip up to Payson went surprisingly quick. Pretty soon I saw the Mogollon Rim looming in the distance and I knew we had arrived. After a little confusion Kristi and I located The Best Western Hotel, which had conveniently changed it's name to The Quality Inn the night prior. 

After meeting up with my fellow trail mashers at packet pick-up, which was located in the conference room just feet from our suite, we settled in for the night. 

Lutick kickin' it with Tucson's finest

I looked into the distance off our balcony as the sun settled out of sight. The wind kissed my face. It was warm. "It doesn't feel like it's gonna get stormy... " I thought to myself.

My alarm obnoxiously barked at me at three on the dot. I got my game face on and quickly climbed out of bed. "Time.. Time for some action..." I mumbled as I began getting myself together. After forcing a bowl of Oatmeal down my throat, Kristi and I headed off to Pine.

We arrived at the start with about a half hour to spare. The temperature was quite warm with a slight breeze. It was too dark to see but I could sense a cloud cover looming overhead. Kristi met up with Duer's wife, who is also named Kristi, and we gathered for some pre-race pics. I was glad that Kristi (my Kristi) was going to have Kristi (his Kristi) to ride around with since she had done the aid station hopping thing before.

Amped to race with Duer and Stackhous

The time had arrived and we all made our way to the start. Joe Galope, the race director informed us that it was supposed to start raining in around 15 minutes. I looked to my right and there is Sean Meissner standing there beside me. "Did you remember your bottles?" Sean cynically quipped. I had forgot my bottles at Old Pueblo and wound up borrowing one. How I forgot the water bottles, one will never know?? "Yes, plus I got a jacket and waterproof gloves!" I was quite proud of how prepared I was.

The usual countdown ensued and it was time to race! A lead group sprinted ahead at what seemed to be a completely unreasonable pace. "Holy crap, those guys look like they're in a hurry" I said to Sean. "Yeah, a little too ambitious for me" he responded. I knew enough about the course not to get wrapped up in a race right out of the gate. So I settled in behind Sean at a nice easy pace.

It was warm with a touch of humidity as we made our initial climb out of the darkness. The sunrise began and I was reminded once again why I love what I do. A small crease in the horizon allowed rays of sunshine to squeeze underneath the thick cloud cover. It was perfect. 

Pretty soon a few runners began creeping on my heels and eventually passed me and Sean. Brett Sarnquist and Nick Coury blew by us. I began to feel like I was holding back too much, that I was losing too much ground. Garrett Smith appeared in my rear view. "You and Sean gonna bring the crazy weather again?!" Garrett joked. 

Right at that moment I knew it was time to make a move. "I'm gonna pass on by.." I said to Sean as I made my way around him. I figured I had fallen into around 20th place. I panicked briefly and pushed on the accelerator. 

I was feeling full of energy as I cruised on the single-track that was hugging the side of the White Mountains. I gazed for miles into the distance and absorbed all of the beauty. The air was perfectly still as the clouds began to seal up the horizon. 

It was calm before the storm.

I soon caught up with Nick. I tailed him for a few miles, passing runners here and there. I finally relaxed and settled into a nice groove as we rolled into the Geronimo aid station at mile 8. We both wasted almost no time and departed.

Nick dipped off the trail and I continued on my way. For the first time of the day I felt the temperature begin to plummet. A few rain drops started falling and the wind began to pick up. I was excited and I was ready for some downright shiticulous weather!!

The rain continued to fall harder and the mud made its first ugly appearance. 

"Damn you MUD!"

It was sticking to the bottom of my shoes.

"My shoes must weigh five pounds apiece..."

I eventually began approaching the Washington Park aid station at mile 17. I was getting excited to see Kristi along with a bunch of my Tucson running family! It is such a boost to see familiar faces during a race. It is something I can't even put into words. It's just special.

I only ended up passing one more runner during that long stretch from Geronimo to Washington Park. That runner happened to be a girl and she looked pretty damn fast.

I got a much needed burst of adrenaline as I made my into Washington Park. Kristi got me some dry gloves (the waterproof were filled with water. Go figure). Dallas was there as always helping me with anything I needed. Renee, SteveO, JoeP, Kristi (his Kristi), Denise and a bunch of other familiar faces got me all jacked up and I bolted outta there with a lil pep in my step!!

Heading into Washington Park...

...and into the storm!!

It wasn't long after I left Washington Park that I realized I was getting very cold. I was wet and the ground was slippery, making running more physically demanding. The rain turned to hail. Those little frozen beads began pelting me in my face. That'll wake you up!

Soon enough my fingers had become completely numb. I felt my demeanor dwindle. I cursed myself for doing this ridiculous sport. And just like I had expected, Nick appeared behind me. "This is what's up!! Nick said as he made his way by me. I got my spirit back, focused and hung onto his tails.

So the weather.. Well, the weather continued to get more severe. It was now snowing full white flakes. It was quite mesmerizing. The mud was making everything more difficult, more dangerous.

The clouds had landed on top of us. Thick white layers blanketed the distance. "This is amazing" I thought to myself. With snow beginning to stick to everything, it became a winter wonderland. "There is nowhere I would rather be.."

Nick and I took a wrong turn and got off course for a mere five minutes. As we got back on track the girl I had passed earlier had already caught up. 

"Geez, I can't believe this chick caught up???" I thought to myself.

The three of us continued on in a close-knit pack for a number of soggy miles. 

"Who is that chick?" I asked Nick. 

"That"s Kerrie Bruxvoort."

I immediately recognized the name as the winner of last years race.

"She's quick."

And she was. We all stayed relatively close for a long time. The conditions got worse and worse. I pretended to love the weather. The weather didn't pretend to love me. At all.

We turned a corner and out of the blue, in the middle of the mountains, in the middle of a blizzard, Hells Gate aid station abruptly appeared. Hell had apparently froze over. I was amazed that a fully stocked aid station was functioning in the middle of this insane storm. Just amazing! The three of us quickly grabbed a few things and departed.


If there was one thing that I took from that 25 mile training run I did several weeks earlier was that there is one gnarly climb before you near 33. It drained me that day and I knew it wanted to abuse me today.

As we approached the climb, Brett caught up with the three of us. Not surprising at all. I was shocked that we hadn't caught up with any of the other runners? Our pace had remained solid. The field was definitely stacked that day.

The trek up that slippery slope destroyed my energy. Nick and I made a little separation as we topped out. We traded places as we slipped and slide(d) around the trail. Half the battle was just keeping on our two feet. I was surprised that we were able to accomplish that.

I was freezing. My energy was non-existent. Nick began to pull away. 

I ran alone for awhile. I wondered if I could keep going after 33 miles.. I was hypothermic, but I couldn't let everyone down. I would keep going.

I slugged up a hill lost in thought. 

"You're almost to the top."

I looked up and there was a couple of guys standing at the edge of the trail. 

"Fish Hatchery is 3 miles away. The race has been called there."

I was caught off guard by those words. 

"You mean I can't go on?" I asked.

"Nope."

I wasn't sure how I felt about this. I was definitely cold and wet. I was covered in mud. I had kicked a branch and tore a hole on top of my left shoe which was allowing all the muck to get in. I was sick of sliding around. I was having trouble eating because my fingers no longer worked enough to get to my food. Even with all of this going on, I still had a lot of racing left inside of me. I desperately wanted to move up in the race. I had run very smart but it was over..

I could see Nick way out in front of me, just a small red dot in the distance. I figured I might as well give it my all and try to catch him. There was a slight descent and I made good use of it. I started to gain on Nick. I looked behind me briefly and saw that Kerrie and Brett were catching up to me as well.

I was pushing as hard as I could when I slipped and took a hard fall to the ground. I guess it was inevitable. I had mud caked all over my body. I picked myself up and quickly continued on. Nick was only a few hundred feet in front of me when Kerrie passed me. It wasn't Brett that was with her, rather a pacer that she apparently picked up. Smart girl.

I followed on their footsteps not letting them make any separation. The storm had reached full capacity. The wind howled as the snow flew around in every direction. The trees swayed back and forth as if they were alive and angry. We soon caught up to Nick. Kerrie and her mysterious pacer wasted no time and passed him. I figured it was time to settle in behind him and finish this thing off together!

I could hear the sound of people screaming as we closed in on the Fish Hatchery. "Nice running with you!" I shouted to Nick as we finished off the last steps of the wild adventure!! 

Nick and I wrapping it up!!!

I hit the pavement and it was officially over!

I wound up finishing the modified 33 mile race in 6:15, good for 11th place. While disappointed I didn't get the chance to pick off some more carnage, I consider that a success! There were some talented runners out there.

What an incredible experience it was.. Just blows me away that two races in a row, I was dealt with more than I had ever experienced. Two epic races on the courses of a pair of Arizona's most legendary ultras. 

Life is brilliant.

Thanks to all of the volunteers out braving the storm. You are truly my heroes! Especially you, Kristi (my Kristi). As always I got to enjoy chilling with the one and only Michael Farris after my race. That dude is a world of entertainment! And thanks to Honey Stinger for fueling my adventures even when my fingers are incapable of movement!!

Congrats to Ryan Smith and Kerrie Bruxvoort on the wins! 

Way to represent Tucson, Catlow, Duer, Stackhous, Hawk, Fall and especially Dabler!! 

Let's Keep putting Tucson on the Map!

Until Next time...