Past >> Forward

"Hey, Cuz, whaddya think you are doing in my car?"

I am half drunk and laying in the backseat of a car. There are a couple of guys looking at me through the window.

"What the... How did I get here?" I mumble.. I lift my lifeless body up and begin trying to explain.

"This is my buddies car, he said I could sleep in it.." I slur.

"This ain't your buddies car, this is my car, Cuz, now get your ass out of it." He said while tapping the window with some sort of metal pipe.

"Okay, man. Okay." I open up the door and step out. My legs feel like they are gonna buckle. 

Both men grab me and shove me into the side of the vehicle. 

I am forced to hang out with my newly acquired friends. The details are less than glamorous. As terrifying as it sounds, I had no fear. No emotion. Blank.

Eventually, I would be able to leave. I stumble off, down a dark alley. It's the middle of the night and I have nowhere to go. No one to call. Nothing in my pocket. I go and sit on a bench at a bus stop. I look up at the traffic lights. I am at the corner of Oracle and Grant. Location has no meaning. 

I am tired. "Why? How did my life end up like this?" I try to cry. I can't. I can't even cry. My soul has dried up, leaving nothing but darkness inside of me. A void. 

"You did this to yourself, Sion." I say under my breath. "This is the life you chose. You squandered all your gifts. You had everything you ever needed, only to piss it all away. You are a piece of shit. You don't deserve shit."

I stagger on, in search of a place to sleep. I eventually find an abandoned house and I climb through a broken window. There is a pile of old clothes on the floor. I push them together doing my best to replicate a bed. I curl up on top of them. I close my eyes and drift away... Inside my mind, I run away.

>>

I am now several years removed from that grim day. Those grim days. The memories I wish to forget are the very memories that I must hold onto. I hold onto them with all of my might. Making sure to never lose sight of how it used to be. 

Somewhere along the line, I had a moment of clarity. I chose to change my life. To have a life. Dare I divulge such dark secrets about myself? About how it used to be? About how I used to live? 

It's brought me to a life that I could only dream about. That I dreamt about while laying on a pile of dirty laundry. I discovered running and it gave me meaning. I met someone that would help me follow my dreams, that would love me. No questions asked. 

A void has been filled.

I will toe the line at the Old Pueblo 50 Mile Endurance Run for the third consecutive year on Saturday. I have lofty goals going into the race. Yet, I feel more relaxed than ever. The outcome will all be part of the glorious road that I run. 

Last week I got offered a sponsorship from Honey Stinger. I am honored to represent a company that I truly stand behind. This is just a small step in the direction of the dreams that I have. The dreams that I work for. 

The dreams that I run for.

AZ Trail Race

After a very rocky finish to 2013, I was able to open up 2014 on a high note with a third place finish at the Coldwater Rumble 52k. It felt like I got that 'monkey off my back' and I regained some of the confidence I had lost.

Now it was time to gear up for my third stab at the Old Pueblo 50 Mile Endurance Run. No more races until then, I had decided. That was until the race director for Everyone Runs, Steve Landau sent me a message that went something like this; "You should stop spending all of your money in Phoenix and do The AZ Trail Race." 

Steve also happens to be a good friend of mine and I am a member of 'Team Everyone Runs', so it got me thinking..

In 2010 I ran on trails for my first time at The AZ Trail Race 8 Miler. I ended up coming in tenth place overall and won an award for claiming second in my age group. It was the first time I realized that maybe I could be a fast, competitive runner. I had not entered that race with intentions of winning anything, I was just enjoying my fourth race ever. I received that award and never looked back. Now I enter EVERY race with intentions of winning. My affinity for trail running has since blossomed. It is my life. So needless to say, this race has a special spot in my heart.

As an added bonus, my fellow ultra-running, TTR'ing, sport-loving, shit-talking good friend of mine, Michael Duer, was making his "comeback to race-ing" debut there.. This proposition just made sense!

This race is a sell out every year but Steve said he would get me in. So, at the last minute, I decided to go for it. How well I would perform in a race that was so much shorter in distance and faster in speed than I have become accustomed to was a mystery to me. It's been a long time since I did a race this short. Besides 'Run With The Roosters 5 miler' over the summer, the last one I did was the AZ Trail Race a year ago. I have become so wrapped up in my ultra-running that I really haven't focused much on speed work (something I should do anyway). 

I was nervous about the decision to do it, for fear I might have a terrible day and disappoint myself. But what's life without the chance of failure! 

I woke up on race day very relaxed. I really didn't know what to expect in regards to my performance, but I did know it would be over fairly quick. I decided to ditch the trail shoes and throw on my Adidas Adios racers. "Time to go fast!" I thought to myself. Kristi and I arrived at the Colossal Cave Mountain Park and met up with Michael Duer and his wife, Kristi (yes, they have the same name). The two Kristi's hung out while Duer and I did a little shake out run.

Duer and I discussing some race strategy

Duer and I accepting "secret" strategy tips from the race director himself

"How do you feel?" I asked Duer, "I don't know, I haven't raced in soooo long! I was up all night thinking about this.." Duer has started out the season looking strong as ever. After dealing with multiple injuries for sometime, it's great to see him back. "You'll do great, your running really well" I encouraged him. "You should kill it!" He emphatically told me. Time would tell.

It was time to line up. "Stay relaxed" I kept telling myself during the National Anthem. "Meet the moment." 

"Dude, it's only 8 miles.."

After wishing Duer luck, I put on my game face and focused. The countdown dwindled down to zero and the race was on!

Blast off!

There is a steep hill to start the race. I let a group of about four runners lead the way as I tried to settle into my rhythm. As we topped out I realized the pace was much slower than I had anticipated, which I was happy about. No one jumped way ahead, so I let it stay that way. As we made our way back down the hill and onto the trail, I had moved up into second place.

Surveying the comp early on

We hit the AZ Trail and began enjoying some single-track delight. The weather was crisp and it made for perfect running conditions. The runner in first place had already began to slow down as we zig-zagged up the trail. I knew if I let him stay in the lead, I would have no chance at a PR. So I decided, "what the hell, go for it.." 

I had told myself to stay conservative, but this pace was too slow. I had to make a push and I was willing to take the risk. "Excuse me sir" I said as I cruised around him. I took over first place and upped the pace a few notches. Switching trail shoes for the racers was a great idea. I was flying!

I felt great. I was enjoying the trail and the picturesque views as I trotted along. The course isn't overwhelmingly technical, but it does go up and down a lot which takes a toll as the race wears on. After a couple of miles, myself and two other runners had made some separation. It was quite apparent that it would be a race between us three for the win. 

As I approached the first aid station I realized that there was only one runner close behind me. The third runner had fallen back. I had already decided that I would do this race without taking a drop of water or anything else for that matter, so I didn't even slow as I passed by. 

This next section of the race is probably the toughest. It's a climb for the next couple miles and I began to feel a little fatigued for the first time. It may have been in my best interest to let the youngster on my heels pass, rather than allowing him to sit back and draft off me. Instead, I continued on. That would be my only mistake of the day. 

Around 5 miles in, we hit a dirt road that looped back to the AZ Trail. This race is essentially an out and back minus a couple of detours included. As we approached a downhill section I began to think, "this kid is gonna smash the descent and leave me behind. Dammit, I should have let him pass earlier instead of allowing him to save all of his energy.." 

As I become more experienced at running races, I am learning that while a lot goes into how fit you are, there is also a great deal of strategy involved. On this day, I didn't have the best strategy. As soon as we hit the descent, he blew by me. I just didn't have the leg speed to keep up with him, so I made my wisest decision of the day, I let him go. I figured I might have a shot at him later or I might not, but I wasn't going to risk losing second place and a chance at a PR.

I watched him run off and regained control of my breathing. I was holding onto a 6:45 pace and felt pretty comfortable. Then I entered the part of the race where you deal with all of the runners going the opposite direction. There were a few instances where I was forced to the side of the trail in order to avert a head-on collision. Good times!

Once I got past all of the mayhem, I settled back into my groove. And I was definitely feeling solid. "Looks like a second place finish is in the cards!" I thought to myself, followed by "you should have been smarter, you would've won the race!!" 

Unless I win, I am never satisfied. It's in my nature. I feed off it. I love it. 

With about a mile to go I took a peek behind me and I saw the third place runner in the distance. He had made up some ground. "It's time to give it EVERYTHING!" I reprimanded myself. I picked up my pace and put the pedal to the metal. 

The last stretch to the finish is a steady climb and I was grinding gears. My pace continued to get quicker as I closed in on the finish. I was now fully in control of second place. I pushed myself as hard as I could and flew through the finish in 55:28, good for second place overall and a 27 second PR!!

Duer came rumbling through the finish soon after, securing a solid fifth place finish. Welcome back, Micheal Duer! A couple of ultra-runners runnin' it fast! 

As it turned out, the last mile of the race was my fastest of the day. That allowed me to close the gap on the first place finisher, who got me by less than a minute. Congrats to the youngster from South Dakota (I think). 

Thanks to Fleet Feet Tucson and Everyone Runs for putting on this great trail race every year. It will forever be one of my favorites!

Flying into 2014!!

Coldwater Rumble 52K

Getting to the starting line of the Rumble was met with a lot of frustration, then finished with a world of gratitude. After things didn't go in my favor at Javelina, my urge to complete a hundred miler swelled. I wanted to finish what I started so bad that it hurt. And I had just the plan to kill that pain:

Coldwater Rumble 100 miler.

I had three months to (heal) train, the timing was (shitty) good. I began constructing the grand-plan of my 100 mile "redemption race" while hobbling around on a couple of bum knees. But Lord knows, I was determined.

Eventually (entirely too soon), I began training again. I was pounding out some solid runs, even set a PR at TTR's Cowhead Saddle. I followed that by getting off course with Korey at McDowell, a 50 mile race I shouldn't have been running in the first place. I now consider that a blessing in disguise.. All of this while throbbing knee pain continued to scream at me:

Stop.
It hurts.
Stop.
You're an idiot!

A dreadful ending to my 2013 racing season had beat me into submission. There wasn't going to be a 100 mile redemption race at Coldwater Rumble. Woe is me. The signs were clear, it was time to reluctantly take that "forced time off" from running. "Can't do Coldwater" I dramatically proclaimed to Kristi, "This is awful!!"

I decided to take that "forced time off" and rest. In a very short amount of time, eleven days to be exact, both of my knees bounced back. I began to run again and the pain had miraculously vanished.

Do you believe in miracles?!

"So I think I want to do the Coldwater 52k" I explained to Kristi, "I am sure I can get in good enough shape by then.." It wasn't the race I had originally planned for, but last year's Coldwater 50k was the very race that helped me decide to let marathons take a backseat, and focus on becoming an ultra-runner.

What a fitting way to unfold 2014!!

In the four weeks I had to train leading up to the race, I pushed the envelope as far as I possibly could. Putting in as many miles that my newly recovered legs could handle. Everything went as good as I could have hoped for. I capped off my training with over 40 miles and a shit-ton of gain in the final weekend leading up to the Rumble.

I was ready.

It is a sacred feeling to be heading into a race feeling healthy. I was relaxed as Kristi and I cruised out to Goodyear, AZ. I put in the work and my body felt great... and I wasn't hurt. Kristi even decided to participate in her first trail-race, a four mile option that Aravaipa Running had also included. Those Coury brothers know how to run a business! And run!!

We safely arrived in Glamorous Goodyear and checked into to our suite. I even managed to catch some shut-eye, which is a rarity before a race. Actually, it is just a rarity. I digress.

The morning greeted us a bit warmer than expected. We arrived at Estrella Mountain Regional Park about an hour before the 52K. Kristi's race was an hour after mine, so this time there was the added element of BOTH of us being nervous. We chatted it up a bit with our buddy, Aravaipa's own (con-man) announcer Michael Farris and soon it was time for the 52K racers to line up.

I wished Kristi luck in her first ever trail-race experience and made my way to the start. I had already studied the field prior, so I knew who I was up against. Michael Carson and Bret Sarnquist were who I felt would be the most competition. Also, Rick Valentine had some strong races under his belt and would be gunning for a win. Standing at the line, I could feel this was going to be a battle.

I was going to suffer and I was craving it.

The moment before a race begins is precious. The determination is palpable. It is priceless.

~At the starting line, soaking it in.

The countdown concluded and the race commenced! The first few hundred yards a group of us stayed relatively close, even enjoyed some banter along the way. We hit the trailhead and the race began!

I have gotten a little better at holding back in races so I was staying very relaxed. No one wanted to take the lead position, so I gladly accepted. I was running conservatively, making sure not to make any serious separation. It felt good. I felt good.

Staying right around an 8 minute pace I eventually widened a gap and I was running all alone. I popped my headphones on and went into my zone. I envisioned crossing the finish line in first place. I would throw my hands up and shake my fists! Yeah! I won!!

I continued on and I daydreamed. I thought about where I have been and where I am now. Who I am. I have meaning. I love my life. Looking back on how it was, a life full of gifts squandered. I have a new outlook. This is a gift I will not squander. I run.

I soon hit the Coldwater Aid Station and began loading up. I had been chomping on Clifshot Blocks all morning and felt fully charged. I was out of there in seconds!!

Around 10 miles into the race I was jerked out of my comfortable dream state. There was a runner rapidly approaching me. I yanked out my headphones and slapped myself back into game mode. "Okay, Sion. Get it together" I told myself.

"Hey, how are you doing? I'm Sion" I said, only looking to get an answer to who he was. "I'm Rick, nice to meet you." This guy had a stiff pace going and I began to feel a little winded for the first time of the day.

Rick looked solid, like he was on a Sunday stroll. "How you feeling?" I asked. "Besides the heat, I am feeling good" he responded, "we don't have this kind of weather in Idaho.." I tried some pessimism,  "Good, 'cause we only have 20 some miles to go.." I said with apprehensiveness peppered in my voice.

Rick and I arrived at the Pedersen AS and quickly gobbled down some food. We both agreed that the bean burritos were delectable. As always, Aravaipa Aid Stations were stacked and packed! I bolted out of there and Rick quickly followed. I let Rick go ahead and followed behind.

Once again I felt winded. I remembered a wise man once said, "If you are running a race with someone else, chances are one of you isn't running your race."

So, I let up on the gas and watched Rick pulled away. "Damn, this dude is having the race of his life or I am gonna witness some carnage along the way.." I wondered. On I went, alone once again. This time more aware of my pace. "Umm, I wonder if that is gonna hurt me?" I thought to myself, regarding the extra-effort I put in running with Rick.

A few miles passed and I saw Rick in the distance. I could see he had already slowed down. I made sure to maintain my pace and quickly caught up to him. "Is that you Sion?!" He shouted at me. "Yeah, C'mon man, lets go!" I encouraged him.

We soon arrived back at the Coldwater AS and refueled. We cruised out of there, I let Rick lead the way. I was following close behind, only now we were running my pace. I could tell he was beginning to struggle.

Whether you agree with this or not, I feel like one of the most fulfilling aspects of running and competing is that moment when you take control. When you pull ahead.

I do this because I love it.

Toward the end of the 20 mile loop I made my decision to pull ahead of Rick. "Hey, I am gonna pass by, man. I'll probably see you in a little bit.." I said. "Yeah, go ahead. No worries.." Rick replied.

The last stretch back down to Rumble Headquarters was screaming downhill and I made use of it! I rolled through the 20 mile loop in 2 hours and 35 minutes feeling in control of the race. I grabbed some Gatorade and shared a moment with Kristi (who had already finished her race!). Rick once again motivated me to make short time of the AS. I yanked my shirt off and flung it in the air as I bolted out of there. It was heating up.

~Wrapping up the big loop, 20 miles in.

Within minutes of leaving Headquarters I saw Carson rumbling toward me. "Ahh shit, there's Carson." I shouted as we passed each other. Carson giggled. "Dammit, he must be feeling good" I thought. Seconds later, Sarnquist followed suit, looking as solid as ever.

I knew it was only a matter of time before those guys would make this a race!! I was excited. I felt very good and knew if I could maintain my pace, I would win this race.

I felt great. No stomach issues whatsoever. Hydration intact and no cramps to speak of. Around 25 miles I galloped into the Coldwater AS for the 3rd time of the day. I was leading the race and the pressure was on. I quickly continued on, zig-zagging up the "all-of-a-sudden" more difficult trail. I felt a little over-heated.

I managed to hit the marathon mark right around 3 and a half hours. "Man, that's pretty quick.." I thought to myself. It was soon after that, probably at about 27 miles, I felt myself bonk pretty hard. This bonk was one of those viscious bonks, one of those mean bonks. A bonk not for the faint of heart. "Oh shit, this is going to get rough."

My pace had slowed but I was still running. I began using the good old fashioned "perpetual forward motion" mantra and focused on my breathing. I felt like someone was coming up behind me. I looked back and right on my heels was Bret. "What up, man?" I asked while trying to look as comfortable as possible. "What's up, Sion? Did the guy in the green pass you? He asked referring to Rick. "No. I don't know what happened to him..?" I was having trouble maintaining a conversation. Bret seemed excited to take over first place as he cruised up the trail ahead of me. 

At 28 miles, I had lost first place. The feeling was demoralizing. "Okay, Sion" I tried encouraging myself, "second place ain't bad. Hell, even if Rick or Carson catch me, third place ain't too shabby either." I remembered that just a month ago I was out of commission. I was on that required hiatus. "I sure as hell don't want fourth place, though.." I sadly thought. I took a deep breath and continued on the task at hand. 

I soon made it back to the Coldwater AS for the 4th and final time of the day. I choked some Gatorade down and filled up my handheld. As soon as I took off I saw Carson making his way to the AS. "Crap, Carson is going to catch me too.. Dammit!" 

Within a couple of minutes of leaving the aid, Carson comes running up behind me. "Good job" I mumble as he went by. "You too, man" he replied. "Yeah, right. Me too.." 

At this point running was extremely difficult. "With only a month of training, I am doing pretty good I suppose." I thought to myself. I picked up my pace and managed to keep Carson within view for a while. Eventually, he disappeared and I was on my own. 

I wasn't going to give up a top 3 finish.

The last few miles of the race was nothing short of torture. And I loved it. 

I continued at a nice pace and made it up that last steep climb before the descent to Headquarters. When I reached the top there was a lady standing there, gasping for air. "Do you ever ask yourself why you do this stuff?" I said to her with a huge grin spread across my face. She looked up at me and said, "I don't know why any of you do this stuff?" She on the other hand wasn't displaying a grin.

"We do it because we love it!!" I shouted as I began the final descent.

I pushed myself as hard as I could down that last stretch to the finish, leaving nothing behind. I shot through the finish line wrapping up 32.5 miles in 4 hours and 28 minutes for 3rd place overall. Not a bad way to begin the new year!

The homestretch!!!

Bret Sarnquist of Phoenix won the race in 4:19, while Susan Kramer of Cave Creek, AZ took the top spot for the women in a solid time of 5:19. Congrats to the both of you. Nice work! And as always, a big thank you to Aravaipa Running for continuing to bring quality events to us on the regular!!

When I look back on this race, I can't help but smile. Sure, there are a few things I could have done differently but with only a month of solid training, I performed about as good as I possibly could have. I worked through a serious rough patch and learned more about this amazing sport and myself. When I toe the line at a race, my intentions are to give it everything I have.

And that is exactly what I did!

On to the next one!!

Ferocious Fourteen

My chest is on fire and sweat is burning my eyes. I am in a trance as I trounce up Blacketts Trail. I used to hate this trail. Now I love (to hate) this trail. I ignore the pain and scoff at the voice telling me to stop. I love it.

These moments are special. Every single one of them. I can see I am about to hit the summit, so I push past the pain. Beyond. I feel alive. My lungs scream for mercy. It is all so invigorating. I remember when I would sit alone in my apartment, terrified of what was outside. Terrified of tomorrow. 

Now I am free. I am free and I am at home in the mountains. This is my life. I want to escape to nature and push myself beyond comfort. Comfort is settling. 

I finally crest the summit. My heart is on the verge of explosion. "That was awesome!" I shout. I pull a bag of beef jerky out of my pocket and chew up a handful of meat. I feel like an animal. 

This run was special. I didn't have that lingering knee pain. It was gone. Miraculously, it went away. This was my first pain free run since I injured myself prior to Javelina... 

The end of 2013 was not picture perfect. In fact, the end of what was my best year of running was downright disappointing. Failing to finish Javelina and getting lost at McDowell was how I finished up my racing season.. An injury riddled two months with a couple of DNF's was how I wrapped up my year. 

After McDowell, I began to listen to my body. My right knee was hurt and I hadn't given it a chance to heal. Hobbling around at work while trying to ignore the pain was beginning to wear on me. Frustrated, I finally thought, "maybe I am going to have to rest for a couple months..?" To the average person this doesn't sound half bad, but I am not an average person.

I run.

"Gotta take some time off" I explained to Kristi. My grand-plan of the Coldwater Rumble 100 mile "redemption race" was out the door. "Maybe some time off would be good for you" Kristi suggested. "Good for me? Hopefully I don't go on some kind of rampage killing..." I morbidly thought. Why is it that running is everything to me? 

Because it saved me.

So I stopped running. A week went by and my knee felt just the same.. "Shouldn't it be getting better?" I wondered. After 11 days off my knee felt exactly the same. On the 12th morning of no running, I climbed out of bed and put some weight on my knee. "Wow.. No pain..." 

It's quite amusing looking back on how dramatic I get when I can't run. "My knee is never gonna get better.. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this stuff..?" I would sadly think. "If only I could run injury free forever.." I would daydream. 

But as fate would have it, I healed. And now I stand on top of a mountain, soaking in our planets wonder. I am free. 

As the calendar year rolls over, thirteen bleeds into fourteen and I have been infused with a passion and desire to excel far beyond what I thought possible. 

It is going to be a Ferocious Fourteen!


               "The mountains are calling and I must go."
                                                  ~John Muir

Blacketts Ridge

McDowell Mountain Frenzy

"Hey look" Korey said while pointing out a cow leaping through some brush a few hundred yards in front of us.

"Nice" I responded. "I'm surprised we haven't caught up to backpack guy.." I said referring to the lone runner ahead.

"Me too" Korey replied.

 I took a drink from my handheld, there were only a few drops left. "When is the next aid station, do you know?" I asked. 

"There is supposed to be one at 11 miles.."

 I looked down at my Garmin; 11:35 miles. 

"I haven't seen a course marker for awhile...?"

...

When my buddy Korey Konga let me know he was coming down from Ashland to defend his CR at Aravaipa's McDowell Mountain Frenzy, I was super excited. Korey and I became fast friends during his short stint of living in Tucson. We both love to run, to race, to compete, to push ourselves to the limit and to never settle. 

Javelina Jundred was the first race that I started and failed to cross the finish line. I had a knee injury going into the race and eventually, I was forced to drop. I was extremely disappointed albeit immensely motivated. I had that nagging "redemption race" pulling at my strings..

I would have never made the decision to jump into a 50 mile race so soon (6 weeks after Javelina) had it not been for Korey running in the race. My legs were just fresh of feeling better and I was putting in some decent miles. I thought about going to the race just to cheer Korey on and hang out. But I am a competitor and for God sakes, I love to race! So I made up my mind and registered. 

The few weeks I had to prepare were very mediocre in regards to solid training runs or high mileage. However, the Sunday prior to the race I had a huge PR at TTR's Cowhead Saddle run. I gained a little confidence and began genuinely looking forward to the race. 

Kristi and I made a last minute decision to skip getting a hotel in Phoenix and make a (long) (really long) day of it. At two in the morning my alarm went off, obnoxiously jolting us out of a 4 hour slumber. "Ahh, why do I do this crap?" I thought to myself. I began daydreaming of getting back from the race and climbing right back into bed. "Everything valuable in life is met with challenge, I suppose" I thought as I packed my running gear and into a duffle bag. A little after 3am we hit the road. 

The drive to McDowell Mountain Park went very smooth. We have gotten all too familiar with this journey. Strangely, the last three races I've done have been at that location. I yawned my way there, arriving around 6:15 in the morning. 

It was cold out. Better yet, it was freezing out! I went to get my bib and immediately ran into Walker, who was there to help sweep the course and Steve Bagg, who was running the 50k. Pretty soon the man of the hour, Mr. Korey Konga, arrived. We all got to talking and catching up while trying not to catch pneumonia. After I finished fumbling around with my running attire, I squeezed a ClifShot down my gullet and thought "It's go time!" I was ready. Kristi snapped a pre-race pic of Korey and I and we made our way to the start.

Korey and I Gettin' Ready To Rumble

To say I was excited would be an absolute understatement. I was jumping up and down as adrenaline coursed through my veins. "This is gonna be a friggin' blast!" I shouted. "Hell yeah it is. We are going to go under 7 hours!" Korey exclaimed. Having never gone sub-8, this seemed ludicrous. But his confidence was rubbing off on me. "Maybe sub-7 is possible..." I began to think.

As we counted down I envisioned the race, the journey ahead. I said a quick prayer as we all shuffled out of the start. Another runner blasted by everyone and jumped out in front. Korey and I looked at each other and started to laugh. "Damn, backpack guy is doing 6:30 pace out of the gate.." Korey said. We would refer to him as "backpack guy" for the remainder of the day. 

From the very start of the race Korey and I rambled on and on, catching up on lost time. "Damn, backpack guy is already out of sight" I was in disbelief. "We'll catch him, it's just a matter of time" Korey replied. And I already knew we would. 

The single track trail was very runnable. We cruised with ease right around 8 minute pace. I felt great. My legs warmed up and I was feeling no pain. Korey and I both have big dreams when it comes to our running. We have that competitive nature streaming through our blood and share the desire to win races and get sponsors. And I firmly believe that we will both be successful in doing this.

"Cruising" ~ Photo courtesy of Aravaipa Running

Around 4 miles in we rolled into the Gate Aid Station. We chatted with the guys working the AS and quickly continued on. The sun was rising behind us, spraying bright orange rays across the desert floor. The air was crisp and it made for perfect running weather. 

Pretty soon we connected to the Pemperton Trail. I have become quite familiar with this trail. "Pemperton Trail. I have run over a hundred miles on this damn trail in the last couple months.." I explained to Korey. "I'm tired of you!" We seemed to have a very good rhythm going as we made our way to the Pemperton AS.

"Hey guys, you're only about a minute behind the leader!" The bearded gentleman working the aid station exclaimed. "Only a minute, we are gonna catch him soon!" I added. "I was abandoned at this aid station, I don't even know what I'm doing!" He informed us. After filling up my handheld we bolted out of there. "You're doing a great job!" I shouted back to him. 

"See you when you guys come back around!" I heard him say as we continued on. 

We remained deep in conversation as we trekked up the Pemperton Trail. "It's crazy that we are going to be running up that" Korey said as he pointed out Thompson Peak in the distance. "Yeah, it seems so far away.." I added. On we went. Mile after mile.

...

"Yeah, I haven't seen any course markings for a long time.." Korey also, sadly admitted. 

"Do you think we went off course?" I felt myself begin to panic. "Do you remember any of this?" I asked.

"It all looks the same. I couldn't tell you.." 

We both agreed that we were getting further and further away from Thompson Peak, that this was not the right way.

How far had we gone off course was the question. We turned around and started running 6:30 pace in search of our mistake. There were no other runners coming our way. We were all alone..

"How did we miss a turn?" I mumbled. Or not notice that there weren't any course markings. How?

"We must've just been bro-in' out" Korey said. He was right. We had been so wrapped up in our conversation that we completely stopped paying attention to anything else!

Finally we saw some mountain bikers coming our direction. "Hey, you guys seen any runners back that way?" We needed answers! 

"Yeah, waaay back there." His words were like razor blades.

Our race was over.

We continued back down Pemperton Trail for what seemed like an eternity. We were both in complete disbelief that we could have gone so far, so completely unaware of our surroundings. 

We finally reached the point of our mistake. There, virtually in the middle of the trail, were two signs with arrows pointing in the direction we did not go.

"How in the... How did we miss that?!" I cried. We had no one to blame but ourselves! 

Korey and I took our time getting back, prolonging our embarrassment as long as possible. We actually got over the frustration rather quickly and enjoyed running and shooting the shit. We discussed life and how running has helped mold us into better people. It turns out Korey and I have similar stories. We tried to see the "silver lining" as to why the race turned out the way it did and we seemed to enjoy just running. Running in it's simplicity.

Finally we reached headquarters and cruised on in. "No, not you guys!" Jamil shouted as we trotted in with our tails between our legs. 

This picture says it all!

Yep, us guys. 

It turned out to be a really awesome day hanging with some great people. I am glad I got to share some miles with a good friend of mine. You can't put a price on these moments, even if they don't go according to planned. 

Congratulations to the 50 mile winners, Harland Peelle and Maggie Beach. Way to rock it! And thanks to Aravaipa Running for continuing to raise the bar when it comes to putting on first class events. Well done as always.

Until next time....

Stay on the trail!

Walker and Myself Soakin' it in

The crew representing

McDowell Mountain McFailure (a little humor always heals:)

Running Reflections

It's two weeks until the Javelina Jundred and I am in the best shape of my life. I feel light as air as I make my way up Phonline Trail's initial ascent. My mind is wandering. I'm in a zone. 

I see a runner far ahead of me zig-zagging up the single track. I push harder. I don't know how else to be when it comes to running. What can I say, it's in my blood. "Go get him" I tell myself. This was supposed to be an "easy" run but now I am full-steam ahead. 

I continue flying up the steep and eventually I cruise past the other runner. I am daydreaming. I am thinking about Javelina. I am lost in thought. I envision crossing the finish line and collapsing to the ground. I have tears streaming down my salty face. I get up and say "my job here is done" and everyone cheers. I smile. This is what I dream about. 

The single track flattens out and I am all alone. I am running fast. I am running very fast. I hop from rock to rock like a billy goat on crack. I continue to dream. I lose myself. 

Suddenly I am jerked out of my dream state when I catch a toe on a rock and I am sent airborne. The amount of time spent in the air couldn't have been more than a few seconds, yet it felt like an eternity. I could easily see that this wasn't going to end well. There was nothing but jagged rock to cushion my fall. 

I land hard on nothing but rock. The wind is knocked out of me and I choke. I am dazed. "What the hell..." I mumble to myself, "did I just wreck myself for Javelina?" This wasn't part of the plan. 

There is blood pouring out of several large lacerations and I can't feel a thing. I wrap the worst cut up with my bandana and take off. The blood is splattering as my legs begin to turn. I stop for a moment and look down. There is a pool of blood beneath my feet. I laugh. 

Instead of cutting it short and turning around, I continue on. Blood pours off my knee as I hammer out 6's coming down the Tram Road. I still feel nothing. 

I make it back home and survey the damage. Besides having some pretty gnarly cuts, I am okay. "Damn, dodged a bullet there.." I tell myself, "and hey, I got a few nice scars!" I really am an optimist. 

Sore but undaunted, I remain poised. 

It's one week until Javelina and I am running entirely too fast down the Tram Road. It's my last training run before the race. I take a step. A step I have taken thousands of times. But it feels different. My right knee is filled with pain. "What is that?" I ask myself as I grind to a stop, "That didn't feel right.." This wasn't part of the plan. 

The remainder of my run I limp along. I am bruised-up, cut-up and limped-up. "How could this be?!" I am enraged. "Why does something always have to go wrong?!" 

Well, I am not always an optimist.. 

I toe the line at Javelina feeling like I can't run a hundred yards and I run 65 miles. Is that a failure? I must accept that it was not meant to be. My legs are back and I am blessed to be doing what I love once again. I am more motivated than I have ever been. 

This is part of the plan.

Javelina Jundred

The few months leading up to the starting line of The Javelina Jundred was an incredible journey. I never could have imagined that I would consider traveling 100 miles on foot. That sounds insane or just plain ridiculous..

My love to run further and faster has grown more with each passing day. I love mountains. I love trail running. I love ultras. I love to push the envelope and I'm just getting started.

I can say that in the 3 months of training leading up to my first 100 mile race everything seemed to be smooth sailing. I don't want to bore you with a bunch of stats, so let's just say I was putting in a lot of miles. I had an "eye-opening" race at Vertigo where I suffered cramps that would have killed a small child. I followed that with probably my best race ever at Javelina Jangover. 

My body seemed to be holding up really well, as I was walking that line of big miles and avoiding injury. Three weeks outside of the Jundred I put in my last long run, TTR's Mount Hopkins Ascent/Descent. The 24 miles spent on forest road felt like a good way to wind it down.

In the following weeks I managed to have my worst fall ever (I never told anyone this) and seriously aggravated my right knee (or this). I was a complete wreck mentally in the week leading up to the race. I finally had a meltdown. "My right knee is jacked, I have a damn limp!" I whimpered to Kristi. After my picture perfect training, I felt like my body was giving out. "Did I over-train?" I sadly thought..

I had too much invested into the race to not give it a go. I knew I could run on my seemingly "fragile" legs, but my confidence took quite a hit. A lot of the excitement was replaced with stress. 

On Friday morning Kristi and I got our bags packed and headed off to Fountain Hills. Packet pick-up was at the Fort McDowell Radisson, where we were also to be staying for the next 3 days. The resort was beautiful. We quickly noticed the crowd of crazies gathering in the court yard as we pulled up. 

I made my way over to the group and immediately saw my buddy Steve Bagg. Steve and I trained a little together and have both been working toward the same goal. "What's up man?" I exclaimed as I saw him and his girlfriend, Becky, lounging on some comfy chairs. "I'm just ready to get this started" Steve said. "I've gone on some short little runs this week and keep having these aches and pains.." Hearing him say that brought me some relief. "I've been dealing with the same thing!" I emphatically explained. 

I soon found the line to pick up my bib. I already knew the Coury's gave me the number 3 bib, which was cool. Having a low bib number is kind of an honor. As soon as I grabbed my bib, Kristi pointed out that it was also personalized. "Look, it says Sirunben!" I was a bit shocked. "Awesome!" I shouted. I'm not gonna lie, that was pretty sweet. Sirunben is a nickname my brother, Max, gave me. Through the powers of social media, Aravaipa Running knew that. 

After Kristi and I ate some dinner we called it a night. I managed to drift in and out of sleep, never actually "sleeping". This is nothing new to me, I rarely get any sleep the night before the race. At 3:00 am my alarm screamed at me and it was time to get up. "Knee feels good" I mumbled under my breath as I got into the shower. "I am going to do this" I told myself. 

Kristi and I arrived at Javelina Jeadquarters around 5 in the morning. Our group of runners and crew all gathered for some pre-race talk and a picture. Steve, Renee, Craig and myself all were very excited. So much hard work goes into this moment. The dedication and commitment is all put to the test. Right here. Right now.

Craig, Renee, Steve and myself amped and ready!

Finally the time arrived to line up. I stood towards the front of the group, among some of the worlds most elite ultra-runners. Ian Sharman, Joe Grant, Jeremy Humphrey, Hal Koerner and the local superstar, Catlow Shipek. 

The countdown began and before I knew it, we were off! I chatted with Steve as we began jogging through the pre-dawn light. The air was cool but signs that it was going to warm up quick were quite apparent. One of my main fears of running 100 miles was going out too fast. I felt like Steve and I had a nice easy pace going, our breathing never seemed the least bit strained. 

The sun quickly rose and daylight hit. It was beautiful out. "We are so blessed to able to do this" I said to Steve. "Yes, we are" he agreed. The front runners were out of sight and that allowed me to relax. I was worried I would get wrapped up into trying to keep up with them, thus destroying my race. 

"How do you feel?" I asked Steve. "Great. You?" He responded. "I feel good.." I answered. I wasn't being honest. My right knee didn't feel right. At all. "If I can get though this first loop, I'm sure my legs will loosen up.." I thought to myself. "I will be fine..."

I rolled into Jackass Junction Aid Station for the first time of the day. Jay Danek was there to help get my bottles filled and offer some encouragement. I put some food in me, popped some S-Caps and took off. Steve and I pretty much stayed together for the entire first loop. Ian and Hal were in the lead followed by Joe, Jeremy and Catlow.

I got a nice burst of adrenaline as I shot through the line to complete loop number 1. I felt pretty good as I did my best to put food into my system. I walked over to Kristi and changed out my cool weather gear. Steve rolled up and Becky helped him with his gear change as well. I grabbed my pair of gold sunglasses and popped them on. "Time to go 24 karat gold status!" I shouted. I felt great! I kissed Kristi goodbye and began my second loop. Steve followed right behind. 

It was really starting to heat up. It was only 9:30 in the morning, I knew we were in for a scorcher. Steve and I ran and chatted for the first couple of miles but soon I made some separation and he was no longer in sight. "Guess I will be spending some time alone" I thought. I began passing a few runners here and there. I felt pretty solid as I made my way into Jackass Junction for the 2nd time.

I joked around a bit with some of the volunteers while I fueled up. I got mad-props on my solid gold sunglasses (deservingly so). "How you feeling?" One asked. "Just starting to feel good!" I exclaimed. And I was. I felt invigorated. "See you soon!" I shouted as I trotted off. Everytime I got a good rhythm going, my knee reminded me to check myself. I was trying to make sure that I wasn't favoring my left leg but deep down, I knew I was. "Oh well" I thought, "if it doesn't hurt now, I'm fine.." 

As I reached the Tonto Tavern Checkpoint there were a couple of runners visibly suffering. "Man, it's hot out. I think I'm gonna go into safety mode and just try for a hundred K.." One said as he was gulping water like a maniac. "No man, don't think that way. You're here to run a hundred miles!" I demanded as I ran off.

I reached Coyote Camp AS feeling downright beastly. I crammed some pumpkin pie in my mouth and bolted out of there. The leaders were coming back my way and had shifted position. Jeremy was in front followed by Joe, Hal and Ian. "Keep it up man!" Koerner shouted to me as we passed by each other. "Koerner just told me to 'keep it up'. That is freaking sweet!" I thought to myself. Very soon I saw Catlow cruising along. "You look great, man!" I yelled towards him. "You too!" He responded. I could tell, Catlow was going to have a good day. 

I ran into Javelina Jeadquarters with a grin spread across my face. 30 miles in and I felt solid. "Maybe my knee really is fine?" I wondered. I fueled up and went over to Kristi and Becky. We talked for a minute and Becky sponged ice water over my head, cooling down my blistering body. "Ahhhh that feels good" I chattered, the frigid water streamed down my skin. "See ya.." 

I was feeling pretty relaxed as I began the 3rd loop. I watched a bunch of runners coming the opposite direction go by before I saw Steve. "You look good, man" He said as we passed by each other. "How do you feel, Steve?" I asked. I didn't hear him respond. "Mmm, I wonder if he is okay?" I thought.

I hadn't been passed by any runner and figured I was in the top 10. I was beginning to feel the heat wear on me and had a little nausea. Soon a girl came up behind me and then passed me. "Damn. Chicked already." The woman that passed me was Rhonda Claridge, the eventual female winner. 

I managed to keep Rhonda in sight for quite some time before settling down and focusing on MY race. I scampered into Jackass Junction feeling pretty queasy. I was now forcing myself to eat. Not a good sign. I took some Tums, remembering how they saved me at Jangover. It was blazing and people were dropping like flies out there. 

As soon as I left the AS I got my first bout of cramps. I collapsed to the side of the trail as I felt the muscles in my calves begin to seize up. "Not again!" I cried. Pretty soon a guy passed by me and offered help. "I'm good. I mean, I'm not good but ya know.." I was a little delirious. I picked myself up off the ground and begin walking down the trail.

The cramps subsided and my nausea eased off. Tums once again took care of business! I began running again and felt a burst of energy course through my body. I got my second wind and it felt great. Pretty soon that machine known only as Hal Koerner came rumbling up the trail. The guy looked like he was running 7's as we passed by each other. Once again he offered encouragement before disappearing out of sight. Dude is a class act, all the way around. 

A few minutes passed by and I saw no one. Then in the distance I saw a runner I know all too well. Catlow was now in 2nd place. "Damn, is everyone falling apart?" I asked him. "Yeah, it's the heat. Get iced down. You're doing great!" He encouraged me. It was quite some time before I saw Joe coming my way, holding onto the 3rd position. Then Jeremy in 4th. "Ian must've dropped..? I thought.

I rolled into Rattlesnake Ranch AS with a positive attitude. I ate some food and chatted with the volunteers. "You sure are color-coordinated" one of them pointed out. "That's half the battle, right?" I jokingly responded. I said thanks as I bolted out of there, eager to get loop 3 done.

I managed a solid pace the remainder of loop 3. I turned the corner and shot through the line. I was happy to see Dallas there lending a hand. "Damn man, it is brutal out there.." I whined to him. "Get at it. This is where all your heat-training comes in! He tried some encouragement. "Yeah, I suppose.." 

Michael Farris came up to me. "You're doing great. Running a smart race. How do you feel?" I began to feel very dazed. "That loop was rough. This next one is going to be worse" I mumbled. After Michael  drenched me with ice water, I made my way over to Kristi. "Hey, babe! You are doing great!" She said to me. Becky and a mutual friend Ed were also there encouraging me. "I'm never doing Javelina again." My attitude was declining, "too many loops. Too repetitive." I added. "Don't you see? Loops makes it easy on the crew!" Ed cynically explained. We all laughed. "Good point!" I said as I took off to begin loop 4. 

Going into loop 4, I felt like I was okay. I wasn't feeling great by any means, but I was okay. I soon reached Rattlesnake Ranch AS. "Back already!?" One of the volunteers said. "Yeah, quick aren't I? I responded. All of a sudden I felt the urge to get out of the sun and take a seat. Not good. "Can I sit for a minute?" I asked. I sat there for a few minutes, trying to gather myself. As another runner approached the AS I forced myself up off the chair.  "C'mon Sion.. Let's go already..."

As soon as I left the AS I realized that running was becoming very difficult. I eventually found a formula that began to work. My spirit got lifted again and I was enjoying myself. Soon I approached Cristian Rios..or "El Matador". He was walking like a zombie up the trail. "How you doing, bro?" I asked. "Sleepy" He mumbled quietly under his breath, "I don't want to keep my eyes open". I agreed that shit had got rough. "Well, best of luck, bud.." I continued on. 

If I could pin-point an exact time when things went awry, it would be soon after I passed 'El Matador'. My legs felt dead. I was struck with nausea. I just wanted to make it to the AS but it seemed like I was going nowhere. I finally took a seat on the side of the trail. "What's going on?" I thought to myself, "you trained for months for this." 

I find strength inside of myself by reflecting on where I've been and how far I've come. I focused on digging into my soul for the strength I so greatly rely on, only to be met with emptiness. Soon a runner passed by me as I stumbled along. I could feel my race begin to slip away. "And where the hell did Steve go?" I wondered.. 

I kept on truckin' as best I could and eventually made it to Jackass Junction AS. The scene there was reminiscent of a hospital emergency room. All cots occupied by incapticitated runners. I found an empty chair and took a seat. "Wow, I feel like garbage" I said to one of the runners laying on a cot. We had a short conversation. I offered as much encouragement as I could before Justin Lutick appeared and quickly began heckling me. "This stuff is easy for you because you're from Tucson, isn't that right?" He stated. He got me to laugh! I jumped off the chair and began walking down the trail...

The remainder of loop 4 quickly became a death march. I was passed by several other runners as delirium wrapped its evil tentacles around me. I wasn't drinking enough water. I was no longer eating. I took several breaks to sit in the baking sun. Hal blazed by me looking as strong as ever. Catlow was still in second place with a comfortable lead on Joe. 

The lack of energy, the bothersome knee and the nausea had beat me into submission. "I think I'm gonna drop at a hundred K.." I told myself, "I can't continue. It's impossible." After another sad attempt to eat something at the Coyote Camp AS, I took a seat in the shade. I was silent. I went back and forth in my head on weather I would drop or continue after 100K. I got up and staggered on. 

About a mile from Javelina Jeadquarters my stomach decided it had had enough. I was forced to my knees as I expelled everything inside of me. It was violent and loud and completely uncontrollable. A couple of people walked up to me. "Are you okay?" One asked me. "Define 'okay'" I quipped. "Is this your last loop?" They looked concerned. I gaged. "It is now."

After I pried myself off the ground I managed to start running again. My stomach felt perfect now. A runner coming back my way shouted "looks like you climbed out of your funk!" Maybe I could keep going.. "No it wouldn't be smart" I thought, "could I?" 

As I inched closer to Jeadquarters, I saw 3 people looking my way. "Wait, that's Walker, Duer and Dallas!" I got a little energy and ran over. "Hate to break it to you, but it looks like it's just gonna be a hundred K for me.." Their faces showed disappointment. "Take a break, eat something, give it a few minutes and see how you feel"  Duer encouraged me. I jogged through the line completing 100K in 11 and a half hours. I was still on a pretty solid pace. 

I took a seat and my crew went to work. I had Kristi, Dallas, Duer, Walker, Outridge, Michelle and Becky all encouraging me to continue on. "Where's Steve?" I asked Kristi. Steve had an IT Band issue early on and had dropped. He didn't want me to know, feeling like it wouldn't be motivational. All of a sudden Steve appeared and also began with the encouragement. 

I couldn't stop now. I had to at least try to go on. One of my ears felt clogged, like my equilibrium was off. I ate a cup of soup, changed my shoes and shirt and felt a lot better. I agreed that I would continue on with Walker pacing me. "I think I can do this.." I told myself. 

I got up and gave Kristi a long hug goodbye. I felt like I was leaving the planet! "Who knows when I will get back??" I sadly thought. 

Walker and I headed off. I began to run and immediately felt a shooting pain in my left knee. "Ouch" I thought, "I hope that goes away." I knew I had been favoring my left leg the entire day. Now it was injured. I continued to ignore the pain as best I could. "Dude, my left knee hurts" I finally admitted to Walker. We both agreed that it would eventually loosen up. That I was okay. But deep down, I knew it was going to get worse.

We arrived at Coyote Camp and I staggered over to the food. I grabbed a few pretzels and took a seat. Walker continued to try and keep me motivated. But I knew my race was over. I was injured. "I think I'm done, bro" I told Walker. "Knee hurts, my equilibrium is jacked. I just don't think it's safe to continue on. I'm sorry." 

The walk back to the Jeadquarters was one of the most empty moments I've experienced. I came here to run 100 miles and I failed. I felt so defeated. 

I walked in and looked at Kristi. No words needed to be said. I sat down. It was over. 

Aravaipa put on another first class event with all the bells and whistles. I had a blast and traveled further than ever before. I learned more about myself and my love for the sport grew stronger. A special congratulations goes out to Renee, Craig and Ken on completion. You all worked for it. Enjoy it! And Catlow on his impressive 2nd place finish. You are unbelievable, my man!

This was obviously not the ending I had hoped for. Not the ending I worked so hard for. The disappointment hurts but the motivation is overwhelming. 

I'm hungry for more.

This ain't over