Running for Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp

Last year I participated as a counselor at Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp.  Caring for another in that capacity prepared me for fatherhood and touched me in a way that, much like trying to explain ultra running, is often difficult to articulate.

This is my next project and we would be so thankful if you could help us...even if it's just a little.

Please visit www.runforcamp.blogspot.com to learn more!

Born to Rumble

The 2011 Peterson Ridge Rumble 40-mile trail race held in Sisters, Oregon took place this past Sunday and, since I won the race last year, I was invited back to "defend my title."  It's crazy how much and how quickly things change in 365 days.  Last year we found out the gender of our baby the day before the race, and Erica barely had a round tummy as we made a weekend trip to the low-key central Oregon event. This year we had an extra traveler (Farah, seven months old) and, with all of our gear, our weekend getaway looked more like a Mt. Everest summit!

We ended up staying in the Best Western Ponderosa Lodge, which is the same place we stayed last year.  The fact that there are friendly llamas right outside of our room and that we're a quick jaunt away from the start/finish area makes it really enjoyable and convenient.

(The lodge even has little bowls of feed for us to bond with the animals.  Photo Erica Wagner)

Once we got settled into our room we realized that we were serendipitously four doors down from Dan Olmstead. It ended up working out nicely too because he provided lodging for three other runners and we enjoyed ourselves just hanging out the night before.

Race morning wasn't as cold as the prior year but still a little nippy. We made our way to the start line area and ran into many familiar faces.  Before long we were directed to the trail head where Sean gave us some brief instruction as spectators gathered around. He counted us down and we were off....Peterson Ridge Rumble 40-miler was underway!

(Rockin' the red Inov-8 x-talon 190's....in fact I saw a few people wearing 'em too....good choice! and as usual thank you Drymax socks for a blister-free ultra! Photo: Erica Wagner)

I took off of the front after about 30 seconds and didn't run with anyone until over an hour later. I just felt that since I knew the course that I would try to take it out hard (which I do often) and then just settle into "cruise control." Eventually Dan and Jace caught up after aid station two and we got a chance to chat a bit out on the trails. Despite the friendly chatter we were moving pretty good and a little voice in my head was saying, "I hope I don't completely bonk three hours from now!"

At about mile 15 I realized that my Amphipod water bottle carrier's elastic band broke causing the bottle to fall out too easily. I ran for a bit just holding the bottle but eventually made the decision to drop it to an aid station worker, who just happened to be Kami Semick! From this point on I was just running free and it felt so nice....nothing around my waist or in my hands, but I made sure I quickly slugged down a couple cups at the aid stations.

(Zipping along through the ponderosa pines at around mile 24....Photo: Erica Wagner)

At this point I was actually just behind Dan and Jace, for the time being, right before we hit the long dirt road.  Once we got into the road I pulled ahead just a bit before we turned into the trails again. Jace hung pretty close with me but by mile 26, and now back in the forest, I made a move. It was sort of strategic but mostly because I started feeling so good.  Endorphins rushed out and I had goose bumps all over my body as I pulled away from the two. We approached some climbs and I just seemed to power right up them. Toward the top I gave a quick look back and didn't see anyone. Still ten miles to go...."just run" I kept telling myself.

I came to the second to last aid station a little out of breath and made, in hindsight, maybe too quick of a transition not taking in enough fluids. I definitely had enough Gu stashed in my pockets but since I wasn't carrying a bottle the little dixie cups at the aid stations just weren't doing it. Shortly after I was startled by something black ahead of me up in the bushes. Thankfully it ended up being Darla Askew's dog and not a bear, and I then approached Darla and Amy Sproston.  It was a steep, technical, rocky descent and I was forced to take an awkward leap. As I did this I felt my hamstring start to seize up!  AhhhhH! Amy and Darla yelled from above, "are you ok?  you crampin'???"  I assured them that I'd be ok and for them to not tell Dan my status!

I downed an S-cap, a Roctane, but what I think I really needed was some agua! I continued running but had slowed considerably.  A couple of miles passed and I wondered what was taking these guys so long to catch up.  Did I make my move too ambitiously?  Yes, maybe I put a nice gap in between us but did I force myself into bonkville?  Did I start the race too fast??  These are all fine lines we dance when racing and it's very hard to calibrate how hard to push, especially at races of different distances such as 40 miles.

Finally at around mile 37-ish I see Dan approaching from behind.  When I turned around to see him I felt the hamstring seize again a little.  As I was bending over trying to work it out with my hands my abdominal muscle seized up too!  This is something I never experienced and I couldn't believe this was happening.  Dan passes me and I am thinking..."where is Jace? Nick? Joe? Others?  Stay calm....you got this..."just run".  I gathered myself, chewed up another S-cap, choked down another Gu, and descended toward the finish in a smooth, controlled motion.

All the sudden, after a couple minutes, I started running with intention again.  It ain't over yet!  I could see Dan ahead and we approached the school area where we had started some four hours earlier.  I started pumping my arms and doing my best version of a finishing kick.  I entered the track area and I see Dan on the other side!....Doh!!! He's right there!!!  

(In a 40-mile race...300 meters separates the top two! Photo:  Erica Wagner)

(Dan Olmstead finishes numero uno and I'm still huffin' and puffin' on the track! Photo: Erica Wagner)

(What a fun race....I'm satisfied with my run!  I left it all out there! Photo:  Erica Wagner)

Even though I am training right through this race sometimes it's fun to take a risk and just go for it.  Rumble is the type of course that you can do that on.  It doesn't have a lot of elevation change so it doesn't beat up your body the same way some of the more mountainous courses do.  Plus the soft trails of this area definitely are much more forgiving.

Again, Sean Meissner and his crew put on such a great event.  Thank you for all that you do brother!  It's no surprise that it sells out quickly every year.  So maybe we'll see you there next time?  If you have a dog that runs enter them in the 20-miler.  This is such a nice community gathering and I really enjoyed seeing everyone.... and big congrats to all the ran the 20 or the 40.  

(Team Yassine in full effect!  Photo:  Gary Robbins)

We came.....we saw....WE RUMBLED!

You gotta check out these photos taken by wife Erica:  Click HERE

HERE are the results from the 40-miler and the 20

Long Distance Running Coach Charged with Child Abuse

A 32-year old man in Portland, Oregon was charged today when authorities arrived at his home to find him training his seven-month old daughter for ultra marathons.  Child and social services were tipped off when some neighbors noticed the continued "strange" parenting techniques.  One anonymous neighbor claimed to have seen the man taking his daughter through the trails near their home in Washington Park in a "tricked out" baby jogger--"The stroller had hydraulic shocks, lugged tires, and an aerodynamic shape to it....and they were moving through the trails at a pretty dangerous pace for carrying a young toddler", said the concerned neighbor.

Others reported sounds of the baby being left in her music-playing "jump-a-roo" for extended amounts of time to, apparently, build quadriceps muscles, strengthen feet, and to "push through the pain" hoping to build mental toughness.  When the house was searched authorities found a cassette tape that played subliminal messages on a loop while the child napped, and a projection screen for guided imagery.

The child's pediatrician was contacted and admitted that this baby was a little "advanced".  Her Residual Lung Volume and VO2 Max was much higher than toddlers her age, and she ranked in the 99th percentile for muscle tone and mitochondria found in the muscles.

THIS VIDEO was also found when searching the home, and authorities believe that he may be already training the young girl to consume Gu Energy Gels- which are often used in ultra marathons.

The father, who is an avid ultra marathoner and coach, awaits a courts decision.  You can follow the progress of the case by clicking HERE.

2011 Chuckanut 50k Race Report

I think it is safe to say that Chuckanut 50k, held in Bellingham, WA, is arguably the most competitive trail 50k in the country.  In the 2010 version I raced to a sixth place overall with a time of 3:57.  This year I knew, from the lineup of entrants, that placing in the top ten and running that same time (or better) would involve a really strong showing on potentially a slightly slower (muddier) course.

Training went fairly well leading up to the race with only some minor foot issues which forced me take a little bit longer of a taper than normal.  I definitely went into the race feeling well-rested, but could have probably logged a few more miles.  The race weekend was kicked off by a tour of the Flora Health facility that churns out many health products including Udo's Oil which I take regularly.  The tour was extremely interesting and I felt honored to be guided by the CEO Thomas and team manager Shane as they explained the history and everything that goes into producing these beneficial products.  I was thoroughly amazed and inspired and am so grateful to be part of Team Machine!

(Some members of Team Machine surrounding the formulator of Udo's Oil.---Joe Grant, Scott Jurek, Udo Erasmus, Adam Campbell, Geoff Roes, me, Krissy Moehl, Photo: Shane Hart)

Friday night at Shane's beautiful home was the setting for a big family-style dinner that stocked us up for Saturday morning. It was really fun hanging out with the Hart family and chatting with friends. Before we knew it we were attaching our bibs to our shirts and finding our way to the starting line.  Honestly it was like a family reunion at Fairhaven Park!  I kept seeing people and I had to remember to focus on getting mentally prepared to hammer for four hours straight give or take.  

7:59:50 a.m. Krissy gave us the countdown over the loud speaker....I closed my eyes...took a deep breath and tried to get centered before we were unleashed down the bike path.

(And we're off! Our adrenaline glands squeeze and Chuckanut 2011 is underway...Photo: Glenn Tachiyama)

The first two miles were like 5:40 pace and I was privileged to chat with two-time ultra runner of the year Geoff Roes about our plans for the year.  Michael Smith of Flagstaff, Arizona put a little gap between Geoff and a chase pack that followed close behind.  I knew that I was going too fast so I knocked the pace back a little and settled in with Timothy Olson for a bit. He told me that we were still running like a 6:08 pace...but I was glad that I slowed down from my road half-marathon pace! I knew I needed to ration out my energy for some of the climbs we would face over the next few hours.  We enjoyed some nice views of the sound, the sun was shining, and it was turning out to be a gorgeous day.

The race started thinning out a little by mile 5 and I caught glimpse of Joe Grant ahead of me.  I worked hard to try and catch up with him before the first aid station but he was moving at a pretty good clip.  I continued to run my race and it was helpful that I knew the course from last year as we entered the first climb.

(Entering the forest and the first little climb.  Photo: The Bellingham Herald)

We hit the switchbacks, climbed a few hundred feet, and eventually made it to the never-ending dirt road where I was surprised from behind by Phil Kochik.  Phil, Jacob, and I would switch out the next few miles together until we hit the ridge trail.  Once we entered this super fun, technical section I really started turning it on.  Those two guys let me go and I tore off like a mad man.  Just like last year this part of the race turned out to be the most enjoyable for me.  

The next section that kind of traversed over to the base of Chinscraper was a little muddier than last year which may have added a little time. I was thankful to have my Inov-8 X-talon 212's to negotiate the slop, but even with the additional traction I still went down hard at one point and hit my arm on a rock.  Luckily I was ok...just a little bruising.  Also on this section when running hard w/ Phil and Jacob I was quite annoyed when my shoe lace came untied. Up until this point I was pretty pleased on how I was running and I thought that maybe I could reel in some of the guys in front of me.

As we bombed down to the base of Chinscraper at mile 20 I was told that I was in 10th place.  I quickly re-filled my bottle half-way and charged toward the steep climb.  My training this season hasn't included as many gorge climbs as last year but I still felt pretty confident in tackling this short, steep section.  Once I started picking it up a little I spotted 9th place Adam Campbell up ahead.  This motivated me even more!

When I finally made it up and over I started to hammer down the backside.  Just when we took a hard left and continued down I felt a little cramp in the hamstring.  I was forced to slow down a little and I heard Phil closing in on me.  He said, "come on Yassine!" but I couldn't muster up anything more than a cruising 7:00 minute pace.  I wanted to scream down the mountain at more like 5:30 pace...This was the section where I closed in on Hal Koerner last year!  Eventually Jacob came zooming past me too and I was hoping this wasn't going to become a trend.

It was pretty frustrating but I just held it together all the way to the bottom and the last aid station.  I quickly grabbed a couple gels and motored on for the last flat 10k to the finish. During this time I started feeling much stronger partly because of the gels that I ate but mostly because I felt that my tempo-run training prepared me for this much needed gear late in this race.  I was able to reel in Jacob who was obviously having some problems but Phil was long gone.  I continued to monitor my watch and knew that it was going to be really close to a sub four-hour race for me.

The closer I got the more I started to kick up the pace.  My watch said 3:58 and a spectator told me I had like a quarter mile to go!  I basically dug deep and gave it everything I had and was as close as you can get to a sprint after running for almost four hours.  As I came into the park and I could see the finish line chute my watch clicked over to four hours.  I came in and crossed the line 20 seconds after four hours... good for 11th place overall.

All in all I felt pretty satisfied in how I ran.  It was pretty on par with what I did last year and to be following close in the footsteps of some of these elite runners was quite an honor.  This was by far the most competitive 50k I have ever run and I was completely humbled by the talent that showed up last Saturday.  Chuckanut is a fun race and it's deceptively tough. 5,000 feet of climbing in roughly 18 miles is pretty stout and the flat 13-ish will keep you honest.  And for the winners...men: Geoff Roes...um...well...this superstar again shows us why he is Ultra Runner of the Year! and the women:  Ellie Greenwood ripped this course and it was so inspiring to see her come into the finish line (not far behind me) w/ a big smile on her face.  Watch out for this woman as she continues to shred the trails and roads!   Nice work to ALL runners who ran this past weekend! :-)

Krissy, Ellen, and volunteers did another wonderful job...Thank you!  I can see this one being a yearly "reunion" where friends come to race fast and slow, and enjoy each others company here in the great pacific northwest. 

Full Results HERE

Gear/Energy used:  

Amphipod 20 oz. bottle w/ waist pack

Inov-8 X-talon 212's

Drymax Mini crew trail socks

Gu Roctane

Hammer Perpetuum

Resting, Repairing, and Running Through Injuries?

The human body and mind are marvelous mechanisms. They can endure so much (more than you think), and there is an amazing amount and often indescribable organization behind it all.  Over the years, and through many "science experiments" with my body and mind, I feel that I am getting to know it well.  I think many runners get to a point when they realize that they need a little time off to let things repair, but there are probably just as many that are unable to stop doing the activities they love so much.  This blog post was inspired by a very interesting article written by fellow pacific northwest ultra runner and friend Justin Angle.  He talks about finding out just the right time to rest in order to maximize your potential and elude injury.  I encourage you to check out his blog and very informative article by clicking HERE.

But what if it's too late?  What if you missed that opportunity to take a rest and you have some injurious pains and discomforts that take the sheer joy out of running long distances?  Are there pains and injuries that you can continue to run through?  As ultra runners we are definitely going to come across injuries....even Dean gets injured from time to time!  It has been my experience that more often than not I am putting some "fire" out, or keeping something nagging "at bay."  I am going to share a few tips that I suggest to athletes that I coach and that have helped me along the way. A combination of the procedures below have allowed me to continue training, or have helped me to recover as soon as possible.

First off...I have become best friends with ice!  I'm a big fan of ice baths after long or intense efforts but here is another one of my favorites:

1)  Ice Dipping-  Great for lower leg injuries.  If you feel any plantar fasciitus, achilles or calf issues, or tendonitis in the ankles coming on than this is a great way to "nip it in the bud."  Also good for sprained ankles. You want to make it as cold as possible.  I have a small trash can that I fill w/ ice water (see video below).  Basically the dipping of your leg into the frigid cold water is analogous to wringing out a sponge.  You only need to dip it for like 20 seconds.  I know you could keep it in longer but it's not necessary in this situation.  The cold water pushes out wastes from the injured area then when you take your leg out fresh blood rushes back into the area which expedites the healing process.  Try to do it as many times as you can....the more you do it the faster you will heal. You can bring something like this to work (grab a couple bags of ice on the way) and try to do it every 20 minutes or so.



2)  Ice pack/ heat pad-  You can pick one of these guys up at most pharmacies.  Again the cold to hot promotes blood flow that will speed up the recovery process.  The velcro strap pack is nice because you can strap it on and do other things while your hands are free.  If you buy two of the gel packs (think squishy blue) you can use one in the microwave for hot and one in the freezer for cold.

3)  Frozen paper cup-  This one (along w/ the aforementioned ice pack/heat pad) are pretty common yet very effective.  All you do for this one is fill up a paper cup w/ water and stick it in your freezer.  After it's frozen just take it out and peel off the top part until you have ice showing.  Massage the affected area with the little exposed block of ice.  It works much better than a bag of ice or frozen peas.  Last time my mom visited she asked why I had a bunch of frozen cups in my freezer!

4)  Epsom salt baths-  I love these...In fact almost every Monday I take completely off from running and enjoy a hot bath w/ these restorative minerals.  Good for mind and body!

5)  Turmeric-  Instead of popping Ibuprofen or the like I like to cook with this Indian spice widely known for it's anti-inflammatory properties.  When there are additional "flare-ups" I use it even more.  One of my favorites is heating up some vegetable broth and adding a bunch of the bright yellow spice.  Maybe it's somewhat of a placebo but hey it works!

Again one of the main things that helps heal tendons and ligaments (which don't get much blood flow) are promoting that flow to the area. It takes just as much discipline and consistency as you put forth in your training.  So as the training log books are starting to fill up make sure you stay on top of things, get good sleep, and clear em' up as they come and you'll get to recognize what certain things are and how to deal with them.  I hope this helps a little and feel free to contact me at any time to let me know how things worked, or if you have any additional questions.

The last couple of weeks I hit over 80 miles each week and towards the end noticed a few blips on the radar.  Thankfully I backed off a little and incorporated some of the above practices but was able to run through them.  Sometimes running also brings blood flow to certain areas and in this case I was able to escape unscathed.  As of right now I'm feeling good about hitting the trails again tomorrow!  See you out there :-)

Disclaimer:   I'm not a doctor by any means so if you have anything serious you may want to contact your doc or do some of your own research. I have obsessed on the internet for hours at times in order to get me back running as soon as possible.  Good luck!

Dave Terry Memorial in Forest Park (Portland, OR)

(this symbol of Dave's initials were worn on pins made by Tonya Olson at last year's Chuckanut 50k)

Although I never met Dave Terry personally I know many people who were quite close with him and I have heard stories about his character and accomplishments in the sport of ultra running.  A couple weeks ago when a friend of mine (ultra runner and Chuckanut's race director Krissy Moehl) was in town we went on a run together in Forest Park.  We chatted about many things including the fact that recently a memorial piece was placed in the park for the long time Portland trail runner.  I wasn't able to take her to the site of the memorial at that time but promised I'd get some pictures/video before this year's race.  Today was the perfect day with the sun shining bright and not a cloud in the sky.  I took my camera along with me on my tempo run through the expansive park that I love so much.  

The memorial is nestled just off the intersection of Leif Ericson and Nature Trail right on the bank of a little stream.  The timing was perfect as the sun was shining through the moss covered trees.  Even though I didn't know Dave I thought about him for a few moments before finishing off the rest of my run.  

The writing on the plaque reads:

"May you have an epic run, my friend.---In memory of ultramarathoner, Dave Terry"

I'm planning on heading up to Washington for Chuckanut 50k in a few weeks which is a great race that is dedicated to Dave.  You can read more about both the race and the long time ultra runner by clicking HERE.

Rocky Raccoon Race Report

A lot of buzz in the sport of ultrarunning regarding Rocky Raccoon.  Most of it is coming from the fact that the course record got smashed and the fastest trail 100 mile was run on American soil this past weekend.  One of the main reasons I decided to head down to Huntsville, Texas was to be a part of the hype, run a fast 50-miler, and get inspired by these superstars for hopefully a solid season ahead.  The lineup for the 100 was intimidating and there were some dark horses in there too.  More on that in a second...

First...the J.V. race----6:55 a.m. race day I am sitting in my rental car trying to stay warm and putting the finishing touches on my race gear, etc.  I am 100 yards from the start line and I get out of the car.  I hear people yelling and screaming.  I think, "they must have just made some pre-race announcement".  As I jog up leisurely the closer I get I notice there are now no people.  I missed the start!  My watch must have been a little off so I fight my way through the back of the crowd all the way to the front.  By the time I catch up to the leader Todd Braje I am a little worked from the early race fartlek workout.  I run w/ Todd for about half a minute and by looking at his elegant, efficient stride I know that there is no way in hell I'm even attempting to hang with him.  He moves on out of sight.  About 30 minutes later I start having some stomach pains which I rarely get in ultras.  I'm forced to stop off in the woods.  I take care of business and then about 50 yards later I realize that there is a port-o-potty at the end of the long dirt road.  I stop in there too!  Doh!

(soakin' up some Vitamin D and wondering where my buddy Todd disappeared off to! Photo: Lynn B.)

* Despite the stops I ran the first 16.67 mile loop in like 1:55....I thought that if I could stay right around 2 hours (or under) per loop I could get a sub 6 hour 50-miler (which sounded nice).
* Loop 2 I started feeling pretty good.  I let the notion of catching Todd go (he was on fire!) and was focusing on sub 6.  I started feeling pretty strong on this loop and it was fun to see Jurek, Anton, Hal and others out on the course.  I came in just over 2 hours (I think it was like 2:04 something).  Even though I was just over two hours I was still right on track.
* Loop 3 I took off like a banshee and was confident that I could attain my goal.  All of the sudden around mile 40 or so the stomach issues start again. Fleeting sharp pains and feelings of...well... I don't want to really talk about it!  I didn't feel like eating much but forced down some Gu Roctane.  At one point around mile 45 I tripped over a root and my hamstring seized up.  I started falling apart and my goal was slipping away.  The last five miles were pretty pathetic.

(are we there yet?  Photo: Lynn B.)

I finished with a time of 6:17 and 2nd place overall behind Todd Braje, who smashed the course record by winning w/ a time of 5:48!!!  Nice work Todd!!! and to all others that ran either of the races this past weekend.  I know I have a sub 6 hour in me and I may go back some year to do it...It's a good ol' Texas party down there and very well-run event.  My feet were in great shape the whole race thanks to Drymax socks and the Inov-8 F-lite 195's and I must say the course was nice.  Some beautiful spots by the lake and more rolling hills and trails than I expected.  Much flatter than most things I run but I wouldn't call it pancake flat.  The weather turned out to be ideal!

(cool pottery prize from the Copper Canyon and another finisher medal for Farah to play with! Photo: Jenny Uehisa)

Now for the much anticipated 100-miler.  There were some big dogs running and some great runners who flew in under the radar.  I must say that just before coming down, while analyzing and predicting, I told a buddy to watch out for Ian Sharman.  Anyway, there were some amazing performances by established 100-mile runners, but when I saw Ian Sharman come through mile 60 and then 80 I could tell that he was in the flow....the zone.  He had this look in his eye.  I don't think many others saw this but at one point I even saw him rip open a gel, suck it down, and toss it without looking straight into the small garbage box.... DUDE WAS ON ONE!!! and it was so cool to be a witness.  So Ian Sharman set a new American 100-mile trail record of 12:44 which is still pretty hard to wrap my head around!

As for the chase pack....I was semi-crewing for Hal, Anton, and my roommate Mike Wolfe.  It was fun hanging out with Jurek and Jenny (Jenny did an amazing job covering the race at InsideUltras on Twitter), meeting all kinds of people, and then meeting our runners at the different aid stations. Anton started turning it on the last 20 miles but it was kind of late as Ian had built a pretty nice cushion and continued to hammer it home.  Anton and Hal duked it out all the way to the end and those two should be extremely proud of the way they ran.  Another amazing spectacle and inspiring performance....thank you.  Great hanging out :-) On the women's side Liza Howard threw down a mind boggling time and every time I saw her she was smiling...Nice work Liza!  I'm always so amazed by people when I attend these events....Congrats again to everyone :-)

Full results for the 100 are HERE

Thanks to RD Joe Prusaitus and all the volunteers down there.  You guys know how to do it right!  I'll be down for Bandera 100k next January and I hope to see ya there too!

(Hangin' in the start/finish tent post race....one of the coolest things about this sport.  Photo Shannon Farar-Griefer)

(Plant based duo...Scott Jurek and me...photo by Jenny Uehisa)

Next up:  Chuckanut 50k!