I copied this post from Rock Racing because I was too lazy to write my own version.

Runner’s World Trail Edition Editorial

Running in the US has morphed over the years to become not only a sport for the elite but also a sport for the everyday person. It seems that it is every runner’s dream to run a marathon, and many new runners train for a half-marathon so that they can go on to run a full marathon in the future. The running craze has moved from just a short term boom to a way of life.

And as more runners adopt this way of life, many are moving from the road to the trails, looking for the next big challenge. As a runner, what do you do once you have accomplished the marathon distance? Some runners train harder to try to achieve a faster marathon time or win age-group categories. But many everyday runners don’t feel that running faster is what it’s about; instead, they feel it’s the challenge, the feeling they get when they think, “Wow, I finished a marathon.” These runners soon tire of all the road miles. They know they can do it, so they wonder, “What will be my next running accomplishment?” These are the runners who are taking on trail running.

Trail running is such a different beast from road running. It’s much more technical to run on a trail covered with dirt, mud, rocks and roots. Plus there’s the realization that at any time you could fall off a cliff and be injured or die. This might sound like it’s not that much fun, but here is where you are wrong: It is the most fun a runner can have, and it is so much more challenging than any road run. It never fails – no matter how tired, stressed or time-constrained I am, once on the trail I feel like a new person who could run for hours with little effort. The trails just bring on a peacefulness you can’t find on the road.





You wonder where I’m going with this, don’t you? Let me explain. Runner’s World, a magazine I have been reading for 30 years and love to read every month, published a special edition on trail running last month. Since trail running is one of the sports I love the most, I read the edition cover to cover, soaking in every word. When I started reading through “A Guide to America’s Top Trail Running Towns,” I was so excited to get to the St. Louis area, knowing that the Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run (PMETR) would certainly be listed. There was no doubt in my mind that it would be there because it is one of the premier trails races in the Midwest – of course it would be listed.

I know this little editorial may seem self-serving, or maybe it sounds like my pride has been hurt, since I am the Vice President of the Metro Tri Club, which has put this race on for the last 22 years. It could be a little of that, but really think about it. This year will be the 23rd year for the Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run. The run started in 1989 and has never been cancelled due to weather conditions. Its motto is “No Wimps, No Whiners.” It is known as the toughest trail run in the Midwest and has been run in freezing temps (5 degrees Fahrenheit once), rain, ice, snow, wind and mud, the latter of which was the issue in the 2010 race. Mud so deep it sucked off shoes, so slick that runners slid down the descents on their butts. But this is the most fun a runner can have in the middle of December in the Midwest. Entry in this race is so coveted that it sells over 600 slots, fills in less than 10 hours and has a waiting list of hundreds who hope to get a slot. To top it off, the club holds 25 spots for servicemen and women who may be deployed and aren’t able to enter in time to get a slot, and every year we fill many of those slots with those who make it possible for us to have the freedom to run this race.





So, as you read this are you asking yourself the same question I’m pondering: “Why wouldn’t the Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run be mentioned in the trail running edition of Runner’s World?”

Runner’s World mentioned some of the local trail runs, and I have competed in two of the three listed. They are fantastic events and deserve to be on the list, but none has been in existence for as long as PMETR has been, none is discussed in the running circle to the extent that PMETR is. PMETR is the run that everyone wants to do but that many people are afraid to do because they have heard how tough the course is. Yet if you ask any trail runner in the area what the most popular and well-known trail run in the Midwest is, they will say PMETR. They will also tell you that they will get up at midnight when registration opens to register before the race fills. I can tell you this: I was at the CheckPoint Tracker National Adventure race in Moab, Utah, last October, and I saw a person wearing a PMETR wind shirt. Just last month I was at the Land between the Lakes Adventure race in Kentucky and saw multiple people wearing the PMETR vest from two years ago. There have also been sightings by other MTC members in the Seattle-Tacoma airport, Colorado and Utah. This shows how popular the race is.

I think the only thing left for us to do as a trail running society is to lobby for a PMETR cover story in an upcoming edition of Runner’s World. I’m in. Are you? If you agree with me, then go to the Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run to grace the cover of Runner's World Facebook page and like our page. Let’s get a Runner’s World cover for the Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run.

Life Skills, Yo!

My friend Kate ran her first marathon today up in Wisconsin.  I can't wait to read the report.  On the way to Wisconsin she had a little mishap when her tire went flat on the interstate (Click here to read about it).  This got me thinking about how important it is to know how to change a tire.  Flat tires are the same whether it's a car, bike, motorcycle, etc. it's not "if" you get a flat it's "when".  When my daughters started driving I made sure that they knew how to change a tire.  I talked them through it explaining the importance of each step as we went.  Can't say if they will remember the lesson when the time comes but maybe they will, and this will prompt them to call me and thank me for showing them what to do, and tell me I was right about everything, and... Wait, I forgot to whose kids I was referring.  Well at least I did my part.

Here is a little instructional video for those that aren't sure what to do.

Paddle Storm!

Jump on over to the Rock Racing blog to get the story of what happened during our paddling (mis)adventure this morning.  Plan B was up the river, and Chuck assured me that since the Mississippi was backing up into the Cuivre there wouldn't be any current.  I am not going to say Chuck was wrong but, Chuck was wrong.  The current was very swift and we had to work our asses of just to maintain 2mph.  Without a rudder I had to constantly adjust to keep pointed upriver.  If I had tried to stop and get something to eat the current would have spun me around and sent me back down the river from whence I came.

At the rate we were going it would take us 9-12hours to reach our destination depending on when we decided to pull out.  The sudden thunderstorm that came out of no where changed our plans and had us paddling for cover.  We waited it out and headed back to where we started.  I figures that we made a good safety call and got off the river just in time for the rain to pass.  I would have stayed on the water but there was another thunderstorm (40% chance) in the forecast that I didn't want to get stuck in.

When we got back to Chuck's we unloaded that van and loaded the truck.  We talked about future paddling trips and a possible Katy trail ride.  This season is already looking to be thick with adventure, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Until next time...
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are built for.” — John A. Shedd

Double Chubb 50k

Yesterday Robin, Chuck, and I ran the Double Chubb 50k.  I have been unable to run this before because it falls so close to the GO! St Louis Marathon.  This year however I did not run the marathon, and got talked into Chubb instead.  It was a good decision considering I have a bunch of marathon medals and only a couple ultramarathon belt buckles, not to mention a day on the trail beats a day on the road hands down.

The morning started out cold, and it was hard to figure out what to wear.  Luckily I guessed pretty well and was fairly comfortable the whole time.  We started in the back of the field which I hoped would help me keep my pace under control at the start.  This worked for a while.  I took off pretty early leaving Robin and Chuck behind.  We all stayed together at Berryman last year which was fun if not competitive.  This time we were all running our own race though.  The start of the race was a pretty steady climb and I was shocked by how well I was running up.  Shocked because hills are not my strength and because I took a bunch of time off from training dealing with an injury.  I was passing a lot of people and felt pretty good.  Once at the top of the hill I turned it up and bombed the down side all the while the replay of my fall the last time I ran down this hill playing in my head.  My knee is still a little sore from that one.  I tried to pinpoint the exact spot where I went down but since it was covered in snow last time I could only narrow it down to a general location.

Elevation profile

When we hit the flat section I skipped the aid station since I was loaded heavy with Honey Stinger Gels, Waffles, and Energy Chews.  The Gels are the best I have used, and I like the Waffles because sometimes I don't want another gel and they are light enough for me to eat while I'm running.  Not long after the aid station there was confusing section and I was unsure if I was to go straight or turn.  I later found out that Robin was also confused and went straight for a while.  I let a couple people by me guessing that they might know what way to go.  They didn't.  Someone behind yelled for us to go right though so we were only seconds off course.  Now we were in the lower river section where all of the mud would be although it wasn't bad.  I was starting to feel like I needed to slow down when I caught up with Kat Yarger.  I knew she was to fast for me to run with but I did any way, a decision that would come back to haunt me on the second loop.

After the turn around I saw Chuck who looked pretty good, and once I got back in the lower river section I saw Robin, who was doing pretty well also despite having an injured foot.  I was still running with Kat when we made it the Acorn trail, a super steep but mercifully short section of trail.  Kat took off for good and I was left to suffer alone.  The Acorn trail really put a hurt on me and I was not looking forward to running it again at the finish.  I finished the first loop in 2:38 and headed out to do it all again.  This time though it would be much slower.  I grabbed some more Honey Stingers out of my drop bag and was worried I wouldn't have enough to get me to the finish.  Luckily I had just enough.  On this loop I stopped at all the aid stations and thanked all the volunteers.  The volunteers were excellent, they filled my bottle for me, and asked if there was anything I needed.  You can always count on the volunteers at a SLUG event to be great.  Although they are so great that when you are really tired it is easy to linger about.  I ate a bunch of potato chips and drank a lot of coke. Actually I kept my time at the aid stations pretty brief, just long enough to eat, drink, and occasionally do some stretching.

My hips were pretty sore and running uphill was kind of painful, so I walked the uphills on the second loop, and ran the downhills and the flats, although much slower this time.  I was slogging along pretty well clicking off the miles when I heard someone approaching from behind.  He was moving very fast which motivated me to pick up the pace to see if I could keep him behind me.  I couldn't, but trying was enough to snap me out of the doldrums.  He pulled away from me pretty fast on a down hill, but I caught another guy that had passed me earlier.  Then it was time to run the Acorn again and he passed me going up the hill.  I didn't care though because I was so close to being done.  I ran down the back side of Acorn and across the finish in 6:25 (unofficial time).

After a long day on the trail I enjoyed a veggie burger and some chips.  It started to get cold since I wasn't moving anymore so I walked over to the drop bags and got my rain jacket, hat, and gloves.  And started to walk back out on the course to cheer Chuck and Robin to the finish.  I saw Chuck as he was about to head up Acorn and wished him well, then it was off to find Robin.  She was worried about not making the cut off because of her foot so I thought she might need a push if it was going to be close.  I turned off my Garmin though so I had no idea how much time was left.  I walked for what seemed to be a long time, asking if people had seen her.  One guy said about ten minutes, but he was wrong.  Then I reached a narrow rocky section  that led to a long climb where I waited for a while before starting to head back.  Here is an interesting encounter I had as I walked back.  I guy came running up behind me and I asked if he had seen Robin and He told me that there were only two women left out on the course, one was his girlfriend so that meant the other had to be Robin.  I asked how far back, to which he replied, "Which one?".  Why would I care how far back his girlfriend was?  I guess that's what happens when you run 31miles, your brain gets a little fuzzy.  He told me that he passed Robin before the last aid station.  The last aid station was up and over the giant hill and that seemed like a long way to go.  I kept walking back and decided that I would wait at the picnic table near the Chubb shelter, but as soon as I got there Robin came running up behind me.  I didn't even have time to sit down.  We ran together to the bottom of the hill and then I let her run Acorn by herself.  Chuck pulled up in the van and we rode to the finish where we waited for Robin to run across the finish.

After the race we didn't stick around long.  Chuck drove us back to Robin's van which he said meant that he actually went farther since he had to walk to the van.  But since Robin made a wrong turn on the course and I walked back for Robin I consider it a tie.  Back at the van I took the opportunity to give Robin the Dean Karnazes book that she won in the recent Trail and Error give away.

Marathon Thoughts

Tribute to all of the people I know running Boston this weekend!

Try to keep your minds clear and remember to thank Rob Thomas.

Book Give Away Winner

As promised a winner has been chosen in the Trail and Error book give away!
After assigning every follower a number, and using a random number generator to select the winner I am glad to announce that the winner of the book is none other than, drum roll please,

Robin Rongey

I will give it to her the next time I see her since we train together fairly often.

A big thanks to everyone who was motivated enough by a three year old book to follow my blog.  I actually enjoyed this give away and might do more in the future (if I can find more good stuff hidden around the house).

50/50 Give Away!

Click for review

I was cleaning out the basement yesterday and came across one of my many containers of books from my pre-Kindle days.  One title that caught my eye was 50/50 by Dean Karnazes.  The book chronicles Dean's adventures as he runs 50marathons in 50states in 50days.  I remembered reading the book and enjoying it, and thought, "I should give this book away."

To win the book all you have to do is:

1. Click the Follow button over there on the right, and follow my blog.  I know some of you subscribe to the RSS, email, or google reader, but to be eligible for the book give away you have to be a follower.
2. Wait patiently for me to randomly chose a winner.  I will post the winner on my blog and if I know you locally I will hand deliver the book, or if you are from parts unknown you can email me your mailing address and I will send it to you.

If you want I will even autograph the book for you.  I am not sure why you would want me to though.  Thought I would throw that out there to sweeten the pot a bit.
So what are you waiting for all you have to do is click and wait!  This is too easy, and your chances of winning are pretty good!