Monday, June 15, 2015

2015 Hardrock 100 Women's Predictions

There appears to be much more competition among the woman for first place than with the men this year.  But, you never know what'll happen on race day.


photo by irunfar
Darcy Piceu - She's won Hardrock the last three years in a row, and took 2nd two years in a row before that.  She's won Bighorn, Bear and San Juan Solstice as well.



Anna Frost - Won the Bear last year, won the Telluride Mountain Run 38 miler last year.  If she's healthy she's got what it takes to win.



photo by irunfar
Meghan Hicks - Women's winner of the Coldwater Rumble 52M this year and, 3rd overall.  Not any 100 mile experience (but does have 200mi experience from Tor de Geants), did win the Three Days of Syllamo 93.5 miler and did place 5th at the Marathon de Sables this year and 9th back in 2010.  She seems to be smart and methodical, which will come in handy with all the San Juan's can throw at you over the course of 100 miles and many hours.



Darla Askew - 2nd at Wasatch last year, in 2013 she finished 2nd at HR, then 3rd at AC 100 3 weeks later.  While I want her to win, the ladies above will be tough to beat.  She's so consistent I'll eat my hat if she doesn't finish on the podium.




Missy Gosney - Wow, definitely an oversight on my part omitting her from this list initially.  With wins at Bighorn and Cascade Crest, woman's Nolan's 14 FKT, along with solid results at basically all the tough and/or big mountain races around (Zane Grey, Jemez, San Juan Solstice, Speedgoat and the Bear) this Durangan will be running for some hardware.


Suzanne on her way to 5th place at Speedgoat 50k in 2010
Suzanne Lewis - 4th at Jemez 50M this year, 5th at HR last year, 3rd at Bighorn 100.


Betsy and Billy on course.
Betsy Kalmeyer - 2nd at HR last year, 5th in 2013.



Betsy Nye - 3rd at Pine to Palm last year, and 3rd at HR last year.  AND she's from Truckee.


Pam finishing Arrowhead 135

Pam Reed - 2nd at Badwater last year, 6th at Zion 100.



En route to a W at Wasatch last year.
Bethany Lewis (#7 on "never" wait list) - Won Jemez this year, Wasatch and Squaw Peak 50 miler last year.  In previous years has won San Juan Solstice, Bear, the Telluride Mountain Run 38 miler and Speedgoat.  IF she gets in she'll be contending for first female.  Hope she does!




Wednesday, June 10, 2015

HARDROCK 2015 PREDICTIONS

So when I did my predictions for Black Canyon 100k, I got a little flack for them being boring, and not funny like some of my predictions in the past.  Hopefully, these are a bit better.


MEN:



1) Kilian Jornet - He has the course record in the clockwise direction.  He'll probably get it in the counterclockwise direction this year.


Hi Kilian, yeah I know, running with a phone is great!


2) Iker Karrera - 2nd at UTMB twice, won Lavaredo.  I don't like putting two Euro's above all the 'Merican's, but they deserve it.




3) Karl Meltzer - He has won HR before (five times) as well as a couple other 100's.  Wouldn't be surprised to see him on the podium.






4) Troy Howard - 2nd at Wasatch last year, 2nd at HR in 2013 and 2009.




Adam running a 2:35 marathon, NBD.
5) Adam Campbell - Placed 3rd here last year after getting struck by lightening.  Has won Squamish 50k three times, Chuckanut 50k, 3rd at North Face SF 4 years ago.  Talented guy.



Foot'n'Paw
6) Mike Foote - Recently won Yakima Skyline Rim 50k, 2nd at Lavaredo last year, won the Ultra Marathon De Los Andes 80k, won Bighorn, and he's from Montana.



7) Jared Cambell - Has won Hardrock, Plain 100, completed Nolan's 14 and Barkley.





8) Scott Jaime - 5th at HR last year, 3rd in 2013.  I caught glimpses of him for hours that year but finished 13 minutes behind him.  I'm gunning for you this year Scott!  He's got this race dialed and is always in the mix.  He also set the Colorado Trail FKT a couple years ago.




9) Tsuyoshi Kaburaki - 6th at HR last year, won Bighorn the year before, as high as 2nd at WS in the past.  Can wall sit with the best of them.



10 Jamil Coury -  Somehow I didn't see that this RD extraordinaire was in this year.  He has many tough races under his belt including wins at Mogollon Monster 100, Zane Grey and Man Against Horse, multiple HR finishes and has nearly finished Barkley.  If he has a good day he could find himself on the podium.  Hopefully he won't throw up all over Handie's this year.


Looking good Matt
11) Matt Hart - He and Jared Campbell completed Nolan's 14 together, so he's uber tough and can persevere up and down big mountains over a long period of time.  He's also won Jemez, TRT 100, Bighorn 100 and was 2nd at HURT back in the day.  Not too shabby.







12) Brendan Trimboli - Finished 2nd at San Juan Solstice last year, 2nd at Miwok, and has run a bunch of local shorter races in the San Juan's.  Look's like he digs the skimo action as well.



13) Brandon Stapanowich - 2nd at Zane Grey this year, 5th at HURT.




14) Nick Coury -Recently won PCT 50, has finished 5th and 6th at HR.


Chris, pre-beer mile with helmet strapped tight.
15) Chris Askew - 100 miles is his distance.  He's got good results at Plain 100, Cascade 100, Bear, Massanutten and Kettle Moraine.  Look for him to clean up later in the race.




"Who's gonna coach ME!?"
16) Jason Koop - 3rd at Bear, 2nd at Zion.  When he shows up he shows up.  You know he's going to show up in Silverton.



Adam displaying his unorthodox stride at HR in 2013
17) Adam Hewey - Has placed 2nd at Cascade Crest and 2nd at San Diego 100.  Finished 10th here in 2013 after limping in the last 10 or so miles.

18) John Anderson - Being from Truckee is a good thing.  So are John's performances at TRT 50M (1st) & RRR (9th).



Frutarian
19) Denis Mikhavlov - Has won Virgil Crest 100, and placed 2nd at Massanutten.


Sad to see Tony Krupicka's name disappear from the list as deals with injury.  As with all my predictions it is likely that one or two of the guys above wont make it to the start line for some reason.  At least a couple will drop, and I'm forgetting a couple guys that deserve to be listed but aren't yet.  I hope to finish in the top 5 so that I can snag an extra lottery ticket for next year.

Women's predictions to be posted soon.

Friday, June 5, 2015

Jemez 50 Mile

Elissa and I took a road trip through Arizona to New Mexico a couple weeks ago to run the Jemez Mountains Trail 50 Mile race.

The day before the race, race director Tom Stockton and crew went out to make sure trail markers were up.  They got to run through a fresh dusting of snow seen below.


photo from Jemez FB page


Hunh, I thought.  Looks like conditions might be a bit wet and muddy tomorrow.  I decided to wear my new Hoka Speedgoat's for the race given there uber grippy Vibram outsoles and stability in technical terrain.  They worked flawlessly.  I will definitely be wearing them in the San Juan's next month for my next lil' race.

Hoka Speedgoat's - a refined Rapa Nui


The race started in the dark hours of the morning.  I turned on my Petzl NAO headlamp and made my way to the start line.  We took off and I hoped to follow some fool that would jump out too fast.  I found myself in the lead right away, hmmm.  We quickly turned off a dirt road onto single track as the world slowly lit up around us.

Nick Clark, Joe Grant and I ran through the aid station at mile 5 together.  Then they gapped me.  My lofty aspirations of winning the race seemed to burn off with the morning dew.  Surpisingly, I caught up to Joe halfway up the first climb up Pajarito.  We ran together for four miles or so, what a nice guy.  I'm excited to follow him at states later this month.  

Decending from the top of Pajarito to the Ski Lodge AS
photo by Elissa


We left the Ski Lodge aid station nearly together.  Soon after I ran through the next AS, Pipeline, and dropped down into the caldera.

Portion of the13 mile wide Valles Caldera
photo by Elissa

The course went a little cross country to climb out of the caldera then decended, following a tiny creek for miles of gorgeous mountain running down to Pajarito AS.  From here we climbed 7 miles back up to Pajarito mountain.  But this time, after dropping to the Ski Lodge and back out to the Pipeline AS, we turned East and ran the ridge back to the start in Los Alamos.

I ran fairly conservative all day and got me to the finish line in a decent time and 2nd place behind Nick Clark.  I didn't have a great day, but felt good and maintained a consistent pace.  Full results.

Elissa warming up for San Juan Solstice

Jemez is a classic mountain 50.  While 10k' of climbing isn't a ton for this distance, that much climbing all between 7-10k' elevation made for a challenging course.  Great preparation for Hardrock =)  Not only was the course nice, but the organization and volunteers of the event were outstanding.  From the pre-race dinner, to the race briefing, to the aid stations.  Everything was top notch.  I highly recommend this race to anyone considering it.


GEAR:

Sunglasses:  Julbo's - Blast frame and Fire Flash lenses