A Tale of Two Extremes 

It would be hard to find two environments more opposite and extreme than those experienced by Luis Carlos Stoute (Panama City, Panama) in the last week.  Luis lives in Panama City Panama and often trains along the Panama Canal and along jungle trails in his homeland.  Luis stands about 6 feet tall, so his normal training altitude would be—6 feet above sea level.  The humidity is rarely under 90+ percent and the temperature at its coolest is still above 70.  Last Monday, he began his acclimation process as he prepared to run the Leadville Trail Marathon, a 26 mile rocky, mountainous, technical trail marathon which begins in downtown Leadville, Colorado at 10,000 feet and climbs over Mosquito Pass at 13,188 feet and then comes back down to 10,000 feet.  Luis knew the race would be hilly, so he ran hill repeats and incorporated climbing into his regular training routine.  He also knew that air was going to be scarce at 10,000 and near non existent at 13,000+ feet.  So, his training plan incorporated uphill intervals including strides and shorter repeats, which would attempt to get him used to running with reduced oxygen in his body.  On Monday Luis flew into Denver for two days, then drove to Leadville to spend the remainder of the week, just running lightly and trying to keep his head from throbbing with altitude sickness. 

Luis’ plan paid off, as he finished the Leadville Trail Marathon in 6:17:47, good for 111^th place overall.  Luis ran strong through much of the course, finding that he had the leg strength to continue running on much of the grueling uphill.  He also found that his training had left him quite capable of handling the thin air and breathing wasn’t too much of a problem.  The biggest problem Luis encountered was dealing with the rough, rocky, technical trail, which some people seemed to be able to just glide over, but Luis found himself stumbling, and going slow trying to keep his ankles and knees in their originally designated number of pieces.  In Panama, the jungle trails are mostly dirt Jeep trails, so the rocks were foreign and provided the most challenge.

Luis also carried a camera and got quite a number of pictures of the breathtaking views and beautiful terrain.  While many runners looked down at their feet continuously, Luis spent “about 20 minutes” taking some pictures and looking around.

When Luis finished the race, he handed his camera to Eric, his buddy from his college days at the Colorado School of Mines, and told him to take his picture finishing and he ran 30 meters back up the course and across the finish line a second time with his hands raised jubilantly and a wide smile.

I would bet that Luis’ legs are a bit sore, but his smile hasn’t diminished any yet.

There’s Gotta Be an Easier Way

Helene Strutko (Harvey’s Lake, PA) doesn’t look for the easy way out when she selects races.  Looking at descriptions of her previous races, she doesn’t go for easy, but selects hilly trail races.  This past Saturday was no exception.  Helene ran the Race Street Run 15K hosted by the Episcopal Parish of St. Mark and St. John in Jim Thorpe, PA.  Beginning in town in front of the court house, the race climbed gently nearly a mile before leaving the road and turning onto an old steeper railroad right-of-way.  After going along Mauch Chunk Lake and through the park the final 2.5 miles was hard downhill to the finish which might explain why her quads were so sore after the race.  Helene won the 25-29 age group and was 4^th female overall in 1:13:23.

Still Got it 

Leo Lightner (Cleveland, OH) ran the Bay Days 5 mile in Cleveland, Ohio on Friday, July 4.  The race hosted by the Cleveland West Road Runners Club was a flat road race through city streets with many turns.  The weather cooperated, as temperatures were comfortable in the 70’s.  Leo went out at a steady 10 minute pace and ran fairly even splits.  Approaching the finish line, he still felt strong and kicked it in for a time of 48:39, good for 3^rd place in the 70-99 age group.  Leo has been a long time ultra marathoner and hadn’t done a race this short in “many years”. 

You’ve still got it Leo.

Pretty Good Range

Heather Griffith (Louisville, KY) has pretty good range.  She typically does ultra marathons up to and in excess of 100 miles.  On Saturday, June 28, she won the Todd Crawford Foundation 5K in Louisville, KY, a race held as a fundraiser to find a cure for paralysis.  On the two loop course, Heather ran extremely even splits with her second loop just a little slower than the first as she was directed off course slightly.  She rebounded to win the title of overall female champion with a time of 19:27.

No Trouble Here

Rick Moyer (Reading, PA) ran the Double Trouble 30K Trail Run in Morgantown, PA on June 22.  Rick’s splits were very even for the two 15K loops at around 1:38 and 1:42 for a finish time of 3:22:26 good for 38^th place overall out of 320 competitors.

Running for a Purpose 

A Picture Was Worth 30 Minutes

Amy “Flame” Brown (Chapel Hill, NC) had a picture in her mind on Saturday at the Highland Sky 40 Mile in Davis, West Virginia.  The picture included her crossing the finish line under a clock with her finish time.  She kept this vision throughout the race where the lead number on the clock was an “8” and not a “9” in the “hours” position.  Over 40 miles of rocky, technical trail, steep uphills and downs, short sections of gravel, dirt, and paved roads– while Amy paid attention, she kept the vision imprinted in her mind.  Being a lover of rocky, technical trails, and given an overcast day as a respite from the brutal heat that had overtaken the East Coast over the past 10+ days, Amy embraced the chance to go run as hard as she could in what she considers ‘perfect conditions’.  In the zone over the last 10 miles, even when challenged by another competitor who she had periodically switched positions with, Amy decided she wasn’t going to be outrun to the finish by her.  Despite the grueling trail portion for the first 36 miles, Amy still was able to push strong to the finish on the final road segment.  She crossed the finish line in 8:33:41, not only realizing her premonition, but annihilating her previous best time on the course by a full 30 minutes!  Amy finished as 8^th female overall.

We should have asked her for this weekend’s lottery numbers.

Change Is Not Always Bad 

After a strong training phase, Nick Whited (Raven, VA) had thoughts of rewriting the course record at the Varmint Half Marathon in Burke’s Garden, VA.  As race day approached, and temperatures in the East were as high as the humidity, the race plan was rewritten and Nick went for the win instead of potentially sacrificing himself under those conditions.  For near 7 miles, Nick stayed with the pack, even after one runner stretched a 15 second lead from 5 miles.  At 8 miles, Nick caught the leader and “dropped the hammer” with a surge that proved unmatchable by any other competitor.  Nick cruised to the finish unchallenged in 1:22:55—a PR on that course by 60 seconds and 90 seconds ahead of the second place finisher.

Sometimes You Gotta Crawl 

Helene Strutko (Harvey’s Lake, PA) finished 4^th overall female and 2^nd in the 20-29 age group at Mt. Carmel, PA’s Strip Mine 9- 9 mile trail race last Saturday.  The race was appropriately named as it would along trails through and old strip mine.  Some of the climbs required going up “on all fours” and the footing was tough with rocks, gravel, and loose screed.  There was also no shortage of mud or steep down hills.  Helene was just less than 2 ½ minutes behind the age group champion.

Not Afraid to Mix it Up 

On an 85 degree, near 100% humidity, Friday night, Anne Lundblad (Swannanoa, NC) ran Black Mountain’s Rock 2 Rock– a race that was neither her typical terrain nor distance.  Anne is multiple-time US National Champion at ultra-marathon distances and Runner-up at the 2005 100 Kilometer World Championship and 2006 50 Mile Trail World Champion.  But, last Friday night Anne ran a 10K mountain race—6.2 miles of rocky, gnarly, single track and ATV trail straight uphill.  Showing no fear, but just an intense competitive side, Anne held her own finishing 3^rd behind a member of the US Women’s Mountain Running Team, and an 800/1500 meter specialist fresh off a collegiate track season.  She was first Master’s finisher.

The next day, Anne had the strength remaining to pace her 8 ½ year old daughter, Emma, through her first 5K race.

The Boy Has Teeth 

Nick Whited (Raven, VA) has grabbed a hold of his training like a pit bull on a pork chop.  Nick decided it would be best to change venues and days on one of his interval sessions.  So instead of doing a workout alone on Friday, he went to the
Bluefield Wellness Center 10K on Saturday in Bluefield, VA to get his work done with a crowd around.  Over a tough course, typically about 3-4 minutes slower than flatter 10K races, Nick did his hard intervals followed by relaxed jog recoveries and stormed through the field to finish his interval workout in 37:03 for a 2 minute win. 

Another Hot Day in Roanoke 

Steve Crowder (Botetourt, VA) continued his return to peak form with a 2^nd place finish on Saturday in Roanoke, Virginia’s Festival in the Park 10K.  Over the notoriously hard course under typical Memorial Day Weekend heat, Steve battled most of the race in 2^nd or 3^rd place, but at 5 miles, threw in a surge which proved unmatchable by his opponent.  As Steve closed on the finish line, he also gained ground on the eventual winner, narrowing the gap to just 25 seconds.  Steve’s 2 year old daughter, Kaitlyn was on the sideline watching—unclear as to what her Daddy was running from.

Nice Day, Tough Course

Helene Strutko (Harvey’s Lake, PA) ran Saturday’s 31^st Annual Danville Memorial Trail 12K Run in Danville, PA.  On a beautiful 70 degree morning the course climbed a very steep hill at 1.5 miles, but relented to a fast rolling downhill on the backside before becoming mostly flat to just before the finish, when it climbed again and headed back into town.  Helene ran a strong race to finish 5^th female overall. 

A Tough Tangle 

Jorge Pardo (Brooklyn, NY) traveled back to his home town in northern Virginia on Memorial Day Weekend for the Cascades 10K in Sterling, VA.  Two of the Washington D.C. area’s toughest road racers Phillipe Rolly (current course record holder) and Ray Pugsley gave Jorge a run for his money.  After taking the lead through the mile with Rolly and Pugsley in tow, Jorge and Rolly battled through the next miles with the advantage eventually going to Rolly.  Pugsly eventually kicked Jorge down as they finished Rolly, Pugsly, and Pardo, 1, 2, and 3, respectively.  Jorge had won the event last year in 33:21, but his time this year, 9 seconds faster, was good for 3^rd, but still earned his reward of a new pair of training flats.

Glad to Finally See Spring 

Leo Lightner (Rocky River, OH) placed 3^rd in the 70-98 year old age category at Cleveland’s Right Aid Half Marathon.  The first two finishers in the age division were nearly a decade younger!  Leo ran a very well paced race to record a time of 2:25:25.  Despite fighting the snow and ice through winter and a late spring in the Cleveland area, Leo got his work done and when the race was over, had surprised himself with such a strong finish.