5 Reasons People DNF at the Javelina 100 Miler and How to Avoid It (with Wizard of Oz Style!)

Who you callin' cute, sucker?

Post updated/revised:
I originally wrote this post in October of 2015 to put my money where my mouth is (or was). I toe'd the line of the Javelina 100 Miler the following two years (2015 and 2016) in Fountain Hills, Arizona (near Scottsdale, the home of the AZ Fall League's Scottsdale Scorpions, a development team including players from the San Francisco Giants farm/development system, but I digress...). While 2015 was my 21st attempt to run 100 miles (or a little further), it was my first time tackling the cute little pig known as Javelina. No, they aren't really pigs, they are peccaries, which is like a cousin to a pig. I guess some ways this is an interesting parallel because some have been known to say that the Javelina Jundred 100 Miler is "a runnable, fast, good 100 for first timers that is on a relatively easy course." Ohhhhh, boy. That's where the danger begins...

Let's first explore the question of the DNF percentage from 2009-2017 (over 50% who start typically do not finish this race, historically). Why the hell does this "runnable, flat-ish, relatively easy course" have one of the highest DNF rates in ultra running? Some would say that it's the disproportionate amount of first-timers. I would argue that it's not the relative lack of experience that does many in, as I've seen some really experienced 100-mile runners go down here (I am now 2-for-2 at Javelina in spite of two pretty rough years/races). If one doesn't look at what makes this challenge particularly unique, and you expect to suffer less relative to other races, then this is what makes this event so difficult. Here are the starting and finishing stats, and finishing/DNF percentages from the 6 years I crewed and coached athletes for Javelina...

*BEFORE THIS BLOG WAS POSTED, THE SIX YEARS I CREWED/COACHED AT JJ100*2009 - 250 started / 124 finished (49.6% finished, 50.4% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 38 (15.2%)
2010 - 263 started / 137 finished (52.1% finished, 47.9% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 50 (19.0%)
2011 - 339 started / 174 finished (51.3% finished, 48.7% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 65 (19.2%)
2012 - 364 started / 160 finished (43.9% finished, 56.1% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 56 (15.4%)
2013 - 377 started / 157 finished (41.6% finished, 58.4% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 41 (10.1%)
2014 - 511 started / 290 finished (56.8% finished, 43.2% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 98 (19.2%)

2009-2014 TOTALS:2,104 started / 1,042 finished (49.5% finished, 50.5% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 348 (16.5%)

2015 JJ100, Lap 2 (old course) - photo by SweetM Images

*AFTER THIS BLOG WAS POSTED, THE TWO YEARS I RAN JJ100*
2015 - 459 started / 281 finished (61.2% finished, 38.8% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 113 (24.6%)
2016 - 574 started / 285 finished (49.7% finished, 50.3% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 93 (16.2%)

*LAST YEAR*
2017 - 534 started / 348 finished (65.2% finished, 34.8% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 113 (21.2%)

2015-2017 TOTALS:

1,567 started / 914 finished (58.3% finished, 41.7% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 319 (20.4%)

2009-2017 TOTALS:

3,671 started / 1,956 finished (53.3% finished, 46.7% DNF'd) - Sub 24's = 667 (18.2%)

Having crewed and coached over 30+ athletes who've run Javelina, and now having back-to-back years suffering through it myself, I am here to tell you how I've seen people shoot themselves in the foot. Some of this is general 100-miler stuff, and a few things are unique to Javelina. So, here we go...

5 SIGNIFICANT REASONS PEOPLE DNF AT JAVELINA

#5- How about a little fire, Scarecrow? (not managing the heat... well enough) - this race is super exposed and relatively hot. It is generally not humid, and most certainly Arizona sees typical temps that are ~30 degrees higher at times in the summer. Javelina seems to trend around a high of 80 degrees, give or take 10 degrees. So 90 is a blistering hot year, and 70 is a "cold year". But here's the problem, it's exposed. You never get a respite from the direct sun, unless there's no sun (or you're sitting under a tent, not moving forward on the course). The sun beats down on the trail (and you) relentlessly, and Laps 2, 3, and for some 4 (and 7) are hard on you like it's 10 degrees hotter. It might actually be a few degrees hotter. As the sun bakes the trail throughout the day, the heat emanates off the trail below you and it will hit you a little harder than if you were running in the shade. So, pretend it's 10 degrees hotter, and keep ice in a bandanna around your neck, fill your running cap with ice, and do not drink ice water.

Momentary heat side-track: if you drink ice water in your bottles when that cold water hits the stomach, the body is forced to use energy in order to warm up that liquid inside your body to match that of your body's natural internal temperature. This process will rob your body of the energy it needs to properly process what fluid (and calories and electrolytes) you've ingested. So energy is spent on the regulation of the internal fluid temps, rather than processing new fuel/energy and it is a super big deal as that energy deficit adds up in the heat of the day.

Cold water (or ice) is for your head and neck. Warm or air temp water is for drinking. If you're running, your body is generating more heat (than if you're moving much slower). So during those hot laps (when I've seen some speed up), slow it down a little to help manage your core temps.

#4 - There's no place like home, there's no place like home! (getting too comfortable at the start/finish with family/friends) - this is one of the chief problems with the mental DNF at Javelina, being at the place where all your finishing crap is! And your lovely family! And when you say in the middle of the night, "I don't want to do this anymore, I'm not having any fun" sometimes you have a crew that's thinking, "thank effen goodness, we're so ready to be done too!" 

Know that you pass through JJHQ around Mile 15.5 (one), Mile 31 (two), Mile 46.5 (three), Mile 62 (four), Mile 77.5 (five) and Mile 93 (six), and if you think you'll get through JJHQ excited to leave for another 15.5 miles in the dreaded desert every single time, think again. You're gonna feel the suck at least 2 of those 6 times, possibly more, so you've got to have a plan to get in an out of there efficiently. Don't rush it, you need to get stuff for another 2-5 hours out there. "Be quick, don't hurry" (one of my favorite Coach John Wooden quotes). But unless you're fixing blisters at medical, doing a complete outfit change for the night, there's really no reason to be there for more than 5 minutes. Get out. Don't sit down (except to change shoes, if you must). Keep moving. Get your mental juju back by taking steps towards the finish line.

#3 - Poppies, poppies, poppies. Sleeeeeeeeep! (the curse of naps and mismanaged caffeine) - I would love to dive into the science of why you should try to avoid caffeine during the day when it's hot. But this post is going to get way too long (it's already twice as long as I intended). So let me put it in another way, you want to save caffeine (and other stimulants) for when you actually need them. Your hypothalamus is going to try to power things down in your body so you can sleep (restorative regeneration) while you're still running if you run long enough. So save the inner light for when it gets dark. And once you start using caffeine, you better keep using it or your energy will fall off a cliff. I like to try to keep the stream coming every 25-30 minutes once I start, but at the very least I'm getting it at every aid station once I begin to use it. Also, if you get really, really tired, some get to the start/finish and try to sleep and rationalize when they wake up they'll feel better (and be able to run better). In my experience, this is rarely true. And you wake up in 90 minutes when you planned for 30. And now you're fighting cutoffs. So don't do it. Manage your mind, your stimulants, and keep on keepin' on.

#2 - Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of speed! (getting carried away with pace splits in the first two-three laps) - Okay, so the Wicked Witch of the West said spears, not speed. But hey, if you run too fast your quads, hamstrings, IT bands are all going to feel like the Wicked Witch put a bunch of spears into you. I have witnessed more "speed kills" at this race than every other 100 miler I've been to combined. I've seen runners with a 28+ hour 100 miler PR running around 17-hour pace splits. Just running comfortably, and aerobically is not enough. A marathon race pace is aerobic and comfortable for 20-ish miles! Then you go into ketosis when you've exhausted your glycogen supply and you're fighting cramps and you are metabolically hosed. Marathon pace plus one minute is more like a 50k pace. I don't even recommend running by pace. For those of you not running with a heart rate monitor, it's going to be a little more tricky. If you've never run 100 miles before, you've got to be even more careful and conservative. Think of it this way, around 20% of the nearly 500 race starters ran sub-24 hours last year. Are you typically in the top 20% of the races you finish? Because if you're not, you're pretty bold going out in sub-20 hour pace and rationalizing that you're putting time in the bank. Putting time in the bank is like tying a loaded safe to you so you can run the second half of the race dragging said safe behind you. A sub-20 hour time is around 11:45/mile pace (or faster). Yes, we all factor in stop time (which is generally around a minute per mile or more), so really, we're talking 10:45 average running pace. "But I can't run that slow!" many will exclaim to me. That's what walking up small inclines is for. Or just taking a walk break to lower your heart rate. Running faster than 12 minutes per mile in the second half of the race is actually quite impressive, so try to bring your first half and second half paces closer together so you can be the one passing dozens, or even 100 people in the second half. Now that's a fun race!

#1 - I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too! (not taking the suffering seriously) - I'm going to break this one into two different categories, the beginner, and the experienced 100 miler...

1st Time 100 Milers - so you've never experienced 100 miles yet? Maybe you've run a few 50 milers or a tough 100k, but this is your first journey into those extra 40-50 miles of pure magic. People tell you it's going to hurt, but there's no context to it. You may have even heard moms who run hundos compare it to childbirth. Kinda freaky, right? But hey, it didn't scare you that much, and here you are! Pitfall #1 is thinking of 100's in a linear or proportional fashion. It doesn't hurt twice as much, nor twice as often as a 50 miler. In some cases, it's worse than that. In others, it's not that much worse pain wise, but you're in that hurt locker for a lot longer. It takes mental stamina, toughness and a willingness to suffer a bit. You really aren't going to know if you're mentally ready until you're in that moment. But what I do is measure the number of hours I've put into training (for me, this time around it's about 250 hours, or 10 hours a week average for the past 25 weeks, I'm rounding off here, but that's a ballpark). Then, when I'm hurting, I tell myself, "this isn't going to hurt like this for the rest of the time, but even if it did, that's only 10 more hours (example), and that's not even 1/20th of my training!" I tell myself to consider others who wish they could be running by my side. My wife just had leg surgery. My buddy Alvin would love to run a loop with me (he's in a wheelchair now). I'm so lucky to be able to hurt this way. I'm so lucky my body is capable of this amazing, freaky endurance. I keep telling myself these things to re-frame the pain. And believe me it helps if you commit to it. So when it really hurts, the worse it is, the more proud you're going to be of finishing. I've heard it said very eloquently that "finishing 100 milers hurts for a week. DNF'ing 100 milers hurts for at least a year." So, get along little doggie...

Experienced 100 Milers - the main pitfall with an experienced hundred miler at Javelina is you've probably run much harder courses than this. You've maybe even run on hotter days than this. It's dangerous to think that because the course isn't as hard, and the heat isn't as high, that you'll suffer less. Then, when you suffer more, you're ill equipped to handle it psychologically. Here's the rub: this course has more running. The more you run, generally speaking, the more it's going to hurt. I ran 6 of these things last summer, and Vermont (while my fastest race last summer) was the race I was in the most disrepair at the finish line. My feet were wrecked. I was in the medical tent for a bit. Running more is really rough, especially for those of you who are used to mountain races when you get your hiking uphill break, then downhill feels like low-effort since gravity is doing the work. Maybe you don't feel that way, but if you want to run your fastest time at this distance, you at least have to be willing to hurt more (and for a longer duration) than you have before. Then, if you don't, it's a mental boost. Gravy, my friends.

Follow the Pemberton Trail, follow the Pemberton Trail... follow, follow, follow, follow...

I have a lot more to say about running 100 milers, but I'll save it for another time. I hope these 5 pitfalls help you overcome the Wicked Witch of the West at McDowell Mountain Park. I'm rooting for all who toe the line at Javelina. I want a bunch of people to high five and run with in that second half. And if you see me sitting down, come kick my ass and tell me to get back out there (unless I'm being carted off on a stretcher, then let medical do their job)...

2016 JJ100 Lap 3 at Jackass Junction - photo by SweetM Images

Jappy Jalloween, Jeveryone!

Heavy Lifting for the Runners' Mind - My Film List for the Mental Game

I'm fresh off of my second 50 mile DNF (both coming the first weekend in February on my sophomore run of a course in my Santa Monica Mountains backyard).  I know that my body didn't respond, part of which could have been just having an off day, and part of it definitely being undertrained.  I don't regret being undertrained, as my focus is on Summer 2014, and I now know there's no way I'm peaking too early.  But that's also my self-justification for not doing enough of the necessary grunt work, laying the foundation brick-by-brick.  I'm out the door for a run in a few.  One day at a time.  All that said, until my body failed me, my mind was solid in spite of a great number of problems out there.  That is one of my take-aways.  I have 4 months (or 17 weeks) to get in peak 100 mile shape.  I know my mind is ahead of that curve.

"Like success, failure is many things to many people.  With a positive mental attitude, failure is a learning experience, a rung on the ladder, a plateau at which to get your thoughts in order and prepare to try again."
-W. Clement Stone

Get to work on your mental game.

It seems like a general and broad-sweeping stroke.  But here's what I mean when I say that.  Workouts and physical fitness are only about half the story when it comes to setting new personal standards in speed or distance (or both).  You must develop the mental makeup so that you don't mentally breakdown.  There are a lot of ways to get there, and generally speaking, a coach will implement these things into your training runs (sometimes overtly and often times, like in my case, covertly).  You can always improve your mental game.  I love reading inspiring books and watching inspiring films (they absolutely do not need to be about running to be good for your mental game).

Here's a list of a few movies that really stoke my mental fire.  What I mean by that?  I cry tears of joy, tears of anguish and tears of being moved by the human spirit each and every time I watch them:

THE DISTANCE OF TRUTH

http://www.runningmovies.com/title/DistanceOfTruth.htm

Ferg Hawke running through the valley of death

MY TAKE: A searing documentary about the BADWATER 135 Ultramarathon (aka the World's Toughest Footrace).  I've crewed/paced this race 3 times now, and I'll be stoked to be help another friend get this done this year, even though I can't attend the race.

SYNOPSIS: This 90-min documentary features Canadian Ferg Hawke as well as Scott Jurek, Dr. Ben Jones, Charlie Engle, Ray Zahab, Monica Scholz, Pam Reed, Dean Karnazes, Marshal Ulrich and Mike Sweeney as they experience the BADWATER Ultramarathon. Footage from both the 2005 and 2006 races are included as well as interviews, course profile, blister care and finish line drama. The race itself is broken into the six legs and even after 90 miles three athletes are separated by only about a mile and a half. The finish is amazing with records falling and 11 athletes are shown crossing the line.

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH THIS: Because if you're reading one of my blogs, let's be honest, you're already pretty silly, and there isn't much sillier than running 135-miles through Death Valley in the peak of summer heat.  In case of invisible self-limiting barriers, break glass (ceiling).  This movie will leave you without valid excuses.

QUOTE I LOVE: "If you run long enough, something is bound to happen."

RUDY

81% / 88% on Rotten Tomatoes

How many setbacks must one endure to realize an impossible dream?

MY TAKE: It is slow at points, but then again so is life.  If you patiently entrench yourself in this story, you'll feel Rudy's passion, his devastating lows and triumphant over-coming of long-shot odds.  I love this movie.

SYNOPSIS: Rudy has always been told that he was too small to play college football. But he is determined to overcome the odds and fulfill his dream of playing for Notre Dame.

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH THIS: You don't have to like college football, this is a movie about having a tenacious spirit and chasing impossible dreams.

QUOTE I LOVE: "In this life, you don't have to prove nothin' to nobody but yourself."

CHARIOTS OF FIRE

86% / 77% on Rotten Tomatoes

What inspires you to run fast?  Old dares do it for me.

MY TAKE: Also takes some time to build into things, but each scene is vital in a really well woven piece.  It examines the why of two Olympic runners.  One runs to "feel God's pleasure" and another runs from an absolute terror of being second best.  Love vs Fear.  A perfect examination of life.

SYNOPSIS: The story of two British track athletes, one a determined Jew, and the other a devout Christian who compete in the 1924 Olympics.

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH THIS: It doesn't matter why you run.  It matters that you run (see: exercise).  This movie will have you examining why you run and when you run and may enable you to get the most out of your mental game by determining your mental outlook.

QUOTE I LOVE: "I've known the fear of losing but now I am almost too frightened to win."

CINDERELLA MAN

80% / 88% on Rotten Tomatoes

Buoyed by great performances and Academy Award nom for Giamatti

MY TAKE: One of my 2-3 favorite films of all time (the other 2 are Shawshank Redemption and Crash).  I love this movie for so many reasons.  It will make you feel.

SYNOPSIS: Based on the true story of fighter Jim Braddock, who in Depression-era New York enters the boxing ring out of desperation to feed his family. He becomes a common folk hero as he battles his way up the ranks, vaulting from broken-down ex-boxer to living legend with a string of amazing upsets to his credit. As word of the scrappy underdog spreads, entire families stay glued to their radios, cheering, praying and experiencing his victories as their own. Their devotion reaches fever pitch when Braddock faces heavyweight champ Max Baer. That night, Braddock's dignity, courage and determination gives hope to a nation and earns him the nickname of Cinderella Man.

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH THIS: You don't have to like boxing, nor be a fan of Russell Crowe or Renee Zellweger.  This movie is about choosing to get back up after getting knocked down (no matter how many times you hit the mat).  Boxing may be a perfect analogy for life in the courage to get back up off the mat when life is punching you in the face.  Give in to this movie.

QUOTE I LOVE: "For two hundred and fifty dollars I would fight your wife... and your grandmother, at the same time." 

UNBREAKABLE: THE WESTERN STATES 100

http://www.ws100film.com/

Photo by Luis Escobar, RD of Born to Run Ultras and Red Rock

MY TAKE: This is JB Benna's masterful weaving of a story about living outside the box, challenging one's perceived limits and going into that unknown void and seeing what part of you comes back from it.  This movie inspires me for many different reasons.

SYNOPSIS: This is the story of the 2010 competitive men's race in the granddaddy of trail ultra runs, the Western States 100.  In addition to following 4 of the top ultra runners in the world, it tells much of the story of how the Western States Endurance Run came into being.

WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH THIS: Because everyone faces their mental breaking point in a race that means a lot to us.  Sometimes our expectations, our goals, or even the conditions in the race can break us.  Sometimes it's our competition.  But watch how these competitors respond to being broken, and what they do in the face of it.  Warning: it might make you want to run Western States, or 100 miles, or both.

QUOTE I LOVE: "I can still take one more step. And so at that point I decided to take one more step until I could not longer take one more step." 

HONORABLE MENTION - Other Films I Love for the Mental Game

The Fighter, Finding Nemo, Rocky, 300, Rocky IV, and many more...

THE BOTTOM LINE

We could all use a little (more) work on our mental game.  These 6 movie-films will help you with that (and I threw in 5 more on the HM list a few sentences above this).  Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.  Let me know what you think, especially if you see them now (with new perspective).

If you have other films you love watching, post a comment below and let us know what films help you with your mental game!

Unlocking the Magic & Mystery Behind Sean O'Brien - 50 Mile Course Notes

Ah, my boy Sean O'Brien.  Friend.  Fellow trail running junkie. Dog lover.  Uphill fiend.

SOB The Man. The Legend. The Uprising.

We are all so excited that Keira Henninger is a tenacious 100 mile mountain runner because if not, this SoCal gem of a race wouldn't exist.  We were all devastated by the Springs Fire last year that wiped out about 80% of the park that the amazing Ray Miller 50/50 happened in.  The trails in Pt Mugu (northern Santa Monica Mountains park area that Ray Miller happened in) are all still in decent shape, albeit everything around them is charred.

Enter Sean O'Brien.

Keira & Sean

Anyone who knows Sean, loves Sean.  I hope you all get a chance to shake his hand, high five him or give him a sweaty hug on race day.  He's a dog loving trail runner (Arlington, one of his pups, can go for a 15-25 mile run and probably logs an extra 5 miles of out-and-backs sniffing around), and may be the nicest dude you'll ever meet in the middle of nowhere on a long trail run in the San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Monica Mountains or any other mountain range within a 30-90 min drive of LA. Sean is one of those people that would stop in a race and give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.    You'll also find him on nearly every nasty staircase in the greater LA area, as he just loves to fight gravity.  For those of you who've heard of a nasty little race called the Los Pinos, Keira designed a route that she said would be impossible to run every step of.  So Sean did just that on a test run, and finished it smiling.  As nice as Sean is, he's notorious for inviting friends out for "I don't know, about 17-ish miles" and you'll come back to your cars 24 miles later out of water cursing his name again!  "Damn you, SOB, you did it to us again!"

Sean and Arlington on the trails together!

Welcome to the first year of what's going to end up being one of the most magnificent 50 mile races in the country.  Challenging and extended climbs (for the Santa Monicas).  Majestic ridgeline views of the Pacific.  Rolling canopied single track on the most legendary trail in this range, the Backbone.  Malibu Creek State Park to Zuma Canyon and back.  It's a semi straight forward "lollipop course" (an out and back with a loop in the middle), but really, the 50 mile race is better described as a "suckers course."

After test running this full route in mid-October, I've gone back and run every section of the course, out and backs, hitting each section semi fresh, with time to really think about what it did to me in October.  I'm excited for this race, and I'm a little bit in awe of it.  I've always been in awe of Sean, so I guess this course strikes up a similar love, respect and awe in me.

Sean O'Brien 50 mile - elevation profile

Here's how I break down the 50 mile course!

COLOR CODE
BLACK writing applies to ALL 3 race distances.
PURPLE writing applies to 50k & 50 miler.
RED writing applies to 50 miler only.

I only included major aid stations, not minor ones, nor water only top off spots.  What you'll find on the Sean O'Brien 50 website course breakdown will differ, slightly.

I round off to approximate half mile marks (as they apply to 50 mile race), and make no claims whatsoever as to what your GPS watch will say at designated points.  If you're running 50k or marathon, do a little math and you'll work out your aid station (and section) distances.

START NOTE: For those of you not familiar with early mornings at Malibu Creek State Park, it'll be cold (for California) and will be/feel 20-30 degrees lower between 4-6am than what our afternoon ridgeline temps will be.  Plan for 35-40 degrees at race check in, whereas the ridges later in the race could achieve 60-70 degrees (if not overcast).

Start (Malibu Creek State Park) to Mile 2

Double track - wide enough to pass

After a short stint on paved road, you transition to a rocky/dirt road, then to a double-track trail up and over a little hill you might not even notice (on the way out, on the way back, that nasty f**ker will feel twice as steep and three times as long).  Take note of the short little downhill around Mile 1 because you'll see it again around mile 48.5 as a hill I affectionately call "the Angry Chihuahua" otherwise known as the prison camp climb. Coming off that double-track, you'll transition to another dirt road, zig-zag across a flowing creek (everyone is going to have wet shoes, I promise) and you'll start the first climb of significance of the day.

Mile 2 to Mile 7 (Corral Canyon Aid Station #1)

Nick & I hiking/running up typical fire road climb here

Climb, climb and climb some more.  Something in the neighborhood of 1,500+ feet in around 3 miles, then some rollers into the first aid station, Corral Canyon.  Most of the climb is semi rocky fire road.  Wide, with some golfball to baseball sized sharp kickable stones.  There's a fun section of non fire road after most of the climbing that connects you to the aid station and runs through/over some sweet looking sandstone formations.  You're there after the second one of these sandstone formations.

Mile 7 Corral Aid to Mile 13.5 (Kanan "Coyote" Aid Station #2)

Coyotes navigating the single track rollers

This would be my favorite stretch of trail in the race.  Not the most amazing views of the race, but the most fun stretch of single track rollers past Castro Peak (a great visual reference point, the peak with communication towers, antennas, etc.).  You'll run about 4 miles from the aid station until you dump out in a dirt parking lot and cross over Latigo Canyon Rd (please be careful, this is the only road you cross in the race, and you cross it twice).  After Latigo crossing, you have another 2.5 miles of single track gradually rolling down and occasionally up to reach the Kanan Aid Station.  The last 200 meters into this check point is a rocky, rutted, semi technical drop into the parking lot.  Get too caught up in the commotion below and you might need medical attention for scrapes at the aid station.  This is the MARATHON TURNAROUND point.  This is a DROP BAG station.

AID STATION NOTE TO THE GUYS IN 50 MILER: if you aren't in competition for TOP 3 overall, please be aware of the top females and allow them to get helped at the aid station before you.  They might have Top 3 Western States aspirations on the line.  30 seconds to you won't likely mean very much, but 30 seconds to them could be the difference in their race.  Be a gentleman, you're not competing with them.

Sean O'Brien at Kanan "Coyote" Aid Station area

Mile 13.5 Kanan Aid Station to Mile 16 (50k turn around) - water only (take water only if necessary)
More joyful, mostly rolling, semi canopied single track!  You'll run 2.5 miles of winding, canyon and dry creek flanking single track.  You'll get to the connection of the Backbone Trail (the trail you've been running on for 14 miles) and the Zuma Ridge Motorway.

Mile 16 to Mile 19 (Zuma Edison Intersection Aid Station #3)

Do not enter.  Watch for vehicles to/from BR Ranch.

You'll turn left heading uphill for a quick 1.5 mile climb.  Every twist and turn of Zuma Ridge Mtwy will yield a unique view giving you a panoramic perspective in each direction (important note: it's possible there will be a vehicle or three that will cross your path on this stretch between the BBT single track and the top of this climb, please be aware and courteous, these vehicles have the right-of-way, as they are graciously allowing us to use this road).  After the 1.5 mile fire road climb, you'll pass Buzzard's Roost Ranch and begin the most epic descent of the 50 mile course.  With a very brief respite from the descent around 1.5 miles down, you'll reach the next aid station.  Everything you've run to this point, you'll run again in reverse, after you complete the lollipop/suckers part of this loop that double dips into Zuma Canyon.

Mile 19 Zuma Edison Intersection Aid #3 to Mile 23 (Bonsall Aid Station #4)

This pic just won't do it justice.

Down, down, down we go!  Be careful not to get carried away on this section.  It's a lot of fire road and great views of the Pacific (unless foggy/raining/overcast).  When you're about 3 miles down, you'll transition from the fire road across a parking lot left onto a very dusty horse trail single track.  You've got about a mile to the Bonsall Aid Station!  Head toward the ocean (west) and you'll end up at the Bonsall Aid Station. This is a DROP BAG station.


Mile 23 Bonsall Aid Station to Mile 31.5 (Zuma Edison Intersection Aid #5)

Grinder of a climb

It is important to acknowledge here that you are in Zuma Canyon, the lowest point on the course.  Race starts around 500-ish feet of elevation and you are now at around 25-ish feet of elevation.  From Mile 23 to Mile 43, two thirds of the next 20 miles will be climbing, and about one third will be flat or down.  Buckle up, buttercup, it's going to be a tough go (but you're a tough mutha-effer, so get to it).  This next 8.5 miles will likely be one of the most challenging sections of the entire course.  You have a half mile of flat in Zuma Canyon to get to the climb, then you're going to climb via a switch-backing series of single track trails, this is about a 4-ish mile ascent with a few breaks in it.  As soon as you achieve the ridge and connect to Zuma Edison Road, where the single track becomes fire road again, you're going to dive into the back of Zuma Canyon.  This is one of the two most steep descents of the race (loosing some 600-800 feet in one mile), watch those quads.  After a two mile crushing descent, you're now staring down the most significant climb of the race.  You'll be able to spot Buzzard's Roost Ranch while running down those two miles, and that marks the top of the climb.  You may like looking at it (knowing where the climb ends) and you might not want to look at it (it'll seem forever away).  You have a 2 mile switch back on fire road climb to the Zuma Edison Intersection Aid, your 2nd trip here, now the whole course is the way back from whence you came!

Mile 31.5 Zuma Edison Intersection Aid (Part II) to Mile 34.5 "50k Turnaround"

Center off in distance, Ray Miller 50 course, Tri Peaks and Sandstone Peak

You have the final 1.5 miles to get to Buzzard's Roost Ranch via the Zuma Ridge Mtwy, of which about 1 mile is actual climbing.  Then a 1.5 mile fire road descent to the 50k turnaround intersection with the Backbone Trail single track. Looking to the north while descending from BR Ranch, you'll be able to see the Tri Peaks from here, near Sandstone Peak which is where the Ray Miller 50 mile course came out to run past and turn around.  By the Backbone Trail, it's about 10-15 miles away to reach the Ray Miller Course from here.  Fill one water bottle with water here if you're dry, otherwise press on.

Mile 34.5 "50k Turnaround" to Mile 37 (Kanan "Coyote" Aid Station #6)
Press on to the Kanan aid station only 2.5 miles down the rolling windy single track.  From Mile 34.5 to Mile 43, you're going to be rolling, trending slightly upward more often than not.  It's really runnable stuff if you managed your calorie intake, fluids and electrolytes, not to mention were conservative enough with your effort level.  I was surprised how difficult I found this section to run, which was mostly mental bonking when I ran it in October.  Arrive at Kanan Aid Station and tank up!  This is a DROP BAG station.  It is important to have a FLASHLIGHT or HEADLAMP in this bag if you will finish anytime after 4pm.  Better to have one and not need it than need a light an not have it.

REMINDER NOTE TO THE 50 MILER GUYS: by this point, you're probably pretty clear who the Top 5 women are if you're around them.  Something I love to do here is help them!  Encourage them.  Let them in front of you at the aid station.  If they achieve their goal of a States slot, and you really supported them, you've made a new friend on the trails.  Never know when you'll need some of that trail karma.

Mile 37 Kanan Aid Station to Mile 43.5 (Corral Aid Station #7)

Heading back towards Corral through this

You are again trending upward on rolling single track trail.  2.5 miles of this upward trend, you'll cross over Latigo Canyon Rd (BE MINDFUL OF CARS, BIKES, TRUCKS, etc. especially now that you're delirious, and especially if it's dark out).  You are 4 miles from the last major checkpoint.  One little tough climb up to flank Castro Peak, then you'll roll 3 ish miles to the Corral Aid Station again!


Mile 43.5 Corral Aid Station to the FINISH LINE!

Descending rock formations with 6-ish miles to go, Pacific Ocean views

You have about 1.5 to 2 miles of rollers, first on single track, then on fire roads before the plunge.  The plunge is good news OR bad news depending on how your legs are feeling.  You're going to have a pretty brutally steep 2.5 mile descent (one mile will lose 700 feet) on rocky fire road.  When you go from fire road onto single track, you've got about a mile to go (until the creek crossing).  You're legs will likely be pretty unsure at this point so I recommend going straight through the creek.  Careful not to turn an ankle!  Once you're through the creek crossing, you've got a little more than 2 miles to go.  About 2/3'rds of a mile to that "Angry Chihuahua" I warned you about earlier.  The prison camp climb (Angry Chihuahua) is about a half mile, but it might seem like 1.5 miles at this point.  The moment you achieve the saddle atop this climb, almost precisely one mile to go!  Run a half mile down the double track and you'll hit the gravel parking lot and fire road, a quarter mile to the paved road and a quarter mile to the FINISH LINE!  Wooooohoooo!  Hit the pavement and finish it strong!

You made it!!!  High five, sweaty hug and celebrate life with some other rad peeps!

NOTES & REQUESTS
*Be courteous to your other racers
*If you're on single track and someone comes up behind you, ask them if they'd like to pass, let them go and worry about catching up later, or tuck in and hang with them for a while
*If you are having a low moment and choose to listen to music, one earbud must be out and the music must be low enough to communicate with other runners, hear rattlesnakes, etc.
*Have fun!

"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners.  Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants to quit."
-George Sheehan

I wish you all your best race out there.  Make sure you ALL meet Sean O'Brien.  In fact, stop him during the race for a sweaty hug and chat him up.  I'd really like to finish ahead of him and the more of you do that, the better my chances are...  *playful wink*

Sean whooping my butt again, Avalon 50, 2011

10 Ways Running 100 Miles Over Mountains is like a Weekend in VEGAS!

I saw Little Miss Sunshine (yes, for the first time) a couple nights ago.  It's the second film I've seen in the past few months with a speaker who doesn't live his message (Donnie Darko was the other).  I know I'm not Jim Cunningham (Patrick Swayze's charater) nor am I Richard Hoover (although I'm not too far off of Richard Hoover's "don't stop, no matter what the circumstances dictate" mantra), but sometimes I worry about losing my audience being overtly content & happy many days.  Henceforth, I'm going to work to integrate this blog into three types of posts:

1- life lessons (stemming from the adversity I've faced)
2- adventurous stories (tall tales, many running related)
3- silly perspective posts (every so often to lighten the mood)

It's going to be a unique soup of posts, but there you have it.  I'm all over the place sometimes, so this will better represent me too.  Without further ado...




10 WAYS RUNNING 100 MILES OVER MOUNTAINS IS LIKE A WEEKEND IN VEGAS!

10. Some people stop in the light of day, but many will be pulling an all nighter.

9. Waking up the morning after, we all ask ourselves why we just did that to ourselves.

"Never, ever again!  This time I mean it!  For reals!"

8. The longer we keep going, the less we seem to care when we throw up on a friend, on our shoes or in one of our own bags (shout out to Puck!).

7. Friends always make it more fun.  They can also validate and legitimize your stories of what really happened.

6. Aid station hopping can be just as fun as club/bar hopping.

5. After a crazy night, all we want to do the next day is lounge by the pool.

4. You're either going to have a good time, a great horror story, or both. Chances are you'll see some $#!^ you've never seen before.

3. The wetter you get, often times, the better the story is... TWSS?

2. You might have a crazy naked dude *chase you with a crowbar.
*In the 100, you're probably just hallucinating. Probably.

1. the cougars love the night life!
(Photo Credit: Steve Winter/National Geographic)

BONUS: you might end up passing out on the bathroom floor in either.

Photo Credit: Coach Jen Vogel - Instagram.com/UltraIronJen 

BONUS: in both, there's always a photo or two we hope doesn't end up on social media!

What is Chamoun doing here???

Don't worry Chamoun, this isn't my best look either.

What have you experienced in a 100 miler (or Vegas) that you can relate to both activities!?  Hope you enjoyed the list...

Overemphasis on Training in 100 Mile Trail Run Prep - Angeles Crest 100 Lessons 2006-2014

"Nothing on Earth can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on Earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."
-Thomas Jefferson

BAD ATTITUDE 101 - Angeles Crest 2006 at Eagle's Roost

I am not the most qualified person to be telling you how to train for a 100 mile mountain race.  I am not fast, and am lucky to crack the Top 25 of a deep race field.  I don't even log high mileage all that often (number of weeks in 2013 over 70 miles = 6, number of 100+ mile weeks not including a week with a 100 mile race in 2013 = 0).  I have even coached runners for Angeles Crest (and various other 100 milers) that have failed to finish their respective races (don't ask about my Dave 'Comet' Chan story, please).  There are many more qualified AC experts out there.

All that aside, you have found this blog entry (so pull up a chair and stay a moment).  I'm here to present a perspective that I've been chewing on for a few years now, something I've struggled to fully grasp or articulate, but it crystallized in a conversation with a fellow student of 100 milers, and someone far more credible than I (who will likely blog on this very topic in the near future *nudge, nudge* ).

Okay, I lied, look how pretty I am here.

Running 100 miles (or "migrating 100 miles", to quote my fellow blogger Ashley) in a single day is a brutal challenge.  It tests us physically and psychologically, sometimes to the very fabric of our being.  It strips us of all excess energy, to the point where all facades fall away and we're left raw and emotive, just a primal being often going off of pure grit and gut instinct.  In my case this is often not a pretty sight.  For some of my closest friends it is a time to fully enjoy the show, as I behave in ways I might not want to be seen behaving at any other time (at least publicly).  I might throw a tantrum or two. I sometimes complain. I often puke. Sometimes I even cry like a baby.  And hold on to your seat for this one, there are instances I am dead quiet for extended periods of time.  *GASP!*

Chamoun leads Gleason up Williamson - AC 2012

I'd estimate in all of the training programs I've personally executed over the last 12 years preparing for marathons and longer races, my two most dedicated, high mileage, most focused training programs were in 2006 training for my first Angeles Crest 100 Miler and in 2008/2009 training for the Western States 100.  Interestingly enough, until I tried to run my 2nd hundred miler in a 2 week period (AC/Leadville back-to-back in 2013), both AC '06 and States '09 were my two most difficult 100 milers (see: most frequent low points, most death marching, and highest cumulative time in aid stations).  I don't care if you finish these races in 18 hours (or faster) or 30 hours, to me, speed is relative and it is an impressive feat of courage (and foolishness) to even toe the line of one of these monster mountain endurance runs.  Conversely, two races I probably had the least consistent training for, AC '13 and Rocky Raccoon '10, I had some of my better times.  Yes, those are wildly different events. I suffered tremendously at AC last year due to my lack of training (and other influencing factors), but I ran times I consider to be good for me at those two events (with less than ideal training).  This had me examining some of the finer points of 100 mile race prep with many friends of mine who have a depth of personal experience at 100 miles.  Leading up to a conversation between Pam, Kate and I, about interesting and notable performances on less than ideal training earlier this week.

As far as I'm concerned, this hypothesis could apply to the Pam Smith's (see: runners who win races) just as much as it does athletes who are fighting cutoffs for a high percentage of the race, and everyone in between.  Granted, the athlete who has less than ideal training might not be competitive for a win in today's deeper fields of competitors since most elites I've read up on now consider every element of what I'm about to talk to you about.

DISCLAIMER: I do not intend to insinuate that an athlete does not have to train very much to finish a 100 mile race.  Training up to this distance is essential.  Doing so intelligently, patiently (over an extended period of time), and consistently over race specific terrain is ideal.  The goal should be arriving at the starting line healthy, rather than "how many times can I run 100 miles in my weekly training" no matter the consequences.

HYPOTHESIS:  a great many athletes, especially first timers, place a dramatic overemphasis on training in prep for a 100 mile mountain race

To say this another way: many of us focus so much on cumulative weekly miles, running fast, running up steep terrain, tempo runs, speed work, stair repeats, strength training and getting physically ready that we overlook some pretty essential aspects of 100 mile racing (not to say we're all racing, but 100 miles in an event is distinct from just going out to do 100 miles on your own with no time constraints).

What often gets overlooked when training is overemphasized:

Checklists of everything I could possibly anticipate: AC 2012 edition

*Nutrition - both day-to-day diet influencing metabolic efficiency and effective race day nutrition strategies
*Mental Strategies - conditioning ourselves to think in a way that empowers and inspires our best effort, learning to deal with the inevitable and often devastating lows of a 100 mile run.  This can include mantras, anticipation of difficulty and acceptance of certain problematic scenarios.
*Hydration/Electrolyte Replenishment - there are many schools of thought here, but often athletes don't even consider how little (or how much) they're drinking or how an electrolyte imbalance might affect their race
*Pacing Plan vs Exertion Plan - you might think to yourself here, "nope, I always have a pacing plan" and that's one of my key points: we are often more focused on some target race time than actually adjusting to the effort/exertion level that is appropriate at that moment based on the signals our body is sending us, which can be greatly affected by conditions (heat, altitude, wind, terrain, humidity, etc.).  This doesn't just mean running too fast, it's sometimes being too conservative.
*Attitude - I hold this one slightly distinct from "mental strategies" although it is closely related.  A positive mentality can sometimes help us look at the same (sometimes ugly) circumstances and instead of panicking or having an emotional breakdown, we can smile and laugh about it.

"Do as I say, not as I do." -  IPA & a donut???

I'm the last person who can tell you what you should be doing for nutrition, but for many athletes, it seems to be almost an afterthought.  Fueling strategies implemented on race day aren't tried-and-true for most.  Sometimes, athletes that have something they've practiced a ton in training goes haywire on race day because of aid station grazing (those candies and cookies look great, I'll have a couple).

Hydration and electrolyte replacement is really personal.  There are some diametrically opposed schools of thought here on how much one should drink and whether one should supplement with electrolytes or not.  Again, if you've given no thought to it, it's just guesswork.  It's amazing that so many athletes spend a year planning to run 100 miles, pouring hours into physical training each week, many more hours just thinking about it, without consideration for anything specific here.

Pacing plans: here's the thing, if you are seeking to finish your first 100 mile race, finishing will be a PR.  Some athletes get so caught up in buckling, going for sub-24's, and completely ignoring the redline signals because of pace splits for a goal time that they sacrifice the finish.  And it has proven to be a grotesque oxymoron for me (and dozens of the athletes I train) that when I focus on everything but my splits, I run my fastest time.  When I focus on my time splits, I fall off them pretty quickly and then have to deal with my negative emotions around that early failure.

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."
-Winston Churchill

Hurting: Mile 52 at AC in 2011. Attitude shift necessary.

Attitude/Mentality: I remember a few years back being too sick to start the Lake Sonoma 50 Miler, on race day I ended up working race check in and helping build the finish line area.  I got to cheer a few Coyotes and a few other friends across the finish line.  I remember one girl in particular who finished mid-pack and threw a tantrum to her friends, "That was the worst day of my life!" she sobbed.  I sat there awestruck.  Wait, didn't you just finish 50 miles?  What about the people still out there, behind you?  What about the people who DNF'd today?  I will never know this girl's name, but she taught me an amazing lesson that day: embrace the hurt locker.  I went on to Angeles Crest that summer (four months later) and every time I felt miserable, I thought to myself "I'm still moving forward at a decent clip, it could be worse, I'm so grateful to be out here doing this..." and it changed my race.  Without very much race specific training that summer, I ran my fastest AC100 time.  A huge part of that was my perspective shifting.  I put a lot of thought into it beforehand.  How am I going to feel out there?  Probably pretty crappy at some point, but that's what I signed up for.

In summary, there are so many pieces to traveling 100 miles on foot, in a single go.  Training may be a key piece of that, but if you don't consider every other piece, you might just be throwing a lot of that training down the drain.

Another parting shot, a clip of the conversation between Pam, Kate and I:
Pam - "So, how fast do you have to run to go sub-24 in 100 miles?"
JDF - "You gotta run 12-13 minute miles, depending on how much time is wasted in aid. Overall 14:30-ish average."
Pam - "Right. So really, how fit does one have to be to maintain 12-13 minute pace?"
JDF - "Depends on the course, I guess?"
Pam - "Sure, but don't you think it's not often the pace that sabotages one's sub-24 goal, but rather, poor nutrition plans, sour stomachs, and not being ready for the low points (mentally)?"
JDF - "Interesting point, Pam..."

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (photobomb by yours truly)

There's a good chance you'll see Pam on the starting line at Angeles Crest this year with a personal vendetta against AC.  I met Pam in 2010 at AC, at Mile 42.  She was trying to drop out and her husband Mac persuaded me to convince Pam to continue.  So she dropped out at the first aid station that was crew inaccessible.  Coincidentally, it was the aid station where I branded myself with my first ever DNF too, Mile 49, the Mt. Hillyer checkpoint.  Whether there in 2014 or not, I'm betting on Pam to finish her next AC...

My Angeles Crest 100 History in finishing (or DNF) photos:

2006 - Finish, 26:27

2007 - DNF at Mile 49

2011 - Finish,   23:51  (first AC silver)

2012 - Finish, 22:38

2013 - Finish, 23:39

2014 - ????

No idea what this year holds in store, but I know Angeles Crest will hypothetically be my 4th 100 mile race inside of 2 months (June 7 - August 2).  I'm ready to be schooled again by one of my favorite mountain ranges anywhere... and I'll be hitting the starting line leaving no stone unturned...