This is the first time that I have entered a post on the Montrail Team Blog. My name is Luis Escobar. I live, work and run on the California Central Coast in Northern Santa Barbara County. I am a distance runner, professional photographer and high school cross country coach. I have been on the Montrail Ultra Running Team for about five years. My most recent running event was the HURT 100 Mile Endurance Run on Oahu Hawaii in January. This was my eighth finish at the HURT 100. My next races will include the Leona Divide 50 Mile in April followed by the MiWok 100K in May and then the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run in June. Recently some of my running photographs have been featured in a German running magazine. My photography has been published in many magazines around the world – but not quite like this. I am very proud of this article and thought that I would share it with you. Of course, the article is in German. Here is a link to the magazine article:

http://issuu.com/bloodlet/docs/trail5?mode=embed&documentId=090209012144-1727d1c663d644af9cf9a51c8f97f0bf&layout=wood

Below you will find the questions and answers written in English. Please check it out and let me know what you think.

luis@reflectionsphotographystudio.com

Luis where do you live and hows your life?
My wife Beverly and I live in Santa Maria, which is on the California Central Coast – about half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Our lives are simple. We work together in our photography studio. We enjoy running, hiking and most things outdoors. We have three children, two boys and a girl. Luis Jr. is 25 years old, he is an outdoors man. In the summers he works as a white water river raft guide. In the winters he works at a resort in Telluride Colorado. Our son Bradley is 21 and a college student. Jennifer is 16 and a sophomore in high school and member of the water polo team. Our lives are good.

Whats the difference between being a trailrunner who is also photographer and a trailrunning-photographer? My running photography is real. Always, candid, never posed. I almost always photograph ultra runners while they are training or racing. Being a professional photographer and an avid distance runner gives me an advantage and gives my work a unique perspective. Because I run and race, I know many of the athletes on a personal level. I also know exactly what they are thinking and how they are feeling. I am comfortable with them and they are comfortable with me. As a result, I am able to capture some very raw and intimate moments. Look at the facial expressions in my work. You can’t fake that. It is real, it is emotion, it is dirty, it is ultra running.

Is there an athlete you really love to shoot more than others and why? There is not any one athlete who excites me. However, I am always looking for passion and intensity. My favorite thing to photograph is passionate people doing what they love. Ultra running is full of intense and passionate people. I guess that is what draws me to race and photograph.

Whats your biggest success in your running carreer? My greatest running success is longevity. I am nearly 46 years old and mostly injury free. I have been running and racing for over twenty years. My running has taken me all across the country the Colorado Rockies, Western Sierra, Northern Washington, Hawaiian jungles, across Death Valley and deep into Mexico. I am most proud of my top ten finishes at that HURT 100 in Honolulu, top ten finishes at the Badwater 135 Mile Ultramarathon and my sub 24 hour finishes at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run and my finish at the Plain 100 in Washington.

Does running helps you in your other life or job? Yes – aside of the obvious physical benefit running has taught me that anything is possible. It has taught me that I am capable of over coming any obstacle. It has introduced me to many interesting places and dynamic people. It has enriched every aspect of my life.

The Obama age is now for real…what do you expect as an american? At the start of every new administration, all Americans are filled with optimistic hope and excitement. At this point in history, we have so many opportunities for improvement it will interesting to see what these new young leaders can do.

What distance do you like most? The 100 mile distance is my favorite. It is a challenge just to prepare. Preparing for and then running that distance is a real test of ones commitment. I have completed around 25 one hundred mile events, each one has it’s own qualities and challenges. Even though I have had some moderate success, I still feel that I have much to learn. Training and preparing is the most fun. I enjoy trying to figure out a race course but I never really do. I like to say that training for a 100 mile run is like training to get hit by a truck – there is only so much that you can do.

How did it came you are in the Montrail team? The Montrail Ultra Running Team has been very good to me and my running career. Montrail and it’s sister company, Mountain Hardwear have really reached out to the ultra running community and some fortunate individuals. Montrail sees the value in supporting running events and athletes. I suppose that I caught their attention after I won the HURT 100 in 2000. After that event, I was asked to join the team and I have been with them ever since. I am very proud of my association with Montrail. They are a company who has quality products, they listen to their customers and they support the sport.

Do you feel the ultratrails have a kind of a boom in the US? Yeah – the sport of ultra running has grown tremendously in the past few years. In fact, many people feel it is growing too fast. It is becoming increasingly difficult to get into some of the older more popular events. With the advent of online registration, some of these races fill up within minutes, making it nearly impossible to get in. Also some of the newer trail runners are cross overs from the street marathon world. They are fine folks and great athletes, but sometimes their expectations are contrary to the funky goodness of trail running. Overall, I think that the new interest and the growth is good. The sport is healthy.

What is your biggest dream? Run forever.

could you tell us about the really unique event COOPER CANYON ULTRA and the Tarahumara runners? It seems amazing! Running in Copper Canyon with the Tarahumara was one of the finest running and photographic experiences of my life. I was invited on the trip as a photographer and runner. I documented the entire trip while running. I carried my equipment on my back and shot as we ran through the mountains. My images were part of a magazine article and a book that is soon to be released. My travel companions were amazing. Author, Christopher McDougall, Scott Jurek, Jenn Shelton and Barefoot Ted McDonald. We spent eleven days deep in the canyons, living, running and racing with the Tarahumara. The Tarahumara are extremely shy and unsure about visitors. After a few days, we were able to earn their trust and respect. They allowed us to run with them and they allowed me to photograph them. It was unrea
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