Hi all,
Last weekend I went up to Fruita, CO to run my third ever 50 mile race at the Spring Desert Ultra among the cliffs and canyons of Colorado National Monument. This place is absolutely stunning in scope and grandeur, with countless miles run along benches directly above the Colorado River and up on mesas high enough to survey the landscape for miles in every direction. And, to top it all off, nearly the whole race is run on single track trail – something we’ve all been longing for these past winter months.

The race is managed extremely well and has a great atmosphere all around. We started in the pre-dawn light at 6:30 feeling comfortable in light clothing, a hint at the coming heat later in the race. I went out at a comfortable pace with the full intention to run well within my limits for the first few miles and see how I felt as the race progressed. Going up and over the first climb I ran with Duncan Callahan, feeling comfortable at staying with him considering the speed he is capable of. But when he stopped at the first aid station I ran on through and started up the next hill on my own. The following several miles were rolling benches with a slightly downhill bent, and I felt fantastic. My legs were fresh and light and I just let my stride take me along the trail with ease. I caught up with Ryan Burch and Nick Clark after a little while, but when they stopped at an aid station around mile 13ish I again ran on through and pulled a small lead, wondering slightly whether my pace was sustainable or not. Following the 19 mile aid station was a completely unexpected and outrageously steep hill, but once on top the single track resumed with fantastic views of the monument and the valley as a whole. I was able to cruise down the trail to the 25 mile turnaround in about 3:21, still feeling good but knowing the worst part was yet to come. Going back out I passed Ryan and Nick right as they came into the aid station. They both looked strong and focused, as expected. Going back up the steep singletrack to the top of the mesa felt surprisingly good, and I was able to run the majority of it. Then back down the descent to the mile 31 aid station, where I filled up my bottles and grabbed some gels before heading out. I was carrying two handheld bottles and wearing a gel pack around my waist, and this was a major help. Having two bottles allowed me to more or less avoid aid stations on the first lap, and then coming back I was able to carry enough water to continue drinking enough in the heat of the sun.

The second lap could be characterized by desperation. I had never run this fast in a race this long before, and combined with the heat of the sun and my lack of experience all around, I was unsure how far I would be able to last out front. I kept eating gels whenever my body seemed to lag, but as time went on they started to have less and less of an effect. I was just trying to hold on to my pace as long as it would last. The course wound back around to the south and up some hills, then down to the benches above the river, going in and out and around as the terrain demanded. The sun was beating down mercilessly and my body gradually became more and more fatigued as time went on. But it was awesome. All of it. This is the very reason I run these races: for the adventure. Extreme endurance events like these are opportunities to stretch our mental and physical capacity to the limits, and I was basking in the glow of an incredible effort in an amazing place. By the time I reached the final aid station with 5ish miles to go, I was exhausted. Yet one more monster climb remained. I could not go fast up this one like I had the others, but was still able to run about half of it. And then, after forever passed, the trail started to lead downhill, and it took me from the top of the mesa surveying large swaths of western Colorado, all the way down to the parking lot where I had camped before, and then along the dirt road to the finish line.

I have never won an ultra before last weekend, and so it was fun to be in that position for the first time. But the real battle was won by just finishing. Battling through such physical suffering is an extremely rewarding experience, and I can only imagine what it would be like after 100 miles. The Spring Desert Ultra is a fantastic race, and I recommend it to everyone who likes to run long distances on skinny trails. And now that more trails are opening up by the day, I don’t plan on doing much else for the next nine or ten months. So lace up your Montrail’s and go run where the label says: on a trail. I’ll see you out there.