Montrail athlete and Vancouver resident Gary Robbins recently completed the 215km East Coast Trail (ECT) of Canada in a record time of 35 hours and 17 minutes.  We caught up with Gary in an effort to bring his story to life and find out more about what it takes to put forth this type of effort:

Montrail:  Gary, 215km is an epic run.  35 hours plus.  Have you ever run for that long of time or distance?

Gary: Not even close! My longest distance was 100miles and I’d never run more than 24hrs before. It was all new ground for me and I really feel like I gained some mental toughness out there last weekend.

What was the former speed record on the ECT and who held it?

Former record was just over 41hr held by Ray Zahab. If you haven’t heard of Ray he ran across The Sahara with Kevin Lin and Charlie Engle and starred in the aptly named documentary ‘Running The Sahara’. He also recently set a South Pole Speed Record, and a frozen Lake Baikal speed record in Russia.

For most people it’s unfathomable to think of running, or even moving in any manner, for 35 hours.  How do you get mentally prepared for such a long, challenging, and ultimately painful adventure?

I headed into this one with a decent hip injury so I knew it was going to take a lot of fortitude to pull it off.  Expectations can be a killer though and when the trail proved to be much, much tougher than I ‘expected’ it to be it took me quite a while to get my head straight again. A great lesson learned going forward into hopefully tougher and longer events in the future.

Okay, so now you’re up and you’re out on the trail.  10 hours go by, 20 hours go by.  By now you must be tired and hurting a bit, and you’re alone.  How do you stay motivated at this point?  Obviously you can’t just quit, because you’re out in the wilderness all alone, but you could certainly walk, or lie down for some rest.  Do you have to convince your body to keep on, or is just automatic at that point?

I wish it were automatic! At one point a 20mile section took me seven and a half hours! It was one of the lowest moments I have ever faced out on the trails and all I wanted to do was to lay down and cry. Outside of the knowledge that I was completely out there on my own and no one was coming to get me, I knew I’d see my family at the end of that section. Having their support along the way allowed my motivation to stay much higher than it would have had I been without their assistance.

Tell me about the trail.  Many around the world are probably not familiar with the East Coast Trail of Canada, but anything that’s continuous for 215km is a trail worth knowing about.  What kind of terrain did you run on?  How’s the scenery?

First and foremost the scenery is second to none! Unfortunately this was a low iceberg season in Newfoundland but as you can imagine that would only add to how spectacular it is. It’s a very rugged coastline and has a lot more climbing than I had expected. Highlights of the scenery included massive sea stacks, sea arches, numerous mini fjords (Nfld has true fjords on The Northern Peninsula), a ‘blow hole’ that spouts water up over 15 feet like a geyser, and a strong possibility of moose, bear, bald eagle, whale and puffin sightings!

My Garmin watch gave me close to 20,000 feet, even after corrections were applied, but we all know these numbers can sway quite high so I take that with a grain of salt. The entire route is singletrack, but the unfortunate side of it is that it sees very little usage and the organization overseeing the trail is 100% volunteer based. Many extended sections of the trail are completely overgrown. There were no issues with navigation, but it was simply impossible to run much of the trail. What I consider to be the greatest attribute of the trail is that it constantly intersects with small fishing villages all along the coastline. On average you come through a town about every 15miles and then run through that town for about three miles before heading back onto the trail again. It is designed so that people can hike it in an average ten days and stay in small B&B’s along the way. I only saw about four camping areas and only came across one tent at night, and two hikers during the day! It’s a very isolated experience that you would have trouble duplicating anywhere else in the world.

How do you prepare logistically for a project like this, and who helped you out this time around?

This trail passes along the coast just a few miles from where I grew up and all of my family still reside back in Nfld. I would actually say that on a personal level the logistics of the 75km West Coast Trail were harder than this 215km effort…but my parents might argue that one! My Mother, Father, Niece, Brother, and his girlfriend were there for me every step of the way. At one point my brother hopped out of the car to run with me for ten minutes and he took a dog bite to the leg!!  We laughed about it afterwards but he probably saved my run for me right then and there.  Every now and then my Mother and Niece would hop out and run with me too, while my Father drove along side of us. At the moments where I wanted to curl up and die, their support kept me strong and allowed me to fake strength that I didn’t know I possessed.

How do you feel right now, a week or so after the run?  How did your body feel in the day or two after the run?

Maybe it was due to how many sections had to be hiked, but outside of swelling I could not believe how mobile I was after this one, even taking stairs without using the railing just one day later. A week out and my legs feel great but my hip injury has sidelined my running for the immediate future. I’ve only made it twenty minutes since finishing the trail, but I have some amazingly talented people helping me figure out the injury and hopefully I’ll bounce back strong after a nice little break!

What gear did you use on this run, head to toe?
-Montrail Mountain Masochists
-Drymax Socks. Gotta give Bob his props. He dared me to try his socks and I’ll never wear any other product again. I didn’t get a single serious blister!
-Mountain Hardwear Refueler shorts
-Mountain Hardwear Wicked Lite short sleeve and long sleeve
-Mountain Hardwear Quark Jacket
-Mountain Hardwear Geist Jacket
-Montrail Hat
-Mountain Hardwear Momentum Running gloves
-Nathan handheld water bottles, two or three at a time

What’s next for you?  Any races or other huge speed record attempts in your near future?

Next biggie on the schedule is to head back to Hawaii in January and try to better my 20h12m effort at HURT 100. I’m dreaming of some bigger speed attempts again in 2011 but have yet to figure out exactly when or what. I really love the balance that an adventure running speed attempt brings to an overall racing season.

Have more questions for Gary?  Ask in the Comments sections and he’ll answer you.

Montrail and Mountain Hardwear President Topher Gaylord runs in the Alps with Montrail athlete Max King

Hey Colorado, you asked for it, and now you’ve got it.  The Montrail Ultra Cup will be coming to Colorado!!  More specifically, to gorgeous Steamboat Springs, where the Run Rabbit Run 50 takes place on September 18, 2010.

The Run Rabbit Run 50, also known as the Steamboat 50, will take place for the 4th time this year and features a race limit of roughly 150.  The race currently has plenty of openings left so get registered right away.

“The course is a spectacular 50 mile run through the beautiful mountains and fall colors of the Routt National Forest of northern Colorado.  The race starts bright and early at the Steamboat Springs ski area (elevation, 6,900 feet) and proceeds up, up, up to Mount Werner (elevation, 10,568 feet) then goes up and down and up and down some more and then across the Continental Divide to Rabbit Ears Mountain (elevation, 10,500 feet) before heading back and way down to the ski area. ”

“The course will have nearly 9,000 feet of climbing. This course will test the endurance and spirit of any runner, whether you’re a tortoise or a hare.”

As with all Montrail Ultra Cup races longer than 50km, the Run Rabbit Run 50 will be awarding Western States spots to the top 2 men and women finishers at this year’s event.  The course record is 7 hours and 26 minutes, held by Colorado’s own Ryan Birch.  See you in Steamboat in a few months!

The full schedule and official launch of the 2010/2011 Montrail Ultra Cup will take place next week.  Stay tuned!  At that point you’ll be able to go online and register for the 2010/2011 Ultra Cup series.  In the mean time, get registered for Run Rabbit Run, as well as Where’s Waldo 100k and Vermont 50, our first three races of the series.

Wanted to thank Competitor Magazine – nor cal – for ‘hosting’ me in their latest issue! I’m not so sure I’m THE Queen of Dirt but I know I share court with a good handful of other down and dirt lovin’ women out there including ALL my Montrail Teammates!  Good luck to all at Western States! – Terri Schneider

With Western States 100 just over two weeks away, the attention of the ultrarunning world has once again focused on what will happen in the 100 miles from Squaw Valley to Auburn, California.

This year, it’s safe to say that the men’s favorites include a few runners from overseas (Kilian Jornet, Tsuyoshi Kaburaki) and 3 American men who are blazing fast:  Hal Koerner (two-time defending WS Champ), Anton Krupicka (two time Leadville 100 champ, 2010 Miwok champ), and Geoff Roes (Wasatch 100, Bear 100, and several other course records).  Anton and Geoff have never run WS100 before, Hal has, several times.  But Hal’s been beaten by both runners in other races in the past (Anton at Miwok 100k, Geoff at Wasatch 100).  Maybe these things matter, maybe not.  More than likely though, it’s just about who has the best day on June 26th.

We can’t wait to see how things shake out.  Bryon Powell of irunfar.com has recently interviewed all three US men’s favorites, check it out here.

Review by Brian Coffee from Trailpeak.com

Montrail AT Plus, a long distance hiking shoe.

I generally prefer hiking in boots instead of shoes. I know a lot of hikers who wear shoes for every type of trails, even scrambling in the Rockies. In fact, I’ve even seen scramblers in sandals. Don’t know how they do it, but it’s not for me.

But some days when you know the trail and you know it’s pretty smooth sailing all the way to your destination, shoes just might do the trick. I’ve tried other light hikers in the past and have been disappointed (no names), so I was a little apprehensive when we were offered Montrail’s new AT Plus hikers to evaluate. 

The name Montrail, for the last decade, has become synonymous with cutting-edge outdoor footwear. In 29 countries, Montrail shoes are worn by people who feel their feet deserve nothing less than the most technologically advanced products. For rock climbing, Montrail learned how to integrate thermo-moldable foam into the pressure zones for a custom fit in a traditionally uncomfortable shoe genre. For hiking and ultrarunning, where users spend non-stop days on their feet, Montrail created the Integrafit last based on digital scans of thousands of different feet. For everyday comfort, Montrail created a uniquely contoured, thermo-moldable sandal. These innovations and a dedication to bringing the best performance to extreme and casual users alike have created a reputation for the best fitting, high-performance footwear on the planet.  

With this reputation in mind, I ran the AT Plus hikers through their paces. The first thing I noticed was the outsoles, which seemed much more rigid than the other light hikers, more like a hiking boot. They also have a ‘rockered’ heel allows you to land on a flatter surface than just on the back edge of the heel. I’m sure that, scientifically, this also gives you somewhat of an assist on the takeoff phase of the step, although I didn’t notice it. Another aspect of the sole construction that I appreciated is the Grytonite^TM compound that contributes to sure-footedness in all conditions. They have a nice low cut around the ankles (important to me) and are very lightweight.

The AT Plus is a very comfortable hiking shoe. A lot of hiking shoe reviewers say… 

that you should generally consider throwing away the factory insoles and get some good ones. Not the case here. These insoles are good right out of the box. They also seem to have a wider toe box that most of their rivals, although only one width, no choice. The wider toe box should reduce ‘black toes’ to a large degree. It does, however, give the shoe a more rounded look at the toe, which might be a bit less aesthetically pleasing to some buyers. But good looks don’t always mean good shoes, do they?

Even though I haven’t yet had a chance to try these shoes in the mountains (2 blizzards in April), these hikers have performed very well everywhere I’ve taken them. Lightweight and low-cut, the AT Plus is built for fast packers and those who demand a high performance, long distance hiking shoe.

Manufacturer’s Description:

• Nylon mesh upper with thermoplastic weld support bands create seamless support and lockdown over the foot.
• Synthetic leather rand coupled with high abrasion printed material for support and protection.
• Dual density compression molded EVA midsole, with heel and forefoot internal pods for cushioning.
• A firmer 360 degree perimeter density surrounds a softer center for support, protection and stability on the trail.
• Full length Gryptonite™ outsole with multipurpose lug pattern constructed of a (top secret) sticky rubber compound engineered for optimal performance with a combination of traction and durability on both wet and dry surfaces.
• Gore-Tex waterproofing
•    Trail Shield – A lightweight/flexible protection material that is co-molded between the    outsole and mid-sole for underfoot protection from rocks and trail debris.

Hip hip hurray!  Part III is finally here.  If you didn’t read Part I and Part II, go back and do so.  Then come back for Part III, Dr. Horton’s take on race weekend.  And as always, leave your comments or questions below.

RACE WEEKEND – ORGANIZED CHAOS

By:  Dr. David Horton

If you are a race director, forget about getting much sleep the week of the race.   You are always

Horton Runs the Colorado Trail

thinking,  “Is there something I forgot to do or cover?”    I make lists each day of things that I have to address that day.   This becomes a difficult task when you also have a full-time job that you must take care of as well.  I have always given the analogy that directing a race is like preparing for a hurricane.   You try to take care of everything before it hits.   However, if you leave one window or door not properly closed or nailed shut, chaos can occur.   If you forget one important point about the race, disaster can result.   MAKE LISTS.   Keep them from year to year so you can see what you did last year.

Following is a list of issues or subjects that I think are important and need to be addressed.

1. You will be the first one to the race course and the last one to leave.  No one knows as much as you do about what is going on with the race, you have the ultimate responsibility for everything that happens.
2. The MOST important thing in any race is a properly marked course.   There is NO such thing as too many race markers.   I use streamers, surveyors paint, flour, reflective streamers, and chemical lights.  I don’t use all of these, just the ones that are needed.  I really like to use paint at tricky intersections or turns.  It is very easy for vandals to take down streamers and mark the course the wrong way.  You can’t do that with painted arrows.  Orange paint is the best in most cases.  I also block off side trails or routes if possible.  Mark the course in the direction that runners are running, if possible.   I use the philosophy that is used in marking the Appalachian Trail, place streamers WITHIN SIGHT DISTANCE of each other.  Also, try to use colors that contrast with the surrounding background.   WARNING: Check with the Forest Service on using paint if you will be using their land.  ALWAYS CLEAN THE COURSE OF TRASH, STREAMERS, ETC., IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE RACE.
3. Drag runners.  This is something that I highly recommend.  Having at least two runners (but not participants in the event) to follow the last runner in.  This serves two purposes:  to make sure there are no more stragglers on the course, but can also help clean the course as they come behind the last runner.
4. Be a good politician and salesman.  You have to sell the race to runners, aid station workers, potential sponsors, any agencies that you are working with, and the folks who live in the area of the event.  You have to get along with everyone.  On race day, I pray for patience in dealing with runners and wisdom in the decisions that I make.  I have to bite my tongue in many situations and not say some of the things that I may be thinking.
5. When do you mark the course?  As close to race day as possible, not the day before however.   I use to mark the race courses the week before the event.   That is too far away and you are at much greater risk of the markers being torn down.
6. Start the race on time.  I am a firm believer in starting on time.  In the 60 ultras that I have directed, I started one race late, about 30 seconds.  It is much easier as a runner to KNOW for SURE that races are started on time.  There is nothing worse than standing at starting line waiting on a race director to finish some last minute detail.
7. What do you do for race communication?  Contact your local amateur radio club.  Usually, they like to work these events, especially in the mountains, to test their skills.
8. You MUST know how many are runners are starting the event. In many races, runners
   

   Annette and David at MMTR 2009

   are asked to check in the night before the event to pick up their numbers, etc.  However, you should also re-check them in (roll call) right before the start of the event.  Runners who check in the night before the race may decide at the last minute not to run, but because they’ve already checked in, you assume they are there.  THE MOST frustrating thing for me is runners who wait to register or check in right before the start of the event.  Many runners get to the start within an hour of race time.  Fine for them, but an extremely busy, stressful time for the race director.  Trying to check in an additional 50-100 runners, give out numbers, shirts, etc., takes a lot of time, when there are last minute problems or questions that the director must take care of, as well as getting the race started on time.

9. Secure helpers you can depend on to take care of the “little things” that you can’t do yourself.
10. Aid crews.  You need to have one person designated as the leader.   They are responsible to find crew members to help, possibly 3-4 additional people (but you can assist them in securing people as well).  The crew leader is responsible for the overall working of the station.  The race director meets with each crew leader prior to the race to give overall instructions and directions to the station.
11. How many aid stations should you have?  For the Mountain Masochist 50 Miler, we have 16 aid stations.  Promise Land 50K provides  9 stations, Hellgate 100K has 9 aid stations, while the Holiday Lake 50K, a turnaround race, has 5 stations, but each station is used twice.  There is no correct number . . . depends on the race itself and how it is designed.  However, if you are going to have a large number of runners with many first timers, I would recommend more aid stations.
12. What do you provide at an aid station?  A lot and a variety of items.  You need items that are sweet, salty, greasy, hot items, cold items, unique food items, replacement drink, Coke or Pepsi, Mt. Dew, water, Vaseline, paper towels, Bandaids, Ibupropen, Tums, etc.    Make a list of items that you want every aid station to have and give it to each crew.  Have the food set out and easily accessible to the runners to grab, also the crews should be ready to assist the runners with their bottle refills  . . . anything that will save them time.
13. What do you do as race director after the race starts?   If everything is in order, you drive around the course to each aid station, trying to stay in front of the lead runners, to make sure each station is in place, as well as check the marking on any sections that are susceptible to being sabotaged.
14. Pre- and/or post-race meals.  Although not mandatory, I know the runners appreciate this extra benefit.  These meals can be underwritten through your registration fees.  Or, offer one free and the other at a small cost.  Pre-race is a time for the runners to check in, renew friendships, and catch up on life.  This also allows the director time to give race directions and answer questions.  Post-race dinners give the runners the opportunity to congratulate each other, share their incredible stories, mishaps, adventures, and bash the race director for making them do this.
15. Presentation of Awards.  I used to be a stickler for having an awards dinner where you announce each runner by name, finishing place, time, have them come forward and present their award.   However, over the years, as the races have grown, and with suggestions from the runners themselves, I have begun giving awards after they cross the finish line.  They are then free to do whatever.  However, I do encourage participants to hang around the finish line to be a support to the other finishers
16. EVERY runner is important.   I highly recommend that the race director be at the finish line to congratulate EVERY finisher, and if possible, know their names and announce them as they come across.  They have worked hard . . . they deserve the recognition.

Hey all!  Our buddy Bryon Powell from irunfar.com recently interviewed new Montrail athlete Max King and he’s posted his interview online.

Check it out here.

part of my morning ritual includes listening to the NPR news. back in november i was contacted by the NPR’s seattle affiliate to do an interview. this tuesday i headed down to their university district radio station to sit down with jeremy richards and chat about my ultra distance racing.

yesterday they aired the interview. other than having to bleep me twice, i think it went pretty well.

you be the judge - sound focus page | mp3 of interview

original post on my blog at CoachingEndurance.com