May 19th to 25th

Monday, 5/19--Blue Mountain summit + some wandering

5,153', 3:14

Unable to find the trailhead I was hoping for (near trail 6.02), I started on trail 3.09, made my way over to trail 6.05 and took that to the summit.  One section was just muddy and steep enough that I started to slide downhill!  I took trail 3.01 down a ways, but came upon a lot of snow which didn't seem like it would let up, and flipped it back to the summit and back down 6.05.

To figure out where in the world that trailhead is, I took the trail out, and ended up popping out of the bushes on Wilderness Trail Rd (I should have known).  The map, however, (up to date as of 2012) shows the trail on the next road over, on Hayes Creek Rd.  A more accurate map might not have helped me, since the trailhead is fairly hidden and unmarked, but it's got me wondering how much has changed in the past two years, and if I'll come across anymore mislabeled trailheads.

Tuesday, 5/20--University, Pattee Canyon, Sentinel, Pengelly

6,432', 3:12

My first day over 6k in over two weeks, and I felt it.  I'm still recovering a bit from Sunday's race, so I felt kind of sluggish, but was able to keep cranking out the hills without becoming more sluggish.  I'm also adapting to a new schedule, and running in the mornings off of a light breakfast, which could take a few days  to get used to, but it's so damn nice to get out on the hills before 8 AM.  The light is just magnificent.

Wednesday, 5/21--Pengelly, Sentinel Gulch, North Pengelly

5,067', 2:20

I was able to get out the door even a bit earlier than yesterday, running in the shade of Sentinel and South Sentinel for an hour before the sun caught up to me.  My legs are coming back a bit, but I feel like I have less energy right when I wake up.  I felt more energy than yesterday, and hopefully I'll adjust to this schedule soon.

Thursday, 5/22

Morning--South Sentinel

1,864', 54 minutes

An easy out and back up my backyard hill.  Legs felt better than yesterday, but still lack pep.

Early afternoon--Smokejumper loop w/Jimmy

1,988', 1:22

The hottest run of the year so far, even in the shade going up Smokejumper.  I ran this right after some strength conditioning, and felt better than I thought I would.  I'm starting to get psyched for Old Gabe, less than a month away!  I just hope it's not an alternate course due to the heavy snowpack, but if so, it should still be a good first test piece for my longer races this year.

Friday, 5/23--Three Larches Loop w/Monte

1,100', 50 minutes

I love this loop!  This was new to me, and it might have been the fact that I was a little loopy from staying up all night pulling a graveyard shift at work, but everything was just so damned green.  We're lucky to be on the west side of the Divide here in Missoula, it makes the trails feel a little bit more lush and coastal.  And it was great to finally log some more miles with a friend from Livingston--some day he's going to beat me in a trail race, once he starts running long distance.

Saturday, 5/24

Wallman/Stuart Peak

4,250', 3:02

This run felt a little slow, but it was nice to get into a new area.  In the main corridor, I bumped into some runners I hadn't seen in awhile (Kevin Davis and Adam Behrendt, from Livingston and Bozeman respectively).  Above 6,000' snow started to pop up in little patches, and the trail was entirely snow by 6,500', where I turned around.

Jumbo Loop

1,332', 50 minutes

Driving back into town, I decided to hit up a quick loop on Jumbo.  I'm glad I did, because I finally got to see the sheep!  I felt really tired, though, and am still recuperating from doing two graveyard shifts at work.  Hopefully tomorrow, going back to my regular circadian rhythm, I'll feel a little better.

Sunday, 5/25

Morning--Sentinel + University + More up and down on Sentinel

6,936', 3:16

At quite a few points today I felt like I was hiking more than running, but I managed to gut it out for a while.  It's definitely been a big week, and my legs are starting to feel it.  It was great, though, to see a bunch of flowers in bloom on the way up University!

Evening--Jumbo Loop w/Monte

1,603', 1:11

A loop up Jumbo and through the North Hills neighborhood.  We hit the ridge right as the sheep were being corralled for the night, which was a welcome treat to see.  It feels so European.


35,725', 20:11


What a week!  I can't believe I hit over 20 hours.  I guess that happens with a lot of new trails, a weird schedule, no day off, and several days split up into two runs.  I'm pretty psyched to be getting big weeks in again, especially since the snow is melting fast now.  I felt some serious lag this week, but I hope I can attribute that to a couple graveyard shifts mixed with race recovery.  It still feels good to be getting some big gain in, I'm just hoping I can pick up the pace a bit now that I'm back to a normal schedule.

Steep ground on Blue Mountain

Lolo Peak and company

Up on the lookout

Hayes Creek--a trail easily missed

Mt. Dean Stone and the Bitterroots

Pattee Canyon

Monte on Three Larches Loop

High water in the Rattlesnake

On Stuart Peak Trail

Sheep and Sentinel

Open fields on Jumbo

Sheep being corralled for the night

"I feel like Uma Thurman post-overdose and kickstart"--love the lyrics to her songs:

May 12th to May 18th

Monday, 5/12--Out and back to University via Crooked Canyon

2,994', 1:42

An easy pace, getting a bit of turnover on the flat section.  I'm still a little sore (mostly upper) from Saturday, but felt good cruising down Crooked.  An inch of snow lingered near the summit from yesterday's storm.

Tuesday, 5/13--Crooked Canyon/Sentinel Loop

2,164', 1:22

A moderate pace with quite a bit of flat (including the whole of the Fire Road and Crooked Canyon).  I felt good, but I'm not sure of my speed on the flats, maybe 7-ish minute/mile pace.  Now that I'm becoming familiar with the Double Dip course, Kiefer Hahn's 1:34 record is pretty astounding.  It's a tough course.

Wednesday, 5/14--South Sentinel Tempo Run

1,909, 43:38

The direct route on South Sentinel has been blocked off (I thought it was an actual trail), so I went out to beat my old time of 45:31 up and down Pengelly from my apartment.  I knocked off over a minute on the ascent, hitting the summit at 28:34 (down from 29:40), and descended in 15:04 (down from 15:51).  In two months I've taken almost two minutes off--maybe in three of four months I can get this in under 40 minutes, and beat my time on the direct route outright.

Thursday, 5/15--Smokejumper Loop w/Jimmy, John, Steve

1,988', 1:28

Beautiful weather, but a bit warm.  We spent a few minutes up on top of Sentinel, enjoying the view and chatting.  Now that the semester is over for me, I'm definitely getting pretty excited for summer.  There's so much terrain to cover here!

Friday, 5/16--Sawmill Gulch Running and Wandering (Rundering?)

1,596', 1:09

This was my first time back in this area, and I wasn't quite sure where I was going, so I just kind of wandered, mostly uphill.  Eventually I got to some bad trail, with blow down and some snow, so I turned around and took Curry Gulch back to the trail head.  Some of the trails back there are really beautiful, really green.  It's definitely an area I'd like to explore more.

Saturday, 5/17--Off

Sunday, 5/18--Eleven Miles to Paradise (10.53 miles)--4th place

758', 1:07:36

Another bittersweet 4th, missing the podium by 30 seconds.  Any other year I would have made the podium, but any other year the race also would have been a little less exciting.  I'm pleased with my result, especially since I began the race not feeling great and unsure if I could run flats at a good clip.  We started off in a group of five (Jim Rucker, Tim Caramore, Tyson Warner, David Morris and myself) and I started to fall back a little bit on the flat sections, but figured if I could keep David (in 4th) in sight I could catch him and maybe some other guys in the hill section.  I passed him around 40 minutes in, and soon after caught a glimpse of Tim Caramore, maybe 40 seconds ahead.  I started to close the gap, coming within twenty feet at one point, but he gave a bit of a kick once he caught sight of me, and had a 30 second lead on me at the end.  Considering he ran a 33 flat 10k last weekend, I'm just psyched I was able to stay within sight of him.  I'm also psyched I was able to finish ahead of David Morris, the former American record holder for the marathon (ran a 2:09 in 1999).  Yeah, that was fifteen years ago, but the guy's a legend and is still one of Montana's best master runners.

The course was amazing, with sharp turns, short steep climbs, riverside views and even a bit of technical trail at the end.  Runner's Edge did another fantastic job, and I'm already looking forward to coming back next year.

I'll post pictures once they're up.

A really long cool down w/some crazy runners

nil, 1:00

Some of us decided to run the 7 miles back to Quinn's Hot Springs, because a one hour cool down is what we needed after a speedy trail race.  Our cool down was almost as long as the race itself.


11,409', 8:33

A recovery week that's leaving me hungry for big days again.  This was needed a bit due to a stiff right knee from the Spartan Event, and also to taper a bit for what turned out to be a fast field at 11 Miles to Paradise.  I'm anxious to explore some new trails, and will have the mornings entirely free next week.  Running in Sawmill Gulch  was the first time I've used my car to get to a trail head in a couple months, but I think I can live with driving around town a little this next week to explore new terrain.

Also, as a side note, I'm helping to assign waves this year for the Bridger Ridge Run, and just got the list of applicants today.  It looks like I have a lot of research to do, but there are definitely a few names that stand out right away as podium contenders (Scott Creel, Minde Erickson, Nikki Kimball, Kaitlin Macdonald, Seth Swanson, Justin Yates).  It could be an interesting race if all those folks make it through the lottery and show up.  There are probably a few fast folks in there as well who I'm not familiar with yet.

The last of the snow?

A short caving respite

The crew

Wandering

So green!

Completing the loop

More to explore next time

The benefit of getting outside before 6 AM

Quinn's Hot Springs: this is more like my kind of post-race scene

One of my favorite instrumentalists, Yann Tiersen:

Contempt for Pleasures*: Montana’s Alternative Race Scene (MARS)

              I have seen GoPros filming GoPros filming GoPros*.  I have danced, adorned in a Hawaiian shirt, to The Doors “Light My Fire,” while surrounded by dozens of stern-faced, bare chested men.  I have seen an ATM in the middle of the woods, hooked to a generator.  I have seen two purple, one red, and three green mohawks from one vantage point, none of them together.  I have smelled bacon wrapped jalapenos, beer, and Thai food with the same nostril at the same instant.  I have seen children trampled by one another; all wearing the same pumpkin colored shirt, forming a crying pile of orange. 

                I have seen groups of adults jump up and fall down again, repeatedly, 30 times, with horrible form, in attempts to perform a “burpee”.  I have been told “Nice, bro,” “Push it,” “You got this,” “Spartan up,” “Get ready to swim,” “Prepare for glory,” and “Crawl” all in the same one hour period.  I have seen full belly tattoos of Spartan helmets.  I have seen arbitrary numbers written on cheeks, calves, foreheads and biceps.  I have been a hero to myself, passing dozens and dozens of heavyset men and women while swinging on monkey bars, or crawling under camouflage netting.

                I have now been to a Spartan race, which, supposedly, is fun.  My race began with The Doors’ “Light My Fire”, and ended with Linkin Park at the finish line.  I felt betrayed. 

The race is meant to introduce participants to the “Spartan lifestyle,” and I’m grappling with their interpretation.  I consider Spartans to have “contempt for pleasures,” and live on a plain and meager diet.  But, of course, these are not true Spartans.  They are Reebok Spartans, consumers of a product that makes them look a little more like Gerard Butler from the movie 300, if they get dirty enough.  The Cold Stone Creamery at the race seemed to be getting business, and most of the Spartan warriors weighed much more than me, a sign that I hadn’t left America for the glory of Sparta.  Upon learning of a Spartan Cruise travelling to the Caribbean next year, I abandoned any hope of finding redemption for the business.  It is, unashamedly, a cash grab.

Here’s a look at what being a Reebok Spartan costs:

$60 entry fee, if you sign up over half a year early.  With 7 price jumps, this can become $100 on race day for the Spartan Sprint.  Spartan Supers and Spartan Beasts cost more.

$30 above the entry fee, if you want to be competitive and enter an Elite Wave (money is the only requirement)

$10 parking fee

$5 for a bag check

$20 for each spectator you bring along (but at least they can save you $5 on the bag check)

$$$ for food.  No food or drink is allowed from the outside, and the post-race meal consists of a banana, a Clif Builder Bar, a Core Power protein shake, one beer, and water.  If you brought cash, and are still hungry, overpriced vendors will gladly take it.

At the starting line, a few thoughts went through my head.  I didn’t see any of the regular faces from Montana races.  I didn’t see anyone that looked like a runner.  I had trouble imagining seeing myself there, and I felt very small compared to the beefy guys with dirt striped cheeks around me.  My Hawaiian shirt should have at least been a manly color, like red, or black, but it was daisy yellow.  I’ve been told that wearing yellow means you’re not taking yourself seriously. 

                A large, knee deep puddle started the race, two feet in.  It was a kind of instant gratification, which made racers dirty before they had done more work than it takes to walk to the restroom, and served as the baptismal “I’m a Spartan now” water.  The race went to some lengths to insure that racers appeared and felt “extreme”.  Each racers packet prominently displayed the words, all caps, all bold, size 20 font, “THERE IS A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT YOU MAY DIE OR BE CATASTROPHICALLY INJURED”.  The Spartan race may be “extreme,” which is very loosely defined in the world of sporting (check out extreme ironing), but it is much more of a business than a sport. 

In no particular order, waves were sent off at 15 minute intervals, from morning into the dark, insuring a rule of entropy.  Just prior to the start of each wave, a man who I like to call Hype Man pumped the runners up, and told them things like, “PREPARE FOR GLORY!” (all caps is appropriate here, he was very loud).  In the midst of all this, he slipped in a bit of Spartan Race’s trademark aggressive marketing, encouraging warriors to enter all the other beastly races that Reebok Spartan Race has to offer.  And then the race starts with a smoke bomb, and the puddle, and 200 lb. shirtless men sucking air on the uphill, fueled by the Hype Man’s words. 

The Spartan site is a very tightly controlled environment, with “warriors” being shuttled to and from the course by bus, and police stationed at all entrances and exits.  At the site, the first tent racers see (besides registration) is what’s known as the “marking station”*.  While runners need only a bib and chip timer to run the course, a headband displaying the runner’s bib number is provided and runners are encouraged to mark their body wherever visible with their number, so photographers can better identify them for all the photos (and make future Facebook posts possible).  Beyond this, GoPros seem to be a sanctioned thing that warriors do, just as popular as hydration packs are at ultras.  At the prerace packet pickup, the big raffle entry was for a GoPro Hero 3.  The race spends a lot of money on marketing, but it also makes sure it gets free marketing from people like me, who use social media to brag about it.

There seems to be a kind of mass identity that’s created at an event like this, which I did not feel part of (no headband, no markings, Hawaiian shirt), and which seems to help runners buy in to the idea of Spartan racing.  Runners are encouraged to dress somewhat alike, with identical head bands on nearly every racer, numbers written all over bodies, and getting clothes dirty means that a lot of Spartans changed into their new, flashy Spartan t-shirt immediately after the race.  Bodies were either shirtless or advertising the race they’d just completed.  The free advertising was in full effect.

The SGX (Spartan Group X) tent, where racers can learn to do burpees and other workouts, had its own motto, “Building Better Humans.” I’m not sure what the X stands for—Xtreme?  And the race’s motto, “You’ll Know at the Finish Line,” appeared under almost every blood red Spartan helmet I saw.  The race seemed intent on letting the Reebok Spartans know they had achieved something significant.  I felt more in a state of confusion than a state of knowing at the finish line, and felt, somehow, not better but guilty.  I had been a jerk on the race course, so intent on running it fast that I nearly knocked a couple walkers off the trail when they didn’t jump out of the way.  I had become greedy, fueled by Hype Man and a desire to show the Elites that I could beat them without paying an additional $30.  Had I become Reebok Spartan?    

At the start, we all chanted AROO! AROO! AROO!, which must mean something.  At the end, the same word matched my feeling, except this time it was an expression of bewilderment or confusion—aroo?  Now that I had stopped, I realized that this wasn’t me, and this wasn’t Montana.  The Spartan Race is an invasive species, growing their empire each year.  I was in a corporate landscape called Reebok Sparta, where legends are built not in acts but in advertisement, and image-crafting is a greater virtue than any “contempt of pleasure”. 

Over 4,000 people crossed the finish line, each one of them knowing something different at the end.  For a lot of them, they might have realized that they can do more than they thought they once could.  Or they realized that being active is its own reward.  Reebok Sparta is a great place to go if the simple challenge of a short trail or road race isn’t appealing, and affirmation of badassery is sought; because every finisher there is a badass, and they know it.  The difference between a Spartan Race and a local 5k, however, is that not every 5k finisher knows they’re a badass.  Reebok Spartans are encouraged to brag, because bragging is advertising.

This is a fun course, and there were some sections I really loved (steep single track), but it feels very odd to have done it.  I felt like the guy in the gym who makes loud breathing out sounds, drawing attention to how much weight he’s lifting.  If the Spartan Race is an extreme sporting event, as advertised, I much prefer the mundane.  The mundane, the sport of just running to see how fast you can go, redlining it to the end, where obstacles are more internal than external--oddly, that seems like a greater path to glory.

*From Plutarch's "Sayings of Spartans"--"At any rate, when someone inquired what advantage the law of Lycurgus had brought to Sparta, [Agesilaus The Great] said, 'Contempt for pleasures.'"

*The beginning is an ode to David Foster Wallace’s “A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again,” (originally titled Shipping Out) which would have been the perfect title for this if it weren’t already taken.

*No pictures have been included in this article, partly because I anticipate not being able to find my unmarked self once they're online, and partly to avoid marketing this race anymore than I already am.

May 5th to May 11th

Monday, 5/5--University + South Sentinel

5,391', 2:29

Another fog to sunshine run, with a bit of rain and wind.  The legs felt a little slow, and it took 1:02 to get to University, as opposed to the usual :59.  Running in the fog might be second only to running above the fog.  I love being close to the clouds!

Tuesday, 5/6--South Sentinel + Sentinel

4,118', 1:52

This was a little faster than I'd been anticipating, given that yesterday was a little slow.  I think it must have been the end-of-semester-stress that sped me up a little bit beyond where I'm at in recovering from all the cumulative gain.  I'm probably stressing out more than I should, but it's enough that I know I shouldn't try fitting in huge days right now.

Wednesday, 5/7--South Sentinel + North Pengelly

3,016', 1:24

I felt some more speed coming back, and hit South Sentinel's summit a couple minutes faster than yesterday.  After averaging over two and a half hours per run for awhile, anything under two hours feels a little short and a little easier to recover from.  On my way back down, I ran into Tim Mosbacher, and we ran down Pengelly and the switchbacks together.  It's good to see that guy getting a healthy dose of hills for Bighorn 100.

Thursday, 5/8

Midday--Smokejumper Loop w/Jimmy, Jed & Mitty

1,961', 1:17

The usual route at a good clip with a Schnauzer named Mitty and company.  We chatted on the way up, but went down at a quick enough speed that my mind was a little more focused on where the rocks were than on chatting.  A good workout in the middle of a busy day.

Evening--Trail Night @ Runner's Edge

739', 51 minutes

Such a great night!  Not only does Missoula have great access to miles of trails, but Runner's Edge is the kind of store that makes that access count in the running community.  After a short run in the North Hills with some of the best folks in town, free beer, snacks, and some killer presentations rounded the night out (oh, and a raffle--I won stuff!).  All of the money will be going to a trail project put on by the Montana Trail Crew.  I'm so lucky to be in this town, and to be a runner.  It's a little hard to imagine being anywhere else.

Friday, 5/9--Off

Saturday, 5/10--Spartan Event (I refuse to call that thing a race) w/Little & Family

1,638', 54 minutes

I'm very confused as to what happened today.  I ran well, and got under last year's winning time, but am unsure if I got the fastest time or where I ended up in the standings (it cost $30 extra to be in the Elite Wave, be eligible for prizes, and not have to deal with crowds).  Waves went out at 15 minute intervals, and I caught up to the tail end of the previous wave about 5 minutes in, already well ahead of my wave, but from there on out it was a lot of pushing past walkers and joggers, and working my way around them on obstacles.  Occasionally the terrain would open up and allow for me to cruise past folks, but it was a very crowded course (over 3,000 entrants!).  It was fun to watch other folks do the obstacles, but this event is far from the home grown, low key, scenic courses I've come to love.  It's an invasive species.

At least I didn't sign up for something like a Spartan cruise, which seems like a paradox.  I guess modern day Spartans do luxury.

An article to come.

Sunday, 5/11--Pengelly/Fire Road Loop w/Jed

2,173', 1:41

A casual, early morning (6:30 AM) run up into the snowy weather.  I actually felt sore (triceps, trapezius, hamstrings), and my right knee felt a little stiff from yesterday.  This might be the last snowstorm Missoula sees, so I'm glad I was able to take advantage of it, and glad I got to get a run in with Jed before he heads back to Utah.




19,036', 10:28

A great and strange week.  I'm still trying to process the Spartan Event, and it felt like kind of a shock to the system.  I never want to see so much machismo again.  Trail night, however, was the highlight of the week.  I'm feeling good--feeling fast--and looking forward to the first trail race of the year next Sunday, at Eleven Miles to Paradise.  I'd be happy to get on the podium, but getting a win will be tough there.

Fog up on University

Up on Sentinel with the crew

Trail runners out en masse for Trail Night

An unusual (for me) post-race scene.  Food you have to pay for.

The crowds, and racers standing in line at an obstacle, "racing"

My Little, Eli, killing the 1 mile kids race

More stuff to buy (not what I think of as a Spartan lifestyle)

Snow!

Another new artist I could listen to all day, Valerie June:

April 28th to May 4th

Monday, 4/28--Sentinel x 2, South Sentinel x 1

6,155', 2:45

A long run after a long day, but it was good to get out.  I've been getting into a rhythm where each hill becomes a little easier mentally.  Every time I hit these trails I notice something different, even if it's just seeing something at a new angle I hadn't noticed before.  But there are certainly things that are becoming quite familiar--certain rocks become old friends, and each switchback is becoming well known enough that I can picture them in order.  I love these damn trails.

Tuesday, 4/29--South Sentinel + Smokejumper + North Ridge of Pengelly

5,284', 2:32

A longish run on the first warm day in awhile, during the warmest part of the day (low 60s).  I suppose my body will adjust to the warm temps, eventually.  At least Smokejumper offered some shade.  The legs felt a little weighed down, which is okay, but my splits to the summits and back were on par with my moderate pace days.  I'm expecting to feel beat up this week.

Wednesday, 4/30--University + Sentinel + N. Ridge Pengelly

6,716', 3:02

I felt really good on this run.  It wasn't particularly fast, but I was in cruise mode the whole run.  Knowing that I'll be able to relax when I get home, rather than study for a test or catch up on homework, is really healthy for my running.  It allows me to relax a little more while I'm still out on the run.

Thursday, 5/1--Smokejumper Loop w/Jimmy, John, Kristina, Steve

2,016', 1:29

A group of five!  That's the largest group so far this year.  I think we all chatted for the whole run, so it went by pretty fast.  Plans for some summer runs/races are starting to enter my mind, and the flowers are starting to come out.  I love this town.

Friday, 5/2--Sentinel x 4

7,298', 2:57

I'm really happy with this workout.  Each run up and down was between 43 and 45 minutes (averaging about 29 up, 15 down), and I was in a good mood until I finished and kind of zoned out (dehydration).  There's nothing like running 3 hours in the early afternoon sun for heat training!  I need to work on not hunching over so much when going up steep stuff, but otherwise I think I've got my hill form and legs back.

Saturday, 5/3--Off (busy!)

Sunday, 5/4--University, Pattee Canyon, Sentinel, a loop on the "M", North Ridge of Pengelly

~7,600' (didn't realize watch wasn't registering vert. due to a full memory), 3:48

Fog, rain, mud, and a bit of sunshine at the end.  That's my kind of prefect for running weather.  I'm pretty sure I got at least 7,600 feet of gain in, since I'm usually pretty good at coming in just a bit over what I aim for, and kept my eye on the barometer at summits, saddles and valleys.  A lot of long, slow miles, and some new terrain for me.  I popped out on what must be FR449 after following a series of trails down from University, and it looks like I can loop that back up with Crooked Canyon.  Definitely something worth checking out in the future.



~35,069', 16:33

A week fit for summer training.  I was able to feel the volume in my legs most of the week, but I'm still not slowing down, which means I'm not beating myself into the ground.  This will be my last big week (over 25k) for a little while, so that I can work on speed a little bit more, which has kind of been put on the back burner.

Down University's South Ridge

20 feet of visibility!

Angel Olsen--folk rock with a touch of Chris Isaak or Roy Orbison, so damn good.  Burn Your Fire For No Witness might be my favorite record so far this year: