How can we learn ? In the second episode, Scott Jurek reflects on his desire to learn, talks about the importance of taking care of your body and why, to him, this is all part of the ‘big picture’.
Philipp Reiter “let’s go out for an hour… we can run an out and back”
Kilian Jornet “I would like to run up to checkpoint 2 at 2500m”
Everybody “ok, cool, lets do that!”
Kilian and Emelie get in the ‘Kilian Kar‘. Philipp, Terry and myself get in pepecar.com and then we head at breakneck speed ignoring the left and right hand side of the road and get to the Coll de Pal and 2070m.
Philipp, Terry and myself roll out of the car ready for action. Kilian emerges from the ‘Kilian Kar‘ with a secret potion…. mmmmmmmm what is it?
Kilian and Emelie get into the running straight away…. Terry follows and Philipp is feeling a little unwell; the drive I think?
Knees hurting I follow as best as I can but I know they will soon be out of sight. I put a long lens on the camera… a great tip when you can’t keep up! You look close but actually you are miles away….
In to the distance they go. Around me isolation and beautiful views. I still manage to capture some lovely images of the ‘elites’ in action. A joy to watch unfold… I will wait for them to return and shoot them in full flight!
They never did 😉 But that’s another story…
Here is Philipp Reiters download from his Suunto Ambit HERE
Episode 18 of Talk Ultra is available and as you can see from the image above it is a really top show!
Karl Meltzer joins me once again to co present the show. We speak about his outstanding win at Run Rabbit Run and what it’s like winning 33 100 mile ultras and taking home $11k for a days running.
Comeback man Mike Morton tells me how he missed the Badwater 135 record by 75 seconds and he also talks about setting a new US benchmark for the 24 hour.
Prof Tim Noakes in many respects needs no introduction. It is nearly 30 years ago that he wrote ‘The Lore of Running’ and maybe with new addition to the nutrition section it still today the perfect reference book. He has a new book called ‘Waterlogged’ with new theories on hydration for sport.
I also get to talk to Dean Karnazes. Love him or hate him (unjustified in my opinion) he is maybe one person who has encouraged and is possibly responsible for the boom in ultra running. I maybe ask him one or two awkward questions and we discus whats next…
Talk Ultra is available through the usual channels:
ITunes HERE
Inactivity would normally have me climbing the walls. Irritable and just ‘out of sorts’. A daily fix of exercise not only eases the mind but it most definitely does provide energy, be that physical or mental. I’m an addictive sort of person and since I got into sport seriously some 25 years ago, the need to fulfil the endorphin rush has been something I just can’t avoid.
In my early cycling days getting up at 5 or 6 am to cycle 30-50 miles before work and then do the same after work seemed ‘normal’. In actual fact, in season I would also do a mid week race and more than likely a race at weekend. When I gave up cycling in 2002 I guess I was pretty much burnt out both physically and mentally. Working 10-12 hours days and then adding 2 bike rides just meant that life was out of balance. Twelve months of RnR and a variety of sports allowed me to move into Triathlon. Of course it was meant to be fun (and it was) but that OCD kicked in and before long I was training twice a day and even sometimes three times a day, working full time and trying to be around for my family. I represented GB for Duathlon at the 2005 Worlds in Australia and went on to do multiple Ironman races.
In 2007 I was reading a book whilst relaxing on a beach in France. Another busy season behind me I had decided I need something new. Something challenging. Little did I know that ultra running would be what lay ahead. Running had been something I hated. It was triathlon that had opened up my mind to the sport but even then cycling was my ‘sport’. In a Duathlon or Triathlon I would nail the bike and survive the run. What I always liked with endurance sport is the element of unknown. The fear of not finishing. When I stood on the start line of an Ironman in 2007 I was sure I would finish. From that moment on I realised a new challenge awaited. Dean Karnazes provided that new challenge. Little did I know that reading ‘Confessions of an all night runner’ would lead to the passion I now have for ultra running.
The ‘fear’ has never gone away. I never stand on an ultra marathon start line complacent or assuming a finish. Running is brutal. It tires the body, it hurts the body and it fatigues the body like no other sport. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a negative. It’s what makes the sport great. The ability to overcome and succeed. I am not a great runner. Never have been and never will be. I can however perform well at Age Group level and I have had some successes but I know my place. Does that matter? Of course not. What’s important is taking part and achieving goals or targets. I met my partner, Niandi, through running and we have both had great pleasure travelling and racing with a common bond. I have had so many fantastic run experiences. I have made some incredible friends and I have witnessed and experienced new places. I have cried through personal joy and pain and I have cried at others joy and pain.
In 2011 I wanted to somehow pass on this passion. My good friends Tom Wiliams and Martin Yelling had started a podcast in 2010 called Marathon Talk. For this show I had helped them out with interviews in the ultra world. As 2011 progressed I knew that an ultra running podcast was just what the community needed. I was aware that other podcasts existed but they had a similar format. A little chat, an interview and then goodbye. I wanted to create an audio magazine. Something with variety, a longer show that could be taken on long runs but ultimately a show that expressed a deep passion for our sport at the grass roots and elite level. Talk Ultra was created.
Fast forward to September 2012. In the last month I have been to Sierre Zinal, Trofeo Kima and just last weekend UTMB to cover the race for Vibram. The sport is now rewarding me with experiences of a completely different nature. I am now reporting on, writing about, photographing and mixing with the stars of the race circuit and a world I love. Just one year ago I would never have thought this possible. But I guess the OCD I have that I brought to my own personal running is now being brought to the sport in a completely different channel and I am being rewarded.
The downside of all this is that my own personal running has taken a step back. Running twice a day has just not been possible. In actual fact, sometimes running just once a day can be a challenge. Ironically, my usual bomb proof physique and lack of injury over 25 years in sport has now all come to a head. Earlier this year I was getting some knee pain. I knew from experience that it wasn’t the ‘knees’ but more everything that connected to the knees. I typically tell all my coaching clients ‘get it sorted, don’t mess about’. Of course like a true Pro I did exactly the opposite… Just finding the time to see my Physio didn’t seem possible. Of course after months of running and racing with an element of discomfort all came to a head and after running the Lakeland 50 I finally had some tests done. As expected, the knees are feeling the pain but the problems are elsewhere. Core and some muscle imbalance are at the root of the problem. All helped by increasing sitting editing and recording a podcast. How ironic!
Anyway, back to the start. I am 16 days cold turkey. I have missed my runs but because of the connection to the sport through the podcast, writing and photography I haven’t missed it ‘that much’. I remain confident that all will come good and I will be back on the trails soon. But I have a new perspective. The joy of running, the joy of being on the trails and the joy of being in the mountains with wide open and empty vistas are what appeals. This all became completely apparent when I did 5 hours on trails with Salomon runner, Linda Doke at the Glacier de Zinal. We had the most incredible time running, chatting, taking photos and enjoying the trails for what they are; an escape!
I will always want that escape. If the escape is following and reporting the sport from the side of the trail, so be it.
Don’t rule me out yet though. One way or the other I will carve a niche on trails. It may just be in my own time at my own pace. I can live with that!
Episode 17 is one seriously stacked show and somewhat a departure from our typical show format.
You can listen to Talk Ultra via the following methods
I have been travelling to several races and therefore it would seem ridiculous to concentrate on just one interview when I can get soundbites from so many. In some respects, this is what Talk Ultra is all about. An audio magazine bringing you up to the minute chat as it happens within the ultra world.
The show is dominated by two races. The Skyrunning Trofeo Kima (report here) and of course The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc.
Trofeo Kima was a wonderful race and I had the honour to catch up with Kilian Jornet before the race.
After the race I chatted with Andy Symonds, Nuria Picas, Philipp Reiter and Emelie Forsberg.
I was at the UTMB at the invite of Vibram and as such I was following the race from a Vibram perspective. This allowed me to see the workings of a Pro Team from within.
In addition to this it also allowed me a great opportunity to chat with and discuss the race. In this weeks episode you can listen to four Vibram Trail Running Team members. The section of the show starts at : 00:56:10 (timings are approximate):
In addition to the above, you can read an article on Francesca Canepa HERE
You can also view a story in pictures of the UTMB from a Vibram perspective HERE
UTMB also allowed me an opportunity to catch up with 3rd place, Mike Foote, mens winner Francois D’Haene and ladies winner, Lizzy Hawker.
Hope you enjoy the show !
Thanks to Outside Magazine, lovers of the #douchgrade and in particular I refer to The North Face athlete MIKE WOLFE and Pearl Izumi athlete NICK CLARKE, the Douche Grade has been confirmed as an official ultra term:
ACROPHOBIA: An abnormal fear of being in high places. As the Hardrock runner’s manual reminds you “if you suffer from this and see it in the course description, you will not enjoy that location on the course.”
AID STATION: just what it sounds like. Aid stations are a runner’s lifeline in a long race. Beacons of hope that turn 50 or 100 miles into eight-10 mile increments. Think a smorgasbord of M&M’s, potato chips, powdered energy drinks, flat soda, bananas, potatoes, gels, and sometimes bacon and beer. If you’re feeling terrible, we suggest stopping to talk with volunteers. They’re usually the coolest people around.
BELT BUCKLE: The most common finisher’s prize for the heavy-hitting hundreds (Leadville, Western States, Bear, etc.). Not much for prize money in the ultra-circuit, but man, those belt buckles sure are nice.
BENCH: A naturally occurring shelf typically found between two higher points.
BONK: Severe fatigue caused by a loss of glycogen stores in the liver and muscles.
CHICKED: You can thank Dusty Olson (Scott Jurek’s longtime pacer) for this term. It’s a little derogatory, but basically means getting passed by a girl. of the debate.
CLIMB: Running uphill. (Here’s a little secret: Unless you’re in the elite crowd, most ultradistance runners don’t actually do a lot of uphill running. This is for two reasons: 1. It’s hard, and 2. usually the alternative, power hiking, will get you up the hill faster than attempting to run, while simultaneously helping conserve energy for later.)
COMPRESSION TIGHTS: Form-fitting running tights that help keep muscles warm to regulate strain/fatigue by focusing the direction of the muscle and perhaps reducing the build up of creatine kinase (muscle tissue damage). Generally good things. Plus, they make you look like a superhero.
CONDOM JACKET: A lightweight rain/wind shell.
CREW: Your support team. Typically one or two very patient friends who you’ve bribed to drive to various aid stations ahead of your arrival. Hopefully they’ll be adept at filling water bottles/bladders and offering or not offering whatever encouragement you might need. Veteran crews like to think of their job as an acronym: “Crabby Runner, Endless Waiting.”
DARTH VADER: Raspy-voiced runner who hasn’t been drinking enough water.
DNF: Did not finish (usually written in big red letters next to your name).
DROP BAG: Something in which to pack your preferential race day items (extra socks, fried sweet potatoes, headlamps, etc.). Volunteers will typically collect this motley assortment of bags on check-in day and drive them to designated aid stations for en-route access.
DOUCHE GRADE: When you’re training hard, “douche grade” is considered a bit of a cop out. It’s basically the goldilocks of trail grade. Not too flat, and not too steep. A recent trail conference in Italy placed Douche Grade at about 5.63 percent.
TOURIST DOUCHE GRADE: Just enough of an incline that you’re moving uphill, but not enough that you’d actually notice.
ELEVATION GAIN: The way runners measure the difficulty of the trail.
EURO-HIKING: A good way to execute a climb. Basically an uphill power walk, except that you keep a hand on each quad and press down a bit with each step.
FUEL: Calories, usually in the form of sugar or some gooey concoction like brown rice syrup and artificial flavoring. Yum.
FKT: Setting a non-race speed record (fastest known) time on some particular route, (e.g. Grand Canyon rim-to-rim, trans-Zion, etc.).
HYPONATREMIA: An electrolyte imbalance that typically occurs when the body’s sodium concentration is lower than normal, causing tissues to swell dangerously. While ultrarunners definitely worry about dehydration, overhydration in the case of extreme physical activity is also something to be mindful of.
MICRO-TRASH: The wrappers and other debris often left behind on the trail in the act of fueling.
MINIMALIST SHOES: Shoes designed with little or no support and no stability control. Arguments in favor: They’re closer to the natural way humans have been running for centuries (barefoot). Arguments opposed: Running long distances without some support takes its toll on the body. If you’re curious, try ‘em. You’ll probably know right away whether or not they’re going to work for you.
PACER: A very good friend who runs with you for part of a 100+ race. The use of pacers is a topic of some contention among ultrarunners (Karl Meltzer is fundamentally opposed, while others rarely race without one). Though the debate could certainly go either way, with some of the more difficult races, having a pacer is more of a security blanket than anything else. Someone to make sure you don’t deliriously wander off the trail or freeze to death on some remote section of the course.
QUAD BUSTER: A steep, downhill run, usually executed at a pace so brisk that the runner seems somewhat out of control. A quad buster late in the race can be torture particularly if followed by a section of flat trail (Bear100, we’re talking about you).
SKYRUNNING: Any sort of mountain running exceeding 2,000 meters where the incline exceeds 30 percent and the climbing difficulty does not exceed 11 degrees. Born in Mont Blanc and Monte Rosa in the early ’90s there’s now actually an International Skyrunning Federation with races in the Himalayas, Alps and even on Mount Kenya.
TRAVERSE: To move laterally along the face of a mountain.
UDO’S OIL: A miracle blend of essential fatty acids. Intake by the spoonful.
Original article available HERE
Francesca entering the feed station at Les Houche
Francesca Canepa may very well not be a name that you know. In fact, until the weekend I am pretty sure that unless you know your ultra and trail running very well you may have not even heard of her!
But after a stunning run, the 41 year old mother of two put some serious ultra running ladies in her wake when she finished second behind Lizzy Hawker at the 2012 edition of The North Face Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc.
Francesca is Italian born but now lives in Courmayer literally on the UTMB route. She only started running in 2010 but comes from a sporting background; an excellent ice skater and National level in snow boarding.
Her transformation from snow and ice to trail running is quite remarkable. In a very short period of time with the help of Prof Fabio Maragliati, she has won some impressive races:
At the Lavaredo Trail in June earlier this year, Francesca confirmed her potential with a win over the 120km course in the Dolomites. Her winning time of 15:58:02 relegated Fernanda Maciel (FRA) to 2nd in 16:29:02 and Katia Fori (IT) 3rd in 17:28:39.
Francesca was quoted as saying after the race:
‘I’m so excited with this result, not only for the fact I won the women’s category but also because I finished at 10th position in the overall ranking!’
Arguably at the 2012 UTMB she has moved up a notch. You don’t get on the podium at this iconic race without some hard running and a quality performance. When you look at some of the names behind Francesca, you begin to fully appreciate her outstanding achievement. Emma Roca (Spain) was 3rd 61/2 mins in arrears, Rory Bosio (USA) was 4th, Katia Fori from Italy 5th, Amy Sproston USA 8th, Meghan Arbogast USA 12th and previous UTMB winner and course record holder, Krissy Moehl (USA) was 14th over 2 hours behind her.
Believe it or not, speaking to Francesca after the race she told me that she is due to start the Tor des Geants this coming weekend. Now if you think UTMB is hard, wait till you look at the TDG; 330km with 24000m of positive incline.
“I will be on the start but I don’t know if I will finish. I am not sure if I will have recovered? It is 330km; I think if I continue the race it will be like training… I will sleep, eat… it will be a really slow race for me”
The race starts on the 9th September and competitors have days to complete the course. To provide a sense of perspective, last years female winner was Anne Marie Gross. She managed to complete the tough 330km race in 91:28:21. To clarify, that is just under 4 days! Yes, 4 days.
I managed to catch up with Francesca for a short interview on the evening after the UTMB. She looked fresh and had a glowing smile. However, it was apparent that the race had taken its toll. She had that all too familiar ‘wobble’ to her walk.
What did you think about the revised UTMB route?
“In a 100km’s we need to be fast and I didn’t like this. I also didn’t know the new course. I had problems managing my race from a food and drink perspective”
Did you think you could beat Lizzy Hawker?
“I know that Lizzy is a world champ at 100k’s. I knew she was favorite. I prefer more climbing and this new course played into Lizzies favour”
Tell me about your strategy in the feed stations?
“It’s really important that I have my own food. Renato from Vibram looks after me. I usually don’t eat what I find at the pit stops…. I normally eat no solids. I drink. I like Sprite and I appreciate Yogurt for my stomach. Fruit is nice but UTMB it was too cold”
Perfect feed station strategy
Are you happy with 2nd place?
“I am really happy with the second place. It’s my first UTMB, why would I not be happy!”
What do you think about the decision to reduce the course?
“I am sure it was a good decision. Security and safety is paramount”
Mentally did you find the new race route difficult? It was a loop course with a tough last climb?
“Yes the last climb was tough, I didn’t expect it. I also had no food or drink left. It was a challenge…. In regard to running a loop I don’t like this. Mentally it’s tough”
Did you appreciate what you had achieved with your second place?
“Yes I appreciated it! I appreciated the crowds, my children. It is a moment to remember”
Will you be back at UTMB next year?
“I need a little recovery but yes, I think I will be back”
Francesca Canepa is a name to watch. I think the Tor des Geants will be a tough test for her and with the proximity to UTMB may very well be just a little too much! After all, it is 330km.
Her next focus race is the Skyrunning event ‘Les Course de Templiers’, Francesca will line up with the Vibram Trail Running Team and once again see if she can dominate another impressive ladies field.
Saucony ProGrid Xodus 3.0 – Vibram
Francesca used the Saucony Pro Grid Xodus 3 with Vibram sole
A series of people, faces and experiences from the 2012 UTMB.
Starting at 1900 in Chamonix the race took a shorter route of 100k and remained in France covering 6000m+ of vertical gain on a very wet, snowy and cold night. These images tell the story of 15 hours following the race.
On the show we speak to South African Linda Doke in Zinal, we catch up with Terry Conway from the UK and break some great news upon the ultra world. Ian Sharman joins the show for the news and Talk Training is back. Our interview is with Australian, Samantha Gash and Speedgoat Karl chews the ultra fat in a Meltzer Moment. We mention three blogs, discuss the up and coming races and get ready for UTMB.
00:00:00
00:00:45 Show Start
00:02:23 Linda Doke – Linda been running for about 18 years, always with a preference for long distance and ultras. She was a roadie for the first 10 years, but came to her senses in 2004, when she moved to Cape Town and found trail. And she has never looked back…. I caught up with Linda just before she ran Sierre Zinal.
00:19:50 Terry Conway – Press Release HERE
00:25:00 News with Ian Sharman
00:52:10 Talk Training with Marc Laithwaite
01:11:30 Blogs
01:12:14 Interview with Samantha Gash – As a recent graduate of a double degree in Law and Performing Arts (with honours), Samantha Gash may seem like another run-of-the-mill 20-something-year-old struggling to find the right balance and direction for her life to take… it takes less than a minute’s worth of conversation with Samantha to realize that she is exactly the opposite. Even the briefest glance at her life experiences to date reveals a truly outstanding, unique, and above all, inspiring student, worker, athlete and person. Incredibly well rounded with a finger in every high-achieving pie, Samantha has found time where no one else could to work up an impressive and ever-growing list of life achievements.
01:58:20 A Meltzer Moment with Speedgoat Karl
02:15:25 Races
02:17:00 Show Close
02:19:31
Sky High for Terry Conway
Arguably the man of the moment on the UK ultra scene is Terry Conway. His success at the Lakeland 100 in 2011 with a sub 22 hour finish and course record for what actually is 105 miles of hard running on a super tough course was seen as a break through run.
In 2012 he returned to the Lakeland course buoyant after setting a new course record on another tough course, the 95-mile West Highland Way. His CR at this event was significant as the previous course record was set by no other than Jez Bragg.
So, in late July Terry lined up on the start line in Coniston to run 105 miles of what the English Lakes had to offer. Before the race started it was all ready being touted as a potentially great race. Paul Tierney and Barry Murray would be taking part along with previous winner Stuart Mills. In addition to this was the young upstart Ed Batty who had placed 5th in the 50 mile event the previous year and was coming to the longer race with the intention of running hard.
In the early stages of the race Ed Batty pushed hard while Terry, Paul, Barry and Stuart marked each others moves. With 50 miles covered Ed had over a 30 min lead. Was this young lad going to steal the glory from the experienced guys behind?
In Terry’s words “I needed the loo and didn’t want to go ‘al fresco’ and with the next checkpoint not too far away I upped my pace a little”. This upping of the pace quickly eradicated 20-mins of Ed’s lead and with the blink of an eye a 20 min deficit became a 20 min lead. Running on the terrain that Terry calls ‘home’ he left the chasers behind and in the words of Race Director, Marc Laithwaite, “Terry ran into the finish line at Coniston as though he was finishing a 5k”. Not only did Terry win the race but he annihilated his own course record by 2 hours crossing the line in 19:51 for the 105 mile route.
Nobody doubted Terry’s ability as a runner but this win in that time confirmed for me that he was now at the pinnacle of UK ultra running. I had discussed with Terry what his dream scenario would be. His answer I guess was somewhat predictable;
“To race the best! to take part in Western States, to run UTMB and to take on the Skyrunning ultra series”
This is a dream that we as runners and more importantly as ultra runners all have. However, for pretty much all of us this will always be a dream. In Terry’s case he has the ability to potentially ‘race’ in this environment and therefore if the ability is there then surely a chance should be created…
Making dreams happen
I sent an email and contacted a couple of close friends in the business. I was well aware of an opportunity available for the right person! In actual fact I had personally been asked to ‘look out for’ a possible contender.
An introduction was made, emails were exchanged and I am pleased to say that Terry Conway will now be taking part in the next Ultra Skyrunning race at Cavalls de Vent in the Pyrenees in late September 2012. He will be representing Canadian company Arc’teryx who are slowly progressing into the ultra scene with a new clothing range called Endorphin.
This is incredible news for Terry but it’s also incredible news for the UK ultra community. Terry is a popular guy and I know this news will be welcomed with open arms.
Of course Terry now has some pressure on his shoulders. Not only is he getting the opportunity to race on a wonderful and tough course but he will be going head to head with the likes of Anton Krupicka and Anna Frost. It’s an incredible opportunity.
Following in the foot steps of Jez Bragg, Ian Sharman, Ellie Greenwood, Tom Owens, Andy Symonds, Joe Grant, Lizzy Hawker and Nick Clarke to name but a few of the Brits who are currently dishing it out on the world ultra stage, Terry now has an opportunity to announce himself and hopefully fulfil some of those dreams he has told me about.
He will need some adjustment to this style of racing and of course he will be looking to find his feet at the Cavalls de Vent event.
If he finds his feet, the SKY may very will be the start and not the limit of what he can offer the ultra world!
IAN CORLESS 