LT100 2011 - The Dream Team

As the day of the big race gets closer I find myself thinking about what I need to do, how difficult it is going to be, what my pacing plan should be, my headlamp, what will I eat, etc.  The one think I am not at all anxious about is my crew and pacing team.  I am very fortunate to have without a doubt, the best qualified, most supportive team that will be out on the course in Leadville on August 20-21.  So, with no further ado, let me introduce you to the LT100 Dream Team.

Kyle Fanning

Kyle, a self proclaimed short course specialist, has a spectacular trail running resume.  Kyle has had strong finishes at the Blue Sky Marathon, Red Hot Moab 33K, Big Horn 50K, Imogene Pass, Silver Rush 50 and a recent 1st place at the hilly, competitive and challenging Horsetooth Trail Race.  Kyle will be pacing me from the turn around at Windfield (mile 50) back up and over Hope Pass and on to Fish Hatchery (mile 76.5).  Kyle is strong, smart, dependable and good company on a long run.  I couldn't ask for a better pacer over this very difficult part of the course.

Cat Speights

Cat is truly Wonder Woman.  Cat ran the LT100 last year, and despite what she might tell you, she ran a fantastic race especially considering that it was her first 100.  Cat ran the Big Horn 100 this year finishing 5th woman and running a strong, gutsy race.  Cat's running achievements go on and on and she gives her all to her running and to the running community.  Her next several weekends are filled with crewing, pacing, and supporting runners and putting in quite a few miles of her own.  Cat will be pacing me from Fish Hatchery to the finish when I will most likely be feeling the weight of the miles of the day.  Cat truly is one of the toughest people I know and I have no doubt that she will share her strength to help get me to the finish.

Ms. Celeste O'Conner

Celeste is someone that as I get to know her better, I am more and more amazed and in awe of her.  Celeste is an accomplished runner, cyclist, triathlete, and equestrian.  Celeste has run a number of fast and impressive marathons, the Moab Red Hot 55K, the Lake to Lake Traithlon, she was part of the 3rd place Extreme Team at 24 Hours of Moab and she was 1st place woman and 3rd place overall at the 2010 FC Vertical Beer Mile.  Celeste also has a wealth of experience crewing and pacing at 100 mile events including Leadville in 2010.  Celeste has taken on the role of Crew Chief and I am honored to have her on my team.

Mindy Clarke

Mindy joined our trail running group just this past December, but she immediately became an important part of the team.  Mindy is an accomplished triathlete and stepped in to ultra running this year and ran the Red Hot Moab 55K.  Mindy was part of the Fort Collins Trail Runner Team at the 24 Hours of Utah race this year and she will be running the Blue Sky Marathon in October.  Mindy was an awesome part of the Fort Collins support crew at the Big Horn Trail Races this year and can always be depended on for a great smile and awesome attitude and some meaningful encouragement.  Mindy is a great friend who is always up for an adventure.  She will be a valuable component of the team.

Micah May

My son Micah, who is starting high school on Friday, is a great athlete and has been running and racing since he first stood up.  Micah has run Fort Collins Cross Country, completed the PVHS Healthy Kid Run Series a number of times, he has run the Bolder Boulder 10K five times and is also an avid cyclist, backpacker and river rafter.  Micah supported me on my longest training run for my first hundred two years ago by riding his bike along side me for 45 miles from Glenwood Springs to Aspen carrying all the food, water and supplies.  Micah has crewed for me on both my 100 mile finishes in South Dakota and has been a lifetime supporter of my running adventures.  Thanks Micah for always being there for me.

Maddie May

My Daughter Maddie May will be celebrating her 11th birthday in Leadville on race day.  She is an accomplished runner currently completing her 6th year in the PVHS Healthy Kid Race Series.  In 2010-11, Maddie competed in the Fort Collins Running Club's Tortoise and Hare series of 7 races and she won!  Maddie is also a swimmer, rollerblader, cyclist and triathlete.  She has finished the Bolder Boulder 10K five times (starting when she was 6), run Fort Collins Cross Country and Track and she is very excited to be starting Middle School on Friday.  Maddie has been a valuable part of my crew on both of my previous 100 mile finishes and I am so glad she will be celebrating her birthday this year at the great party known as the LT100.

Mom

My Mom, Joan Trivett, ran my first race with me; a 10K when I was 8 or 9 years old.  I remember having a rough time and I'm sure I complained a lot, but she stayed with me and we finished together.  Since then my mom has encouraged and supported me in my running (and everything else).  She is an accomplished runner herself, having run the LA Marathon at the age of 59.  She has traveled the world, backpacked the Sierras, rafted through the Grand Canyon, and explored the savannahs of Africa.  I had some major struggles at the end of my first 100 two years ago, and my mom was there and paced me in the last 6 miles.  She is flying in from California on Thursday to head straight up to the mountains to crew for me again for my 3rd 100 mile finish.

Ean May

I don't even know where to begin with my amazing, beautiful, wonderful wife Ean.  She has recently taken the trail running world by storm, running the Red Hot Moab 33K and the Big Horn 30K in 2011.  She continues to thrive in trail running with great adventures this summer in the mountains around Breckenridge and Vail and Rocky Mountain National Park.  She will take her first step in to ultra running in September at the Bear Chase 50K.  I wouldn't be running the LT100 if it was not for Ean, because she has literally saved my life on multiple occasions.  Ean is a fantastic supporter and pacer.  She knows when to push and when to give me some space.  Ean paced me in for the final 17 miles last year at the Lean Horse 100 and made sure I reached my sub 24 hour goal.  Ean will be the Crew Grand Chief/Medical Lead and as always my best friend.

This is going to be an amazing weekend.  I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from these amazing people and all my other friends that have wished me well.  Now I just have to go and run.

Hope-full

Less than two weeks until what is turning out to be the biggest race of my life and I am feeling pretty optimistic. On Friday, Mike and I ran Hope Pass from Twin Lakes to Winfield and back.  This was my first and only run on the LT100 course and it is arguably the crux of the race.  Twin Lakes is at mile 39.5 of the course and Winfield is the turn around at mile 50.  Between these two aid stations, is the high point of the course at almost 12,600 feet, Hope Pass.  After meeting a couple other runners (Eric and Kate) out to do the same run and a talk with the Sheriff, we found a way across the river without getting our feet wet and headed up the hill.  It was 6 miles and some 3200 feet of climbing up to the pass.  I admired the view, caught my breath and then headed down the other side.
Eric and Kate passed me on the very steep trail that took us to the dirt road leading to Winfield.  I felt good and ran well in to Winfield meeting up with Eric and Kate again and talked with Eric some about the course and he pointed out where the aid station would be set up.

I ran into Mike on the way back down the road.  He had made a side trip from the pass up Quail Mountain and was now just a couple minutes behind me.  I had a good run down the road back to the turn off to the trail back up to the pass.  The climb back up to the pass is brutal.  It is very steep climbing 2300+ feet in 2.5 miles. I hiked almost all of it and stopped once to fill and treat water.  I averaged 30 min/mile back up to the pass.  This part is going to be tough on race day.  I'm glad Kyle will be with me to keep me moving.  I met up with J.P. and his pacers close to the top and Eric and Kate again.  Mike came running up to the pass looking strong just a few minutes later and we all had a nice chat before starting the run back down.

I struggled some running down and Mike gave me some good pointers that helped some (keep feet pointed forward, trust the traction of the shoes).  I wish I could work out m downhill running because this is an area I could make up some significant time.  Mike hung back with me and we had a nice run down the hill.  The running got easier as we continued down the trail and by the bottom mile, I felt like I was running fairly well.  The last couple miles back to the car got tough, because I was feeling pretty spent from the day.  Total for the day was 22 miles in six and a half hours including stops.  The Garmin recorded 7000 feet of climbing which is pretty remarkable since the whole race has about 14,000 feet of climbing.  So half of the total vertical of this course happens in these 20 miles over and back on Hope.  The other 7000 feet is spread out over the other 80 miles.  

It was a good day and I feel that knowing this part of the course will be very helpful on race day.  This was my last long run before the race and I am confident that with a couple weeks of tapering, I will show up on race morning feeling fresh and ready to run.  

Downhill Mile Times Updated

Thursday was the 5th running of the Pineridge Downhill Mile following the Thursday night social run.  A great group of 18+ runners showed up for a nice loop around Pineridge under cloudy skies and gentle breeze.  There were several people new to Fort Collins and new to the group.  We regrouped on the ridge where the line had been drawn across the trail and headed out in groups of 4-5.  Mary B. continued on her unbroken streak of getting faster and faster taking another 11 seconds off her mile PR.  Mike H. made his first DHM appearance with a 4:55 for the fastest run of the night and the second fastest time recorded to date.  Next DHM will be September 1 and fall is the season for running fast on the trails.

	3/31	4/28	5/26	6/23	8/4
Alexina	--	--	--	--	8:02
Alex A.	6:03	5:38	--	5:19	5:23
Alex M.	5:45	5:54	5:35	5:39	5:23
Brian S.	--	--	--	5:44	--
Brian W.	7:00:02	7:00	--	--	--
Cat	6:19	6:11	6:17	6:05	Gold*
Celeste	6:45	--	6:44	6:54	7:31 (No Ziggy)
Chris H.	7:00	--	5:54	5:45	7:36 (with Ellie)
Dave	5:08	--	--	--	--
Erin	--	8:35	--	--	--
James	6:15	--	--	--	--
Jenn M.	--	--	5:33	--	--
Jennifer S	--	7:25	--	--
Joselyne	--	7:01	--	--	--
Kathy	--	--	--	--
Marie	--	--	--	6:38	6:14
Mary	6:39	6:39	6:34	6:28	6:17
Matt	--	7:20	--	--	--
Michele	8:05	--	--	--	--
Mike H.	--	--	--	--	4:55
Mindy	7:58	--	--	--	Gold*
Molly	8:35	8:20	--	8:47	--
Nick C.	--	*	6:15	--	5:23.1
Nick M.	5:10	4:58	5:00	--	--
Pablo	6:29	6:13	--	--	--
Pete	5:22	*	5:21	5:13	5:27
Sam	--	--	4:49.7	--	--
Sarah	--	--	--	5:20	--
Shawn	6:35	--	6:15	5:57	--
Slush	5:45	6:20	--	5:18	--