Volunteering At HARDROCK 100 – Better to Give

Top of the HARDROCK 100 Course

 ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’  Acts 20:35

Last weekend I had the most amazing time at the Hardrock 100 in Colorado. While my goal is to run the race one day, I wanted to share my experience with the hope that it may inspire you or a friend to take time and volunteer at a race…You may think that you are only giving your time, but you may be surprised at what you get in return.

Pacing the Goat: Mohican 100

Where It All Started

When my good friend, Bobby “Goat” asked me to pace him for the last 40 miles of his first 100, I thought he was nuts. I had never run more than 26.2 miles, but he was convincing and assuring me that we wouldn’t be running fast and would probably be doing some walking. It was a memorable experience and the beginning of my passion for running ultras.

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Bryce Canyon 100M – Race Report

Bryce Canyon – Pictures don’t do this place justice

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1

Driving to the hotel the day before the start reinforced how beautiful this race was going to be. The red and white mountains, incredible rock formations, and beauty all around were powerful reminders of God’s amazing creation. I was looking forward to starting my 12^th 100-Mile race and second race of 2017.

Dirty German 50 Miler- May

Dirty German Mud trails (Thanks to Eric Lepping for photo)

In May, I returned to a race I had previously completed a few years ago. I had run the Dirty German 25K in 2013, finishing 3rd overall. The following year, I returned for the 50M, but went out too fast, running the first 25K at a similar pace I had the year before. This year was more of a training run, but my plan was to try and break 8 hours.

UTMB – An Amazing Adventure

Definitely the longest and most memorable race! Amazing way to end an unforgettable adventure with my family.

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” Psalm 121:1-2

Lining up for UTMB on August 26, 2016 was surreal. I wasn’t nervous and I am not sure I was even excited. The only way to describe what I felt is blessed. The 16 days leading up to the race were spent with my family on the most amazing vacation of a lifetime around Europe. The trip had been in the works for years and it was better than I could have imagined. However there was a point a few days before departing for Europe that I thought my health was going to completely ruin our plans and prevent me from running.

As a result, this is much more than a race report.

Cruel Jewel Race Report- Back For More!

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

It was considerably cooler and less humid at the start of the Cruel Jewel on May 13^th than during the previous year. My good friend and host, Mike C was with me but unlike last year, he was smarter and decided to run the course in one direction as part of the “half” or 56 miles.

Lime Green to show support for Derek and his battle with Lymphoma

One friend in particular who was on my mind at the start was Derek. He is battling lymphoma and I have been thinking and praying for him often. Derek, a young father of 3 little kids, is someone who has run with me, has been in bible studies together with me, and has “fixed” me many times as my sports chiropractor. I wore lime green to show my support for him and all those battling Lymphoma.

Same Race But Much Has Changed

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. –Jeremiah 29:11

CRUEL JEWEL 108- REPEAT

In two weeks I will once again stand at the starting line of the Cruel Jewel. This 108-mile ultra that occurs deep within the beautiful Chattahoochee National Forest of Georgia was the most difficult race I had faced last May. In addition to the extra 8 miles the race director added from the normal “Century” run and 33,000 feet of climbing, I somehow got lost and added on another half-dozen miles for fun. Based on these obvious challenges, it was no surprise that it took me over 34 hours to finish.

Why on earth would I do it again? That would be a fair question. However, as I wrote in my race report last year, I learned more about myself and what my body and mind were capable of here more than during any other event. Based on this and a nagging desire to know what I was capable of if I had stayed on course, drove me to sign up once again. Another reason I decided to tackle this course was the hopes that it may help prepare me for my next adventure in August, Ultra-Trail Du Mont-Blanc. UTMB is a race that traverses 3 countries around Mount Blanc in Europe and is even more brutal, given its longer climbs and higher altitude.

 Javelina 100: Race Report and Being Thankful

 

A little salty!

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
… A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-6

There are times in our life when it seems like things are going great. Unfortunately we can more often identify when things do not go according to our plan.

One of the strange attractions in running 100 miles is the acceptance that I will face unexpected challenges which must be overcome. This distance is unlike the marathon where most runners strive for that prefect race, regardless of how elusive it may be.

Learning how to overcome difficulties one can face in ultra-marathons has served me well in my previous 6 finishes at this distance and in life. It has been at these races that I learned I am capable of more than I ever imagined with the Lord’s help. I’ve learned that when things may seem hopeless, strength to continue can be found if I take the time to pause, pray, and persist.

A Change of Plans and A New 100 Mile Race

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:20-21

September 2014 – I thought I’d also run a little race while in Taiwan

Over the last 12 months my training was focused on one event, the Grindstone 100. It was here where I experienced my first DNF (Did Not Finish).  Previously I wrote about how my crazy idea of arriving the day before the race from Taiwan (12 hour time difference) would work to my advantage with a 6:00pm start. While it did help me stay alert throughout the night, I fell apart during the day and had to drop because of the cold and being unprepared at mile 87.

I was finally going to complete those last 13 miles on October 2^nd until torrential rains resulted in the U.S. Forest Service pulling all permits for that weekend in the George Washington National Forest.