running

running

Thoughts on Hill Strides

I approach hill strides like I do most hard things: Don’t think about it too much.

Today was 5x20sec, so I began by pre-programmed the intervals into my watch to avoid doing any mid-run math.

As I walk to the base of the hill, I don’t think about how hard reps 4 and 5 might be. Instead, I focus on making sure the first rep feels easy(ish).

Leaning into that first step, I think about my cues…eyes up, slight lean, short stride, and of course that bounce.

During the rep I check-in with myself. I want it to feel smooth and powerful, yet comfortable and not forced.

Before long the watch dings, my mind clears, and I’m headed back down the hill for another rep.

So bottom line, don’t think about it too much, and before you know it, those hill reps will be in the bank and you’ll be back home enjoying your favorite recovery drink.

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cycling, running

Developing Your Race-day Nutrition Plan

For most races, a plan can be simplified into some combination of water, sodium, carbohydrates, and caffeine. Exactly what combination is personal and requires a experimentation.

To give you an idea of what a plan might look like, here’s my plan for the 2025 Black Canyon 50k:

water1 liter/hr
sodium1500mg/hr
carbs128g/hr
caffeine50mg at mile 19 and 50mg at mile 24

I developed this plan over several years of testing, practice, and trial and error. Essentially sciencing the shit out of it!

Where do you begin?

Start with water. To get an idea of how much water you lose, weigh yourself before and after a run (If you struggle with body image issues, enlist the help of a friend to record your weight). 1 liter of water weighs 1 kilogram or 2.2 lbs. So if you run for 1 hour (without drinking or eating anything) and lose 1 lb, you’ve lost 0.45 kg of water through sweat. To replace what you’ve lost, you’ll want to drink close to one half liter bottle an hour. This amount will vary based on things like weather and how hard your effort is, but this will be a good starting point.

Sodium is the next piece of the puzzle. How much sodium an individual loses during exercise varies a ton. At 1500mg an hour, I’m considered a very salty sweater. Other people might only lose 400mg per hour. Figuring out exactly where you stand can be tricky without actually getting a sweat test which you can get from Precision Fuel and Hydration. I’ve had one done. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it. Other than testing, you can get a general idea of how much salt you lose by looking at your clothing and face after a long workout. A salty sweater will have noticeable white marks. If you have a dog, you may notice you become his new favorite person because of how salty your legs taste.

Carbs are magical! In general, the more you can tolerate, the better you’ll feel, perform, and recover. You probably don’t need carbs for any event under 2 hours, but I like consuming mid-race carbs for anything over an hour in duration. How much should you take? I take 128g/hr, but if you’re a beginner in the carb game, don’t start there. Start with 60g/hr and see how you feel. Then, continue to slowly build up to 90g/hr in your training runs. These days 90g/hr is good minimum amount to shoot for. Many people do very well on 90g/hr. If you can tolerate it, experiment with higher amounts in training, but don’t be discouraged if you can’t push higher. Super high carb intake is not for everyone.

Caffeine is rocket fuel! But be aware of how you tolerate caffeine. I’m pretty sensitive to caffeine so I use it sparingly and in small amounts. Other people are better at processing and using caffeine so they can tolerate larger amounts.

Adapt on the Fly

While it’s a good idea to enter a race with a definitive plan, things happen and you have to be ready to adapt. Weather could be cooler or hotter than anticipated, your effort level could be different, or your stomach could just be having a bad day. A good racer knows how to roll with the changes, listen to their bodies, and adapt. I know I had to adapt at Black Canyon. Because temperatures were cooler than I expected at the beginning of the race, I ended up skipping a planned water fill-up at one of the early aid stations. I made this decision on the fly during the race based on how my body felt. I knew from experience that I would function better with a little less water early on. A plan is good, but don’t be afraid to deviate from it.

As always, If you’d like more personalized advice, message me!

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race report

Black Canyon 50k Race Report

It was a maybe 40 degrees with a stiff wind. Not too bad for Colorado standards, but still a challenge standing around in shorts and short sleeves waiting for the race to start. Then with about 2 minutes to go, someone announced there would be a 15 minute delay because one of the shuttle buses was late. Roll with it. Use the port-a-potty again and keep warm.

At last the start was seconds away. I positioned myself up at the front, removed my jacket, and readied my watch. Smooth and confident! That was my mantra for the day.

The race started off with a loop around a dirt high school track. I quickly found myself in the lead pack of three as we moved from the track to the paved roads of Mayer. I’ve never lead a race, and even though this was the second wave, it felt like what I imagine leading a race feels like. As the leader, you’re dictating the pace, you’re following the course markings, and you have someone on a bike following you with a camera. I even learned later we had a 10 minutes of drone coverage on us!

As the course turned into dirt roads, the lead pack became two. We chatted a little about past races and how we hoped to hunt down some runners from the first wave.

I took a rare glance at my watch. I like to check my watch once or twice in the beginning of a race just to make sure my heart rate and pace are in good spots.

Soon we get to the first single-track section and wow is it fun! Smooth and flowy with gently rolls that remind you why you love running. I happily drop in behind Ivan and become a follower. It’s a nice mental reprive to let another runner dictate the pace and find the line.

About 3-4 miles in, we start encountering the back of the first wave. From here on, passing other runners would be common.

At the first aid station, Antelope Mesa, I decided to fill one bottle and keep pushing. At Hidden Treasure I filled both bottles and stopped to pee. Initially I thought maybe I was taking too much time at this aid station, but I eventually caught back up with the wave 2 leader and settled in.

I was feeling great heading into Bumble Bee Ranch at mile 19, picking up speed on the fire road descent. I wasted no time, quickly filling two bottles and flying through the bar.

Then shortly after I exited Bumble Bee I hit the first long climb of the race. It was probably about a mile and not too steep, but it was a dramatic shift in gears from a mostly downhill course up to this point. I felt strong heading up this hill, maintaining a steady, but comfortable grind. A photographer even remarked, “You look like you enjoy climbing!”

The trail soon leveled out and became more flat to rolly, but I started to feel that climb in my legs. It looked like climb was more damaging to my competitors as I had taken sole possession of the wave 2 lead. Now it was time to chase down more wave 1 runners.

I went through the final aid station, Gloriana Mine, filling 2 bottles and splashing some water on myself. It was still 8 miles to the finish, but I still felt pretty good at this point.

As I went along, my mentally slowly shifted from chasing to holding on. I got to the next big climb and realized my legs weren’t up to the challenge. I started hike/jogging the steeper parts and focused on sticking with the runner ahead of me. At times I thought I could go faster, but I didn’t feel like I had the juice to make a pass, so I settled in. I started to notice some thirst at this point. Perhaps I could’ve done more cooling and drinking, but I felt fairly confident I could manage things for the short remainder of the race. I popped the last half of a caffeine gel I had started a few miles back and got to work.

I was doing a fine job of keeping up until a small misstep took me down. Nothing serious, just a momentary lapse where I had to catch myself with my hands, but enough to put some distance between myself and the next runner.

It was just me now. My focus shifted to just getting to the finish line. I looked at my watch and knew I couldn’t be more than a mile or so out. I started picking it up, realizing I had to be getting close to the final descent. And then out nowhere, the finish line appeared in the distance and the trail started flowing downhill. I ratcheted it up to a 6min/mile pace and floored it to the finish.

I was the first finisher in the second wave. The 35th male and the 3rd male master. 35th may not seem like much but there were probably 20 or so elites at the front and 530 total starters. I also snagged a 50k PR by 23 minutes!

I felt super about this race. Not only were the course and scenery stunning, but the result was beyond my expectations. I truly felt like if I had started in wave one, I could’ve finished in the top 30. I felt like I had found my place in the world of ultra-running and I actually belonged.

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