ultra running

Black Canyon 50k Race Profile
race report, running

Black Canyon 50k 2026 Recap

Black Canyon 50k Race Profile

It’s a few days after the race and I’m flying down the stairs of my building! Still processing things, but finding today the competitor in me is loud. I keep thinking about how i could’ve dialed in better from the start and maybe found that solid flow I know I’m capable of in that first 19 miles.

Things started to go a little south when I had to stand around for an extra 30 minutes waiting for the shuttle to arrive that would take us to the start line. Once I departed the shuttle around 7:05 AM (the race was scheduled to start at 7AM), I found out the new start time would be 7:30 AM. I was a little flustered. I hit the port-a-potty and headed over to the track to try and warm up. I made some last-minute gear adjustments and did what I could. Then around 7:20, the call was made to line up at the start. I found a good spot near the front next my friend Ivan whom I ran the race with last year. Unfortunately I realized I still had my hat, gloves, and long sleeves on, so I stepped out of line to throw them out at the nearest trash can. I made my way back into the start crowd, but couldn’t get back to my previous prime spot.

The gun went off a couple minutes before 7:30 and suddenly it was on. I went out in sub-6 minute pace which felt comfortable effort-wise, but my stride was off. I could see Des Linden up ahead and I wanted to tuck in behind her, but it felt forced. I couldn’t find a rhythm until around mile 5 when the course gets more descendy.

I felt solid heading into Antelope Mesa, the first aid station around mile 7.6. I was in and out in less than 30 seconds with one bottle refilled. I picked up speed heading into Antelope and carried good momentum coming out.

I flowed along fairly well for the next 4-5 miles, but once I could see Hidden Treasure in the distance, my mind started to feel the weight of the race ahead. I picked up speed entering Hidden Treasure at mile 12.8, filled both bottles and was out pretty fast. I felt good coming out, but that good feeling quickly faded and I was scared to look at my pace.

I think maybe I let myself give up a little when I got out of Hidden Treasure. I looked at my aid station splits at that point and I knew I was a few minutes behind last year. I turned on my music, which I’ve never done in a race, not to get myself back in the race, but to lean on for survival. I never doubted I was going to finish, but I just wanted to salvage what I could.

It really wasn’t until I was close to Bumblebee at mile 19 that I got into more of a race mindset. as I approached that last descendy dirt road, I could hear the crowds and a switch flipped. I hit sub-7 minute pace flying through the crowds. I refilled both bottles, got ice in my sleeve, a cold water drench, and was out in like a minute.

I hit the climb out of Bumblebee with renewed confidence. I saw runners near the top of the 1 mile climb that I could hunt down and I was going to catch them. I was still a little nervous about losing my legs after that long climb, but locked in anyway.

At the top of the hill, the trail turned into rollers and this dude pulled in behind me complimenting my climb. We decided to team up with me in the lead and together we set off to chew up the stragglers. I was racing again!

After a few passes, I let him lead, but soon realized I just couldn’t hang. I don’t know why. I feel like I should’ve been able to. Maybe I was still worried about my legs holding up knowing we still had 8 or 9 more tough miles to go. It was a move I just wasn’t ready to cover.

I continued to comfortably grind to Gloriana Mine at mile 23.8, still passing people and hanging on the heels of Cat Bradley.

Once again, as I’d done with all the aid stations, I picked up speed as I entered Gloriana. I knew this was the last aid station and I had to make it count. I filled both bottles, threw ice down my sleeve and dumped a ton of ice water on my head and was out. It was on!

I felt REALLY good coming out of Gloriana! I was stoked! Maybe I could still beat my time from last year! Then, I caught a toe on a rock…shit! My hamstring suddenly cramped. I had to stop and stretch for what felt like forever, but was only a few seconds. I could see another runner coming up, so I got back to it.

Eventually the effort felt manageable, but I’d lost sight of Cat Bradley and the momentum I had out of Gloriana was gone.

I led another runner for a bit and we started hunting again, but I lost him on that final steep climb out of the canyon. The mood was shifting and I was climbing well!

At this point there were 2ish miles left. I missed an opportunity to soak myself in the creek, but I emptied my last bottle on my head and used tiny slurps of a caffeine gel to get back into race mode again. I was hunting. I even thought maybe I could catch Cat or Des Linden who I knew were still a few minutes ahead.

I was still conserving, but slowly building. Once I was sure I was on the final descent, I dialed in as much as I could on those rocky downs until the trail smoothed out and I could feather in that final push. There was no one in sight to catch and I had no idea what my time was, but I knew I had to finish strong and leave behind whatever I had left.

Just like that it was over. The initial relief and happiness of finishing faded quickly as I looked at my watch and saw 4:40 -> 3 minutes slower than last year. I wanted so much more that day and seeing the time as I crossed the finish line kinda left me pissed. I could feel those moments earlier on in the race pop like sour patch bubbles in my stomach. Why couldn’t I have just run like I know i can in that first 19? If only I’d looked at my watch in that final 8 miles, maybe I could’ve found an extra 3 minutes?

The questions I had quickly faded as I saw the supportive texts I received from those closest to me in my life – my sister, my coach, and my girlfriend. They were there for me, and at that moment, that’s all that mattered.

Things That Went Well

  • I nailed the controllables – aid stations, fueling, hydration, cooling, prep, and gear.
  • I PR’d the last third of the race.
  • My climbing was on target.
  • My mental game was solid.
  • I was hunting and racing again.
  • I was lucky enough to share the trails with some all stars.
  • I came out healthy with no falls or injuries.

Lessons Learned

  • When those low moments come (and they will), give myself 1-2 minutes to let it pass.
  • Make and cover more moves. Sometimes it won’t pan out, but often it will.
  • More trail time and more run miles in the next block will go a long way.
  • This is the first ultra in a long time. That start-line focus will be there next time.

The 2026 season is just getting started and I’m SUPER stoked to see what happens next!

Feel free to check out the gory details on my Strava and follow along on IG for my next adventure!

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coaching, running

Lessons From Running 18 Miles on a Treadmill

Not gonna lie, running 18 miles on a treadmill is kind of rough. But, it can also be an opportunity to learn how to do something really hard. Here are the lessons I followed:

1. Prepare. Go over everything you need the night before the event and have it packed, ready to go. In this case, I knew the run was going to take me about 2 hours, 30 minutes. That told me I needed 8 gels, 5 salt tabs, and 2.5 liters of water. I also needed headphones so I could listen to podcasts or music, shorts, blister-resistant socks, a shirt, a watch, and comfortable shoes. By having all my supplies ready before hand, I reduce the chances of discovering I missed something during the event.

2. Pay attention to the little things. Every 5 minutes I take a drink, every 20 minutes I take a gel, every 30 minutes I start a new water bottle, every hour I refill my water bottles. Having these little milestones along the way not only keeps me fueled and hydrated, but also breaks up the big task into smaller chunks. By focusing on these tiny steps, I’m distracted from the daunting larger goal of 18 miles and the time just flys by (sort of 😂).

3. Periodically check-in with yourself. Every so often during this run, I paused to ask myself, “How are you doing?” I listened to my breathing, my heart rate, my legs. Do I feel hot, tired, or achy? Should I slow down? Maybe I should speed up? How’s my form? If anything feels out of place, I make adjustments. In this case, I was feeling pretty warm after the first 30 minutes. Instead of toughing it out, I moved to a different treadmill that had a ceiling fan right above it.

The goal of this run was not to suffer, but to finish feeling better than when I started. By following these lessons, I gave myself the best chance for success.

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running

Black Canyon 2026

I’m one of those weird runners that prefers running downhill before I run up. I think I’ve always liked saving the hardest part for last. Maybe I like the pressure, or maybe it’s just my nature as a procrastinator. So it’s possible I was made for the Black Canyon 50k course where the first 20 miles are all downhill.

I ran this race for the first time this year. It was my third 50k and my fastest ever with a time of 4:36:57 and 46th place overall. It was a magical day that I’ll never forget, but I know I’m capable of more.

The second half of this year has been a struggle. In June, a stubborn toe injury finally forced me to take a break from running. Then some personal demons crept into my life. I took up gravel biking and made the most of a rough summer with my first gravel race – the Crippler in Canyon City, CO.

Then fall came and I began to heal. My demons and I found some acceptable accord and I slowly reintroduced myself to running. All was looking up until it wasn’t. I was out on a training ride when my wheels slid out on an icy bridge. I crashed, cracking my helmet and road rashing up my shin, hip, and forearm.

I felt beaten up, inside and out. It was starting to feel like the universe was telling me to stop, like I had chosen the wrong life from a library of lives.

I was lost and yet there I was, continuing to ride and run again. I told myself I just needed to make it to another start line. So, I jumped into the Louisville Half-Marathon, finishing in 6th place and completing my farthest run since June.

Now that I’ve crossed that finish line, I feel that spark again. That desire to explore both new places and new limits.

I haven’t always been a shooter. I grew up in the background helping others take their shots. But it’s time to take my shot again.

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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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cycling, running

A Season of Change

It’s been a turbulent Fall so far…a season of change in so many ways. The days are getting shorter, the mornings are crisp, and there’s an extra layer of calm that blankets the town. 

Lately, I’ve found myself sipping a strange brew: the bitter taste of uncertainty in where I’m headed mixed with the sugar of confidence that it will all work out. 

With all the change, the one constant has been my training. While the structure has been a bit looser than normal, it’s been enough to build some fitness, especially on the bike which has opened up some new, yet familiar doors.

A month ago I finished my first gravel bike race, the Crippler 50 miler in Cañon City. This experience tapped into something deep from my childhood, when I’d impulsively grab my chromed out 20″ BMX and just crank for 20 miles or so.

Exploration is what drives me. It always has. It scratches that itch I have to learn…about myself, the world, and the amazing people that live here.

I haven’t put any races on the calendar yet, but rest assured when I hit that next startline, whether it’s on a bike or in running shoes, I’m all in. Full send.

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