Torrence! Where have you been?

August was a busy month and September will be no different.  However, there is a brief pause in the action. With that, let's go down to the field and get a recap of the month that was.

August 2, 2014 - Angeles Crest 100 Mile Endurance Run

Oh sure, this 100 mile story is long, almost as long as the race itself, but let's not go there.  Join me on the trail sometime and we can discuss.  I'm just psyched that I'm a 2014 Angeles Crest 100 Mile Endurance Run finisher.

In Wrightwood, Hal Winton points the way to Altadena for the 2014 finishers, all 92 of us.

On top of Baden-Powell.

Just running, for now.

Emily Harrison readying my pack at Vincent Gap.

Up and away.  Grinding into a climb I had forgotten about since my last AC100 outing...Mt. Williamson.

Andy Roth (pacer, crew and philosopher) suggests that my nap at Chantry has been long enough.

Emily concurs and dons her pacing vest.  It's time to catch that elusive 20th wind.

Crossing the line with Boise's Pearl Izumi athlete Tony Huff.  After 28+ hours, my 5th AC100 finish.

Larry Gassan's proper finish line photo.

August 12, 2014 - PepsiCo TransRockies Run 6-Day

Is there anything that compares to six days and 120 miles of racing in the Colorado Rockies?  Trust me...the magic wears off on, like, day four or five.  Six days of racing on steep trails at altitude wears you down.  Enter the PepsiCo TransRockies Run.  My second go at the event (2011 with Mr. Timothy Allen Olson), Emily's first...

This was cool for many reasons, but the biggest was:  Running six days with my confidante Emily Harrison.  Here we are finishing stage two over Hope Pass.

Storm clouds brewing over camp and Leadville, CO.

The final minutes before stage three which began on Harrison Street in downtown Leady.

The start of stage four.  From Camp Hale to Red Cliff and...

...Mangos!  IPA's and a breakfast burrito with fellow McMillan Running Coaches Jacob Puzey and Emily Harrison.

Getting stage five into Vail, CO done well.

Finishing stage six in Beaver Creek, CO.  Winners of the Team Open Mixed Division and losing the overall team title by a mere 12 seconds to Magdalena Boulet and Caitlin Smith.

Collecting the leaders jerseys one last time with second place Open Mixed Team Amber Monforte and Ryan Weibel.

Ran into freshly crowned Leadville Trail 100 Mile winner and fellow Flagstaffian Rob Krar at the awards banquet.

Thanks to Carey Martin for capturing me on Hope Pass.  Just an awesome photo!

August 23, 2014 - Gaspin In The Aspen 15K/5K/Kids Kilo

Nope, not racing this time.  I switched gears for the rest of August and pulled on my race directing breeches.  Gaspin In The Aspen was up first.  A special thanks to Kristin Wilson for the Gaspin race day shots you're witnessing below.

What can be said?  New Flagstaff arrival Andrew Benford smashes the Gaspin' course record and finishes in 51:31.

Emily Harrison successfully defends her 2013 title in 2014 and breaks her old CR and finishes in 58:26 and 5th overall.

True single track.

adidas Gazelle Trey Nash churns under the aspens.

300 runners strong...an excellent Gaspin' showing.

This is what it's all about.

Yurt aid station crew Justin Lutick and Chris Rennaker keep runners moving.

Jacob Puzey and Benford (wearing his prize Babbitt Ranch Pendleton blanket) at the finish line.

Runners, wearing their new Gaspin shirts, prepare for the course.

So freaking psyched this guy showed up.  2:11 marathoner and second American finisher at this year's Boston Marathon, Nick Arciniaga.

The start of the Kids Kilo.

August 31, 2014 - Arizona Trail Association North Rim Half Marathon and Tator Tot Trot

On to places far more remote and races much lower key.  However, when word gets out this event will surely grow leaps and bounds.

Five miles from Grand Canyon National Park's North Rim entrance station is where the Arizona Trail Association North Rim Half Marathon and Tator Tot Trot begins.  It skirts the east rim and travels across some of the gorgeous sections of the Arizona Trail.  Here Matt Nelsen (AZ Trail Association's Executive Director) and I give last minute instructions to a small but hardy crew.

Aid station volunteer wildlife.

Runners catching a drink at aid station one.

9000', aspen and fir trees.

A lucky rainbow seen from the east rim.

The winners of the seven mile "fun run."

Posing with our final and 15th place finisher Richard Vogt.

Start and finish line scenery.

Your Moment of Zen

Some of my favorite peeps and supporters framed by the remote and awe inspiring Ruby Mountains of Nevada.  My father, Emily, Lilly, Bee and Zoroaster.  You bet we could all fit into one pick-up truck!

2014 Moab's Alpine to Slickrock 50 Mile: A Trip From Clouds to Furnace

When Grassroots Events race directors Justin Ricks and Chris Martinez told me they were moving the date of their Moab's Alpine to Slickrock 50 Mile from September to July I shuddered.  I had run this event two times previous (see my 2012 report here), however I'd spent three years living in Moab and knew that July was not the best time to dance too long in this southeastern Utah desert.  Temperatures would easily top triple digits and tree and cloud cover would be at a rare premium.  Initially I balked at the idea of starting an event that was already hard enough.  With 10,000' of gain in its first 28 miles amongst the sky-scraping La Sal Mountains followed by a 22-mile knee jarring descent into Moab's Slickrock Trailhead, I knew the added heat component would certainly add another dimension of difficulty.  Then I "warmed" to the idea.  Why not challenge myself, test my early race day pacing, and fluid and nutrition intake in some of the toughest conditions imaginable:  rugged and sometimes indiscernible trail, oxygen deprived altitude and 104 degree desert heat.

Here's a video teaser of the race from 2012.



Just like the other old and new events on their race calendar, Grassroots Events did a stellar job of presenting MAS as a professionally orchestrated, yet low-key race.  Thanks fellas!  Yes, some runners were caught in hail, rain and thunderstorms, some stepped in cow patties and others missed critical turns and added miles to their day.  This is a tough event and has truly earned its "mini-Hardrock" moniker.  Per usual...some photos from race day!  Cheers!

Headlamps were needed for the 5am start, but once the sun rose Bryon Powell caught this low-light shot of me covering some of the early mile scree fields.

Again, a Bryon Powell photo of my back side crossing some of the high alpine meadows.  Where's the trail?

Coming into the first crew accessible aid station at Oowah Lake (mile 16).  Emily Harrison captured this moment and would also crew me through the long, warm day.  Thanks for getting me in and out of aid stations fast Em!

Coming into the Warner Lake aid station at mile 25.  Photo by Harrison.

Looking into Miners Basin and the course's final descent.  Photo by Chris Martinez.

Speaking of descents...Miners Basin Road is all quads (mile 32).  Harrison's photo.

A view from the Porcupine Rim (mile 35).  Photo by Martinez

More awesome views from the course as we descend into Moab.  Photo by Martinez.

The final 7 miles on the Sand Flats Road.  100+ degrees and clearly exposed to the sun. (photo from Matt Hart)

The guy I chased all day.  The 2014 MAS winner Matt Hart.  Photo by Meghan Hicks.

Crossing the finish line for a third year in 10 hours and 18 seconds.  Photo by Hicks.

The final strides and final stages of baking.  Photo by Harrison.

Your Moment of Zen

Oh how I wished I could have had access to this watery fun in the final 20 miles!

2014 Mount Evans Ascent Race

Mount Evans' (14,264') summit from Summit Lake (12,850')

Ever since my father, Paul Torrence, told me about the horrible conditions (wind, freezing rain, snow, drastically dropping temperatures and lack of oxygen) he faced at this race years ago, I knew this was an event I had to try myself.  I finally remembered to enter the always sold out Mount Evans Ascent Race this past November.  I'd finally get my chance to test my mettle at "America's Highest Road Race" and bag another Colorado 14'er in the process.

The course as seen from the summit.

At 14,264 feet Mount Evans looms over the Colorado front range.  A one-of-a-kind paved road winds to within a quarter mile of its summit.  The Ascent Race starts near Echo Lake (10,600') and climbs nearly 4,000' in 14.5 miles.  On the way runners struggle for air, fight a variety of grades, and battle the weather of the day.  This year that would consist of sunny skies, but some tough (40 mph gusts) winds.

Read Nancy Hobbs' post-race report.  Full race results are here.

Thank you to good friend Carey Martin for providing these awesome photos.  Also must thank Emily Harrison, David Martin, Jana Gustman, and Mason Martin for their race day support.

Boulder Running Company's Andy Wacker would claim victory in 2014 in 1:44.

Nike's Zach Miller finishes third overall in 1:51

Marathon killer, Jeffery Eggleston, deviates from his usual terrain to finish 7th in 1:57.

Fellow Flagstaff runner Forrest Boughner finishes in 2:02.

Stevie Kremer, who has run under 2 hours for this event, finishes second in the women's race today in 2:07.

Jason Bryant finishes first in the 40-44 age division in 2:08.  The first runner from the east coast. 

Catching air where there is no air to catch.

The final steps in the chute and a 2:18 finishing time.

Looking down on the Chicago Lakes.

Summit Lake sits along mile 9 of the course.

Mount Evans' rugged summit slopes.

Race spectators donned their winter parkas.

The spoils of victory: my race bib, finishers medal, "A Rock" for finishing under 2:40, and a clay bowl for taking third in the 40-44 age division.

The Inaugural Behind The Rocks 50K & 50 Mile

A few months ago Chris Martinez and Justin Ricks, the race directors of Grass Roots Events, hinted that they were putting on a new race in Moab, Utah.  This inaugural event would be in addition to their already wildly successful Red Hot 55K/33K, Alpine to Slickrock 50 Mile, and Amasa Back 6, 9 & 14 Mile.  They didn't have to nudge me too hard, I immediately added The Behind the Rocks 50K to my racing calendar.  The new course would navigate runners around Behind The Rocks (the race's namesake), a Wilderness Study Area south of Moab known for its sandstone fins, cliffs, and arches.  It was an area I frequented when I lived in Moab a decade ago and I looked forward to getting back to those lonely trails, deep canyons, and wide open views of the snow-covered La Sals and Abajos, the two prominent mountain ranges in southeastern Utah.

The 50K course weighed in with 3,500 feet of elevation gain over its 32 mile distance.  The deep sand running and technicality of the slickrock also added dimensions of difficulty.  As promised, the race did "...highlight Moab's last hidden gem."  50 mile racers were in for a longer day as the race covered ~56 miles of rugged Utah red rock, washes, and climbs.

Thank you to GrassRoots Events and all their volunteers for laying out an event that is certain to grow in the coming years.

Thanks also to Emily Harrison, Brandon Stapanowich, and Karah Levely-Rinaldi for some of these photos you'll see below.

The view as the sunsets from the Behind The Rocks start/finish line.

Co-race director Chris Martinez gives a last minute course briefing.

The start of the 50K.

The very technical single-track on the Hunter Rim Trail (mile 14).

Looking over the edge and down to the canyon bottom where we'd eventually end up (mile 15).

Arriving at the Gatherer Canyon aid station (mile ~16).

Looking back up at the Gatherer Canyon ascent.  Yes, there is a trail here among the rocks and ledges (hands necessary).

Aid station #3 for the 50K'ers and #7 for the 50 mile runners.

Descending on Kane Creek Rim Road, seven miles from the finish.

Done and done.

180 ultras later and still able to collect a tally mark in the "W" column.  

I'm happy that it was Martinez there to congratulate me on my finish. 

A view from Jacob's Ladder at the Jackson Hole aid station on the 50 mile course.

Kane Creek Road, also part of the 50 mile course.

Prostitute Butte, the beacon indicating that we were very near the finish line.

Your Moment of Zen

Are you looking for a summer ultra adventure that'll blow your mind?  May I suggest the Moab's Alpine to Slickrock (MAS) 50 Mile on July 5th, 2014.  It's a little-known, low-key, and well organized contest that highlights both the 12,000+ La Sal Mountains and the Moab slickrock desert.  It's the perfect preparatory event for those fall mountain 100-mile races.  It has it all: running at dark, heat, and altitude.  Check out this new video about the MAS50.

Moab's Alpine to Slickrock 50 mile Ultramarathon promo - 9/12 from Wes Walker on Vimeo.

A 50K National Road Championship Victory: A Coach's View

Emily Harrison wins the 2014 USATF 50K National Road Championships.

On March 2, 2014, on Long Island, New York, Emily Harrison crushed the Caumsett State Park 50K course record by running 3:15:00.07.  In doing so she won a USATF National Championship and ran the second fastest 50K in North American history.

Many folks have inquired about her training and tactics going in to the event.  When asked about her training Emily quietly states that her "coach" might be more apt to shed light on the "nitty gritty" of her training.  Here's my attempt to do that.

Let's first define what constitutes coach and athlete for the purposes of this article and this particular training cycle.  Not once did I don my sweat pants and whistle and stand at the side of the road or track yelling out encouragement or splits.  I built the training plan, altered a few workouts depending on how she was feeling, and offered encouragement during the non-running hours.  I "ran" water for her once on a long run in Fountain Hills, Arizona.  She joined the Northern Arizona Elite group less than a half-dozen times for workouts.  90% of Emily's miles were done solo.  A testament to her dedication to the end goal.

The Impetus:  Why the 50K Road Championship? 

This event didn't enter the picture until the 2013 JFK 50 Mile was completed.  Emily won the race, but with a time that was slower than the year before when she went head-to-head with Ellie Greenwood.  The training prep for her 2013 JFK was abbreviated as she struggled for months, post-2013 Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, with a nagging knee injury.

Emily desires an Olympic Marathon Trails qualifying time.  The idea of attempting this task this spring was batted about, but we agreed that the timing between JFK, proper recovery, and her next goal, the 2014 Western States, was not optimal.

Building confidence was paramount.  I suggested the 50K at Caumsett as a way for Emily to do this without necessarily instituting tough marathon training.  Race pace would be slower.  Endurance and strength would overshadow the need for speed.  The idea of a national title and a shot at an American record was also enticing.

The Training:  "The Nitty Gritty"

We had this knowledge:

Emily at 2013 Gaspin' in the Aspen 15K.

• Emily had a stout running background.  Lots of high school, collegiate, and post-collegiate success.  While running for Team McMillan Elite, under the tutelage of coach Greg McMillan, she posted a 2:32:55 at the Twin Cities Marathon in 2011.  She had already forayed into the ultra-world with 6:17 and 6:35 finishes at the JFK 50 Mile and a 7th place finish at Western States.  
• She was already fit and fast.  The only thing her coach had to do was keep her confident and injury-free.
• The injury-free component was easy to achieve.  Strength work, flexibility, and weekly visits (or more when needed) to Dr. AJ Gregg at HYPO2 was needed to keep the worst niggles at bay.

Long training run in Fountain Hills, Arizona

• Building Emily's confidence was a tougher cookie to crack.  Like most runners, Emily compares her present day workouts and race performances to Emily's of the past.  In order to mitigate this factor we did workouts that weren't involved in training cycles of the past (a half-marathon race, 1200-meter repeats on grass, long runs with mid-run pace changes).  We still threw in her favorite workouts and those she usually excelled at (Buffalo Park hill circuits, Lake Mary steady state runs, and tempo intervals).  And to remember she's training at altitude.

Buffalo Park hill circuits with Kellyn Taylor and Amy Van Alstine.

• After some debate (the coach won) we decided that Emily would benefit by joining other elite women in workouts so that she could test her mettle.  She employed the use of Ben Rosario's Northern Arizona Elite Team.  She ran several workouts with Maegan Krifchin and former McMillan Elite teammates Amy Van Alstine and Kellyn Taylor.

The Training & Racing Highlights

The plan

• January 2nd - Emily's first workout after six weeks of doing nothing more than 40-60 minute easy runs:  6 miles at steady state on paved Lake Mary Road averaging 6:04 pace at 7,000'.
• January 11th - "An epic fail," says Emily.  16 miles at 7:43 pace on forest roads.
• January 12th - But she volleyed the following day with 14 miles at 7:15 pace on forest roads.
• January 15th - Speed Intervals (4 x mile): 5:23, 5:22, 5:20, 5:19. solo
• January 18th - 8-mile steady state on Lake Mary (total time 47:43)  splits:  6:09, 6:04, 5:54, 5:52, 5:54, 5:56, 5:58, 5:56 with NAZ
• January 22nd - Buffalo Park hill circuits with NAZ (4 x 2 mile circuit in 52:36)
• January 25th - 20 miles averaging 6:43/mile on Lake Mary Road solo
• January 28th - 15 miles total with 3 mile fast finish (sub-5:50/mile pace) with NAZ
• February 9th - 20 mile pace-changing (between marathon & half-marathon effort) long run in Fountain Hills, AZ, averaging 6:34/mile on pavement
• Feb 11th - Grass 6 x 1200m with NAZ:  4:14, 4:06, 4:09, 4:07, 4:07, 4:05
• Feb 16th - IMS Half Marathon on roads in Phoenix in 1:15:45.  HM PR, 1st!
• Feb 19th - Tempo Intervals:  "I was going backwards, so I pulled the plug on this workout," says Emily. 6 x mile: 5:47, 5:51, 5:53, 5:56, 6:03, 6:12  Too much too soon after the half.
• Feb 22nd - 14 miles with 6 mile fast finish, averaging 6:02/mile on the final 6 miles.
• Feb 26 - Cruise intervals on "Trina's Loop" road. 4 x 1000m: 3:26, 3:31, 3:24, 3:33
• March 2nd - Caumsett USATF 50K National Road Championships: 3:15:00, 1st!

Race Day Strategy

Making fast loops at Caumsett.

The goals in order of priority:

• National Championship victory
• American Record:  6:12/mile pace.  Simply hold the pace until you can no longer.
• Course Record: 6:26/mile pace
• Run even splits and fuel with a combination of gels and maltodextrin/water mix.

Payday with race director Carl Grossbard.

Emily accomplished big things, however the big goal still alluded her.  She says trying again in 2015 isn't out of the question.  See Emily's splits here.

In closing, it is interesting to note that on our race morning warm-up Emily uttered, "I really don't feel like doing this today."  Coach's response, "Mmmm, let's get back.  They'll be starting soon."

Congratulations on winning huge Emily!

Special Thanks
To Caumsett State Park 50K race management, Cheryl & David Harrison, Pat Burba, Phil & Sandra Morris, Northern Arizona Elite, Team Run Flagstaff Pro, Dr. AJ Gregg & HYPO2, adidas, Nathan Performance Gear, Injinji, and New Belgium Brewing.