My last ultra for the year, the inaugural Vista Verde 50K by Robert Rhodes had all the vistas and amazing amounts of verde too. And quite a brutiful course too with short, steep rolling climbs that never seem to let … Continue reading
That’s what Greg Lanctot (RD) told us during the pre-race briefing while we stood around warming ourselves with the rising sun. And boy was he right. Everything in Woodside felt lush, green & vibrant and the trails were bouncy, but … Continue reading
Let me just say Quicksilver 100K is the hardest course I’ve run, so far. A sadistic 100K with 13,000+ feet of relentless steep climbs, this one never lets up until you cross the finish line. None of the ‘hard part of … Continue reading
As the 2nd largest 50-miler in US, the American River 50M is a big production. I was joined by ~630 runners on a beautiful course from Folsom to Auburn. The American River 50M course is a combination of bike paths, single … Continue reading
Friday was an intense day at work and I didn’t really get to think much about the Stevens Creek Striders 50K until after dinner. The Stevens Creek Striders 50K is a fantastic course with two loops and a little out-and-back on … Continue reading
Take a dark foggy night, add in 4 big hills with wind-swept ridges and a visibility of 5, maybe 10 feet, hang multi-colored glow sticks on the side of the trails, post amazing volunteers at the aid-stations bottom of each hill and finally share … Continue reading
I didn’t know that Skyline 50K is one of the older races in the Bay Area. 2014 was the 33rd anniversary of this run and while they talk about a moderately hilly figure 8 course, a 4,750ft elevation gain/loss is not … Continue reading
Not once in the last 2½ years of running have I remotely entertained the idea of actually racing during a run. I’ve been, for the most part, happy to finish in one piece (without injuries), taking pictures along the way … Continue reading
According to the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve’s website, this is the district’s largest preserve, overlooking the town of Los Gatos and encompassing over 18,000 acres of mostly rugged and steep terrain. Huh, keyword is steep. Last time around, I was at the … Continue reading
Trail running or road running? That’s an eternal question for many runners. I was very fortunate to have jumped on a trail just a few months after I took up running. Even though my first race was the San Francisco … Continue reading