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Twin Peaks 50/50 Ultramarathon

Todd — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 23:14:14 +0000

Last weekend I volunteered at the Twin Peaks Ultramarathon. The race is practically in my backyard, taking place in the Cleveland National Forest around Saddleback Mountain. The course is scenic but brutal. The 50 mile race has 17,000 feet of total elevation gain!

The first I’d ever heard of ultra running was via Dean Karnazes’ Ultramarathon Man
a few years ago. Having just completed my second marathon I wanted to see first hand what the “next level” of running looked like. After spending a dozen hours on a mountain top watching runners all I can say is, “Wow!”

I was stationed near the top of the course at Upper Holy Jim, working with folks from Riverside County RACES. The crew was great, arriving well before dawn and then being the last off of the mountain with us, well after dark. While on duty we recorded split times as runners passed by, offered directions to those wondering which way to turn next and circulating back down to another aid station at Bear Springs to keep supplies of Gu and Nuun fresh. A few trips down and back (maybe 3 miles total) convinced me that this race wasn’t for me.

The winner of the 50 mile race was Hiroki Ishikawa who finished in 9:05. I’d met him the night before at the volunteer dinner. He’d flown in from Japan and is an accomplished ultrarunner. (See his profile on Patagonia.) I met several other folks during the dinner and cheered them on as they crossed by at mile 25, mile 40 and again mile 45. Ross Davidson, from Kentucky, was in California on business and decided to tackle the 50K before returning home, seemingly on a whim. He was begging for bourbon, instead of water, at our station. Mike Fugget, from Hawaii, was using Twin Peaks as a qualifier for the H.U.R.T. 100 mile run in Hawaii.

We ended up waiting for a few runners well after dark, literally packing up the station and following them down the windy fire road by vehicle (some great video of the bumpy road here on Billy Burger’s blog) while they continued to run in the darkness. I felt terrible when I saw the results the next day for the two women bringing up the rear of the 50 mile and 50 K races. They’d come so close, only to end up as DNFs. And, while exceedingly annoyed at one runner who ignored the cutoff times, I couldn’t help but be a little proud to see his name with a time in dead last. True perseverance.

Everyone that passed that day was truly inspirational, whether smiling and in great shape or struggling to the end.

2010 Surf City Marathon Race Report

Todd — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:45:36 +0000

After a thorough soaking Friday and Saturday the clouds parted in Southern California making Sunday a beautiful day. This was good, as I was at the starting line preparing to run my second marathon on Sunday in Huntington Beach as the sun rose.

Mindful of the lessons I learned at the OC Marathon last year, I kept the pace easy and had really consistent splits up until mile 21 when I started to fade. I had one long walking stint at mile 23 and then summoned enough will to power through the last few miles.

A few notable moments:

Around mile 6 I caught up with George Border, an 81 year old running his 40th marathon. He was all smiles and playfully “conducting” one of the bands in HB Central Park.

At mile 15 a boy and his mother were cheering from the median in the road. The boy, no older than 5, had his hand out for a high five but no one was taking him up on the offer. I sprinted across the street and gave him a hoot and a quick slap on the hand. The glee on his face gave me an instant adrenaline rush. It was great!

Around mile 20 I crossed paths with Barefoot Ken Bob, who was prominent in “Born to Run”. He was walking with another runner so I slowed down, said hello and then went back on my way. I spotted two other barefoot runners during the race along with one prosthetic limb. Talk about inspiration!

My family were near the finish line, cheering and holding up signs the kids had made for me that morning. Nothing could have made me happier than seeing them and I crossed the finish line right near my goal time with a smile on my face.

Camp Pendleton Mud Run Race Report

Todd — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 05:13:48 +0000

My first “mud run” was a great! The Camp Pendleton Mud Run course was a little longer than the advertised 10K but I could have cared less. Scrambling up muddy hills and sloshing through the mud pits was a blast!

The first 1/4 mile had me dodging Marines with fire hoses before making my way onto a loose, sandy trail. The next mile was flat and easy. The herd stopped when we crossed our first stream – apparently people were afraid of getting a little dirty. I exited the stream wet to my knees and shoes filled with sand.

At mile 2 the course became a fire road and started a gradual climb, gaining almost 400 feet. Marines with Super Soakers awaited us at the top. After cresting the hill you give back all 400 feet with a steep downhill section in the next 1/2 mile.

At the bottom of the hill, 4.5 miles in, we crossed the stream again and turned towards the first first real obstacles. First a 40′ mud pit with a 5′ fence in the middle. A short way from the pit was a reservoir, with neck-deep water. I alternated swimming and jogging until we emerged on the other side. Two more mud pits and and 2.5′ tunnel greeted us after the swim.

At mile 6 was a steep, mud-slicked hill. A happy Marine was at the top, hose in hand, soaking the whole hill down. A few people ate it on the way up but luckily I managed to keep my footing.

Just before the finish line was another mud pit, this time with flags draped over the top. The only way through was on hands and knees. I emerged dripping mud but totally happy with the finish line just ahead of me.

Can’t wait for the next one!

OC Marathon Race Report

Todd — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 05:07:59 +0000

May 3 was a glorious day for a race but, as it turned out, my first marathon was a race simply to finish, and not a race against the clock.

The first 10 miles of the OC Marathon wound through Corona Del Mar and around Back Bay in Newport Beach. The weather was cool and overcast. That, combined with the rush of the crowd, put me slightly ahead of pace (8:45).

All was well until mile 11 where trouble struck. I started feeling nauseous and lost my breakfast. Thankfully a water station wasn’t far away. I can only assume that nerves were the cause because I didn’t feel bad otherwise.

The half marathoners peeled off towards the finish line at mile 12. There were 4500 doing the half and only 1300 doing the full so the field shrunk considerably. I crossed the half-way point just a few minutes behind my goal pace. So far so good, despite the stomach problems.

Pace-wise, I started to fade around mile 16. I was hoping to make it to mile 18 at ~ 8:45 before slowing but, alas, it was not to be. My legs and lungs were feeling strong but my stomach was giving me fits again.

Inspired by fellow dailymiler Michael B‘s marathon strategy, I started alternating running and walking. This worked great, though my pace was certainly lower. I crossed mile 20 doing ~ 10:45 miles. 4:15 was clearly out the window but I was still pleased with my performance, all things considered.

At mile 21 my calf started feeling a little tight and I started walking more than I was running. At mile 22 I was reduced to a pile of writing pain in the middle of the street. My right calf had cramped hard.

I spent a good 5 minutes lying in the road as all manner of fellow runners stopped to make sure I was OK. One fellow stopped to squirt me with a little Kool n’ Fit. Another stopped to ask if I had salt tablets. Another stopped and helped to rub out the cramp. I felt incredible goodwill toward mankind (runnerkind?) lying there on the pavement.

I was on the ground twice more between mile 22 and 23 before I finally gave up on any running whatsoever and simply started walking to the finish.

Let me tell you, nothing is more frustrating than running hard for over 3 hour and 30 minutes and then having to walk for another 2 hours to finally get to the finish line. My spirit was willing but my body – specifically those damned calves – just wasn’t.

All that frustration melted away, though, as I turned the last corner and saw my family was there cheering me on. I mustered up enough grit to awkwardly shuffle the last tenth of a mile to the finish line. My 4 year old, Henry, ran with me… and all was right with the world, cramps and all.

Brainwashed! (Or The Freedom Run 10K)

Todd — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:59:02 +0000

One thing I’ve learned over the past few years of parenting is that your children pick up your bad habits quickly. One slip of the tongue and your child is suddenly has the mouth of a sailor. Sit in front of the TV one minute too long on the weekend and you’re raising the next ESPN Ultimate Couch Potato on your hands.

Thankfully, it seems that my healthy running habit is what’s rubbing off on Henry. Perhaps it counters the unhealthy video game obsession he has. “Wanna play Mario Kart Wii? No? Let’s play Rock Band! Daddy, can you play Man (his name for TeamFortress 2)? You can be pyro!”

On the 4th this year I ran in the Ladera Ranch Freedom Run 10K and Henry was dying to do the 1K Firecracker race for kids. “I’ll run like you, Daddy!” Emma grudgingly participated despite complaining, “Ewww… I don’t like to get sweaty!”

I ran an acceptable 54:50 myself and then walked with Emma, Henry and Marla over to the 1K starting line. They had an excellent warm-up courtesy of a personal trainer in Ladera and then we all went to the start line.

We managed to avoid being trampled at the beginning and I followed Henry. He set a blistering pace at the beginning, passing lots of others. As we hit the 500m mark, other children were getting tired but Henry was just getting warmed up. We rounded the corner with 200m to go and he unleashed his “kick”. His finish time for the 1K was a blistering 4:16 (about 7:55 minute mile). This boy has potential!

Afterwards we cooled off with a little splashing in the back yard before packing up to head to watch the fireworks at the lake in Rancho Santa Margarita. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and then a pretty good fireworks show for a small community.

Surf City Race Report

Todd — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 19:11:43 +0000

Last Sunday the NY Giants pulled off an upset victory over the New England Patriots. That was exciting and all, but I’m here to talk about something far more exciting. Last Sunday I ran my first half-marathon.

My goal was to finish in under two hours. I just barely squeaked in under goal at 1:59:06.

The Surf City USA race in Huntington Beach bills itself as a flat, scenic course with the best February weather you can find. While this may normally be true, 2008′s race was anything but sunny and mild.

It was pouring rain, a chilly 45 degrees and windy. Average wind speeds were 14 mph and the rain varied from a pleasant sprinkle to a skin stinging downpour. What great weather for a first race!

I woke up ~~bright~~ dark and early Sunday morning and left the house at 5:45 AM for the drive up to Huntington Beach. I parked in one of the last remaining spots at the overflow parking lot and waited in line with a few hundred others for a bus ride to the start line.

I started toward the rear, in the 5th wave, with those expecting to finish between 2:10 and 2:20. I figured passing people regularly instead of struggling to keep up would be a good mental motivator. The gun sounded and I was off!

While conditions were miserable I wasn’t. Sean was right – the atmosphere at the race really got me excited and pumped. I was actually nervous – butterflies and all.

The course was indeed flat, with a few exceptions in the first five miles. I’d done a lot of hill work during my training so I was ready for them and pulled ahead of a bunch of people. Hey, that whole “training” thing does pay off. (Much like studying, right, Paul?)

The race ends with a long run on PCH through Bolsa Chica state park. By mile 9 I was getting a little tired of the wind and rain… and in need of a potty break. I had to take a quick pit stop around mile 10 and then pushed on toward the end.

I felt great through all 13 miles. I’d been training in earnest since the beginning of November, using a Nike Plus training guide. For the last month of training I was running a 10K (6 miles) every other day during the week and then a long run of 10-12 miles on the weekend. I had no doubt that I would finish but wasn’t sure if I’d meet my goal.

As I said, though, I’d squeaked in just under my goal of two hours, with an average pace of 9:06 per mile. Good enough for the top 25% of all finishers and the top half of my age range. Not too shabby for a first-timer! Full numerical breakdown here.

I’ve taken the week off before I set a new goal and pick a next race to train for. The half-marathon seems to be a great distance. It doesn’t require as much training time as a full marathon but is long enough to make you push yourself. There will be more in my future…

Running Up Currahee

Todd — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 01:43:54 +0000

If you’ve seen Band of Brothers then the name “Currahee” will be familiar. Easy Company was forced to run up and down the mountain (“3 miles up! 3 miles down!”) by Lt. Sobel, annoyingly played by a David Schwimmer in the series.

I’ve literally spent years of my life in Toccoa with family but never once ventured up the mountain, the only large peak visible for miles. While we were in Toccoa this year I was determined to tackle Currahee Mountain myself.

Dad and I drove out to the mountain and up the trail to the peak, just to see what I was in for. After spending a few minutes soaking in the view from 1700 feet we went back down the hill so I could start my run.

The first few miles were actually pretty easy. The trail rises and falls while steadily gaining ground. There’s a little house at about 2.5 miles where the mountain decides to be mean. From there on out it’s up, up and more up with only a few spots where the grade eases to “only” 5 – 8%. Quite a few cars passed me on my trek up, always offering encouragement.

After relaxing for a minute on top of the mountain I turned around and headed back down. I was pleasantly surprised at my time. The ~ 6.5 miles took me only ~ 70 minutes, not much worse than my best 10K time.

There is, apparently, a 10K race held each year at the mountain. Check out a few pictures here from the race in 2005. I’ll have to remember to bring my camera next time I tackle the mountain!

2007 Race for The Cure

Todd — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 07:03:26 +0000

Hello everyone!

I’m sure you’ve been waiting… anxious with anticipation that we should once again ask for your help as we participate in the 2007 Race for the
Cure. This year, something a little different though. Todd has taken the initiative to start a team at his work (GameSpy) and we hope to walk and run with a group of good friends rather than going it solo.

We invite you to participate in the walk on Sunday, September 23rd as a member of the GameSpy team or, if that’s not possible, to contribute to our fundraising goal.

There are many donation options. You can contribute toward an individual member or to the general team. More team members should be joining as we get closer to race day – we hope!

It is hard to believe that last year’s Komen Race was Todd’s first (trained) 5K and that now he is training toward the goal of participating in a 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles). Between morning runs (Todd), walks (Marla) and week-end yoga (Marla) we hope we are setting a “healthy” lifestyle example for our children. Now, I just need to give up some of my sweet indulgences or at least hide them. (Emma knows all my tricks!)

We hope you all have had a fun Labor Day week-end and thank you in advance for your support! We look forward to the race!

Smile-
Marla, Todd, Emma and Henry

Papa’s Got A Brand New Shoe

Todd — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 03:49:00 +0000

After 321.7 miles my first pair of running shoes was starting to lose some steam. My feet and knees were starting to be a little achey after running. I started a 10K training program in mid-May and my miles have been increasing so it was time to start searching for new shoes lest I hurt myself.

The Nike Air Max 180+ had done their duty as a starter pair of shoes. I’d gotten lucky walking into Foot Locker and getting an salesman who actually knew the difference between shoes. This time I thought I’d see what a real running shop could do for me.

I visited A Snail’s Pace in Laguna Hills on Spiff’s recommendation. What an awesome experience! It was night and day from Foot Locker. The sales guy watched me run for a bit outside the shop to check out my stride and foot fall. After he was done watching me we went inside and he chose a few pair to start with.

I tried on a total of 8 pairs of shoes from a variety of different brands. After putting each pair on he had me go outside and take a quick run down the sidewalk and back and then rate the shoe relative to the others. At the end of about 30 minutes of sampling I couldn’t decide between two pair… so he had me put one shoe of each brand on a foot and go compare them head to head.

I ended up with the Mizuno Wave Rider 10. They’re far lighter than the Air Max shoe I had before and way more breathable. So, three cheers for A Snail’s Pace. I’ll never buy running shoes anywhere else.

The new shoes were great but did leave me with one problem: how to attach my little Nike+ transponder. The Air Max shoes had a little hole under the liner just for the transponder. It made me afraid to take the shoes on an airplane but it was cool and convenient.

I started out using a pretty generic shoe pouch. A little velcro piece attaches it to the shoe and there’s room for money, keys and the transponder. As you can see from the pictures, though, it is gargantuan and unsightly.

I poked around a bit online and spotted the SwitchEasy RunAway and immediately ordered one. The RunAway is tiny when compared to the giant shoe pouch and really easy to take on and off – alleviating my airplane fears. I ordered two and life is now good.

I’ve already put 44 miles on my new shoes in just two weeks. (If you’re interested, watch my progress here on “Running With Steam” which has a summary of all my running stats.) At this pace I’ll be searching for another pair in ~ 16 weeks.

Bad for my wallet but good for children in Africa, I suppose.

My old shoes are headed to Darfur via Sole Responsibility. If you’ve got a pair of used shoes sitting in your closet consider sending them to someone who could use them more than you do.

Bay Bridge Run

Todd — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 05:41:48 +0000

Many, many years ago a crew at GameSpy started running around Skypark Circle training for the Bay Bridge Run in San Diego. I was determined to make this one of my 12 races for this year. With Grandma and Grandpa Mandel in tow we headed down to San Diego for a short weekend trip.

On Saturday we toured Old Town San Diego. Emma and Henry had a blast wandering around the park touring the old buildings, sitting on the many canons and terrorizing as many birds as they could.

Sunday morning Marla and I rose early and took the Trolley to downtown for the Bay Bridge Run. The race had reached its maximum number of participants at 8000 and I think we lined up at about 7800 or so. I spent the first mile trying to run but being surrounded by walkers. We lost LOTS of people (thankfully) when we got to the bridge and started to climb versus running on the flat.

My average pace was just a hair over 9’00″ and my time at the finish line was 36’13″. That put me finishing 150th within my age bracket and 1431 of 8000 overall. Marla made great time, too, and finished her walk at just about 54 minutes.

We ended Sunday by touring the apartment that the Mandels lived in many years ago while George was still in the Navy. The apartment was still there, in the newly gentrified neighborhood of Hillcrest adjacent to Balboa Park.