A Great 2012! Happy New Year, All...

(Quinn and Sophie Jane ham it up with Dad and Mom in the Tahoe snow)

I hope this finds you all well, and enjoying a little downtime as 2012 draws to a close. What a crazy year it has been! So many wonderful trails, an abundance of shared smiles and triumph, all sandwiched into a wicked full dance card. We are blessed to have adventure at every turn.

It all started with a great winter romp through the Pacifica hills at the inaugural Brooks Falls 50k...

...then a new half marathon PR at the San Francisco Half Marathon (1:16:23) set me up for a great run at the hilly Austin Marathon (2:46:05)...

...then a casual Way Too Cool 50k, where ITR teammate Gary Gellin crushed the course record...

...the Boston Marathon was a hot one this year, 20 degrees hotter than the Presidio 10m in San Francisco the day before...

...and I really had fun at the Providian Relay, my first try at a team distance format...

...there were a few hiccups in the season, such as a broken toe, a stomach virus, Hurricane Sandy canceling the NYC Marathon, an unceremonious end with the team I had known for five years, funemployment, and a DNF at the superb Black Hills 100 (my own fault after riding Harley's all day before), but took it all in stride...

...we saw heroes rise and heroes fall, Race Directors come and go, and unfortunately had to say goodbye to a few warriors along the way (Robert and Linda, Micah, Michael)...

...I enjoyed some new cycling adventures at the Auburn Century, the Tour de Menlo, and the Guardsmen Century...

...and had a couple of trips to Europe for the uber-weather challenge of the Ultra Tour de Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France, as well as an opportunity to talk about ultrarunning with all the entrepreneurs at Le Web in Paris this winter...

One Ultrarunner's Journey to Measure the Human Spirit @scott_dunlap from Scott Dunlap

...combined with a few more great local races in Half Moon Bay, Redwood City, the naked Bay to Breakers, and Woodside, it was a wonderful year! Best of all, friends and family stayed healthy and active, with plenty of adventures all their own.

So what awaits for 2013?!? So many possibilities!!! The Excel spreadsheet is up, and the lottery results are in, so let's get that schedule together. Oh, the places we will go!

Happy New Year, everyone!

- SD 

Gunz Blazin' at the 2012 Austin Marathon

Last Sunday, I had the great pleasure of joining 18,000+ runners for the 21st running of the Austin Marathon in Austin, TX. This hilly marathon has been on my bucket list for years, much in thanks to starting and ending in the live music capital of the US. The weather was perfect, the spectators were loud and plentiful, and we all had a great jaunt through the Texas "hill country".

(Austin at night)

I came down a few days early for work, and Austin welcomed me with a New Orleans brass band from the moment I opened the cab door. They were one of 20+ bands playing live within six blocks. Just a typical Thursday night in Austin! Such a young and vibrant city, embracing the diversity and "stay weird"-ness that makes this place a hub for culture and fun in the heart of hat-wearin' Texas. I'm learning that combining a marathon with a work-related trip opens to the door to explore a city beyond it's typical downtown and tourist fare, and an excuse to have a few serendipitous nights with its residents.  It's the only way you are going to "get" the vibe of a place like this.

(Beer prices change in real-time on the ticker at the Brew Exchange)

(The cozy Living Room at the W Hotel)

(May my kids someday understand this discovery ritual)

I had a great time spending the evenings testing out a great mobile application called TabbedOut, which allows you to pay your bar tab from your phone. It's amazing how much simpler life is when you don't have to wait for a check, not to mention the free drink offers. We tried out the Brew Exchange (where prices of beers change in real time based on popularity), Kung Fu (with giant-size Jenga), the Ginger Man (dive bar complete with fist fights), and the Living Room, a comfy meet-and-greet spot at the W Hotel that has a few thousand albums in their browsable library. I pulled down the 80's classic Frontiers by Journey (what 80's kid didn't have that album?) and asked the DJ to give it a spin. All in all, these few days are probably not the best kind of carb-loading for a marathon, but then again, they always say not to change too much of your day-to-day routine before a race! Beer it is.

(Hanging with Bart Yasso at the Stevie Ray Vaughn memorial)

(A recovering Dick Beardsley and wife Jill prep us for the shake out run)

(Rain? But there's runnin' to do!)

(The Austin Track Club leads us out)

The morning before the race, Bart Yasso and Dick Beardsley organized a shake out run along the river, and the Austin Track Club (with motto, "Gunz Blazin'") braved the rain to come join us. It was fun for a few dozen of us amateurs to jog with such an accomplished group, and hear about their training towards the Olympic Trials in Eugene, OR, this June, and the USATF Indoor Championships coming up in a few weeks. 1500m Olympian and Indoor Champion Leo Manzano (and soon-to-be 2012 USA Indoor 1500m Champion - nice work, Leo! Outkicked Centrowitz and Rupp!), 800m specialist Lea Wallace, and 4-minute miler Jake Morse were all good sports, talking up how they couldn't possibly tackle a full marathon. No matter what our preference, it was fun to be in good company and collectively jaunt through the sheets of rain coming down.

(18,000+ runners ready to go at the Capital Building)

By race morning, the rain had cleared at the LiveSTRONG(tm) colors lined the streets. This was an Austin race, but LiveSTRONG had definitely put a focus on cancer survivors among the crowds, and that yellow tone could be found in race shirts, mugs, and wristbands galore. I jogged up to the start, just in time to hear Lance Armstrong wish us well (and jump into the half marathon) and get a few tips from local triathlete Desiree Ficker, who was out to get some revenge on this course after coming up short in her Olympic Trial qualifier bid last year (she still won in 2:50). I saw super-Master Chad Ricklef lining up for the marathon, so I knew the 40+ division would be tough. At 7am, the cannon sounded and we left the capital building to take over the streets!

(The gorgeous and fun Desiree is ready to crush the marathon)

(On your mark, get set...)

(GO!!!)

The marathon and half marathon started together, so my 6:10 min/mile pace still had me about 50 people back. This was the goal today - head out at a PR pace (2:45) for the first half and see where that gets me. I had set a PR for the half marathon two weeks ago, so if the conditions were right, a marathon PR should technically be within reach. I didn't spend much time studying the course, but the runners around me confirmed that most of the hills are in the first 15 miles. I paced along with the Women half marathon front runners over the bridge, even joining a high school team for a bit, before we turned around (mile 4) and headed back downtown. My camera started flashing "incompatible battery", one of many disappointing glitches from this beat up Panasonic FX-48, but I held back from chucking it into the river in respect for the many miles it did serve. Too bad - the South Congress district looked like a picture-worthy bohemian faire.

(Runners take over Austin, photo courtesy of Rick Kern)

The hills were getting meaty now, and the elevation chart did not do justice to the steepness of these San Francisco-worthy pitches. I was running in the same Spira Stinger XLT's that had pulled me to a half marathon PR at the SF Half two weeks ago, and they felt great on the long descents. I cruised along with Brad Whorton, a former Wake Forest track athlete now finishing up his MBA at UT Austin and trying his first marathon after a 10-year running hiatus. Brad pulled us back over the bridge (mile 8) and to the West side of town (mile 11), before we gave our best to the half marathoners who peeled off for their final kick. We hit the half marathon in 1:22:46 - right in line for a negative split.

(Lance Armstrong joins the half marathoners, fresh off his 2nd place finish at Ironman Panama)

Brad and I could barely make out a runner five blocks ahead of us, and once we were joined by 27-year-old John Doehring, there was nobody behind us either. It was going to be a quiet second half! The front pack of Edward Kiptum, locals Jynocel Bosweti (2:14 here in 2007) and Scott Rantall, and Bartosz Mazerki were all on a 2:23 marathon pace, well ahead of the rest of us. John pulled us through mile 15, where local schools made for great cheering sections among the rather remote sections of the course. I pulled for a few miles to help John with the headwind, and then at mile 20, Brad came around and set a pace we couldn't match on the ample long downhills. Those milers sure can fight the pain!

(One of many great signs along the way)

My local friend Paige Alum ran along with me for a few blocks (in her clogs, natch!), getting lots of cheers from the crowd and runners alike. It was just the boost I needed! Runners would later ask me "if you're getting beers with her after the race, let me know where...there is definitely a party wherever she is going!". Yep, that is pretty much Paige in a nutshell. I dropped a slowing John, and picked up a few spots of cramping runners as I did my best to keep Brad in sight. Once I caught sight of the capital building again, I splurged with a sip of beer at mile 25, and hit the last few hills.

(Nice pic, Brightroom)

That last little hill felt like K2, but I found plenty of motivation from the hoards of half marathoners coming in alongside of me. I crossed the finish line in 2:46:05 for 18th place, about 50 seconds short of a PR, but feeling good about the effort. I had a massage, beer, and shower and came back to the finish to cheer on finishers.

(Edward Kiptum with the win)

(Shannon Bixler brings the crowd to its feet with her win)

(First time marathoners enjoy a well-deserved break at the finish)

Edward Kiptum had persevered for the win (2:22:50), with Jynocel Bosweti (2:23:51), and Bartosz Mazerski (2:25:55) completing the podium. Chad Ricklef won the Masters in an impressive 2:30:57, kicking me down to 3rd in our age group (but I'll take it!). The crowd went crazy when local athlete Shannon Bixler won the Women's division in 3:02:58 carrying the Texas flag, with Inna Vishik and Pia-Maria Molin coming in a dead heat for 2nd/3rd in 3:08:51. (all results) The finish line had plenty of stories of PR's, first time finishes, and new friends made along the course.


Marathon (2012 Livestrong Austin Marathon) from Jordan J. Miller on Vimeo. The time lapse photography starting at 30 sec is pretty cool.

Overall, a wonderful race and fantastic weekend retreat! I now know why they call it Hill Country, the Live Music Capital of the USA, and can appreciate all the "Keep Austin Weird" signs. This is truly a magical place! My thanks to the race directors, volunteers, and spectators for a great time.

- SD

Planning My 2012 Season

Ah...it's that glorious time of year to pick out anchor races for the season! The calendar sits before us overflowing with potential for adventure, new friends, and soon-to-be-stories to tell, and all we have to do is choose a path. Few things lift my spirits as much as this annual ritual (see '06, '07, '08, '10, '11). A full calendar of endurance events continues to be the best proof I am choosing to live IN the world instead of ON it.

I was very pleased with my 2011 season, particularly since my "life event" calendar was jam-packed. Baby Quinn arrived (now 10 months old!), as did Ace the Pug, and 5-year-old Sophie Jane is growing up faster than ever now as a kindergartener. My career enjoyed a Silicon Valley hyperspeed tour through unemployment, entrepreneurship, and now a big company job that is surprisingly fun, with a few scares of relocation thrown in for good measure. It used to be that my "life" was fairly predictable, and I looked to outdoor endurance events to inject adventure. Now it seems my race calendar is the rock while my life is in perpetual whirlwind. Either way, I am blessed that all parts of my life feed my soul with new experiences.

So, how to create a calendar of events that will continue to inspire and challenge? Which experiences in the previous year filled my soul the most and where do I need a change? Is this a year to tackle championship events and PR's like 2010, or an exploratory year like 2009? Should I mix in some tri's and cycling events, or just focus on running? Can I even get IN any of the events I want to do? And how can those events keep the blog fresh and interesting?

Here's where you will find me in 2012:

Brooks Falls 50k, 1/22 - The first race of the new Inside Trail Racing event company, and an interesting chapter in trail running for the Bay Area. The entrepreneur in me wants to help any new company that can fill a need, and the Bay Area never seems to saturate the need for trail races. I haven't been to this location since 2007 and am eager to tackle its coastal hills again.

San Francisco Kaiser Half Marathon, 2/5 - Home of my half marathon PR (1:16:48, 2010), and a good speed check before my first 'A' race. I'll be coming off a crazy five country trip from work just hours before, but what can you do? Maybe jet lag is the secret ingredient to going fast.

Austin Marathon, 2/19 - My first 'A' race for the year will be to head to Austin, one my favorite cities, in hopes for a fast road marathon, some good beer and queso, and sampling the sounds of Sixth Street with friends. I wasn't able to get close to my marathon PR this year (2:45, 2009), but consistently ran in the 2:50 range, so I'm going to ramp up the speedwork and see if I can't lower my marathon PR a few minutes. Perhaps I can tap my inner Jean Pommier and continue to get faster through my 40's - he clocked a 5:43 at the Last Chance 50m at age 48!

Robert and Linda Mathis Memorial Run, 2/25 - A casual run in Auburn, CA, to honor two amazing people from the ultra community we recently lost in a DUI accident. No watches, no numbers...just good peeps and closure. It's 9am at the Auburn Dam Overlook if you are interested.

Way Too Cool 50k, 3/5 - One of the biggest and fastest 50k's around, and the first of the "Spring Classics" that lead up to the June/July ultra peak season. I look forward to seeing the backs of heads of many fast people as I return to Cool, CA, and try the revamped course. I find it very helpful (and humbling) to have my ass handed to me by faster people early in the season (that means you, Gary Gellin) to remind me why I need to go deep in the pain cave on regular speedwork days. WTC can be an early season smack down.

Boston Marathon, 4/16 - I'm continuing my streak (this will be #8!) and joining that party from Hopkinton to Boston once again. I never seem to get tired of this one, especially when meeting all the first-time Boston runners who worked so hard to get there. No plans to run with anyone in particular, so let me know if you'll be there!

Providian Relay, 5/5 - A team relay is something I've never tried, and the 199-mile Providian Relay from Calistoga, CA, to Santa Cruz, CA, is one of the best. I've joined up with a team of fellow PayPal colleagues who run the gamut of experience levels, and suspect it will be a great bonding experience. I offered to take miles 100 through 150 so everyone can get some sleep, but apparently that defeats the "relay" concept. ;-) Still, it should be a blast!

Auburn Century, 6/3 - No Western States for me this year, but I can get 100+ miles in the golden hills of Auburn, CA, by tackling the super century cycling event. Much of the course uses the access roads a crew would use for States, which I know are gorgeous and steep. Plus how cool is the shwag? Gotta get that jersey for sure. I'm hoping my usual clan of cycling dudes will be able to join in for a Gentleman's Weekend.

Black Hills 100m, 6/23 - The good folks of South Dakota have invited me out for the second running of the Black Hills 100 in Sturgis, SD, and it looks like a beautiful race that could become a welcome alternative for the masses who don't get into States. I don't consider myself a competitive 100-miler by any stretch of the imagination, but few things get me out of bed to train like having a hundy on the calendar. Christi and I have fond memories of our last trip to South Dakota, and would love to show our kids Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands (maybe finally update my pic atop my blog?), buffalo, Deadwood, Devil's Tower, and...oh, yeah, fit in a 100-mile out-and-back with 18,000 ft of climbing. Can't wait!

Tahoe Rim Trail 50k, 7/21 - One of the most gorgeous trails around, and a race I long for every year. Signed up for the 50k, but may go longer if needed for my next big race.

Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc, 8/31 -Yup, I'm heading to the big showdown in Europe! I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the two sunrise experience at the Wasatch 100m, and find myself yearning for another mountainous multi-morning adventure. Work is going to take me to Europe right about this time, so why not stick around for a 63,000' vertical, 100+ mile, three country tour? This will easily be the toughest race of my running career. I'm super stoked!

CIM Marathon, 12/2 - I'm unsure how much recovery will be required for UTMB, so my schedule is fairly open until CIM in December. I've still never done this flat and fast road race - curious to check it out.

Woodside 50k, 12/15 - No better way to cap off a season than a jaunt in my own backyard. Looking forward to sharing my home trails with all of you!

No tri's on the schedule this year, although I'm keeping options open. I just didn't see any that were a "must do" that fit the calendar. Like most years, I will pepper this schedule with other local races as time permits. In 2011, I had a great time tackling the local marathon circuit with last minute entries (San Francisco, Oakland, Half Moon Bay, Napa, San Jose), Bay to Breakers, and a couple of local 50k's. We are blessed to have so many options in the Bay Area.

Let me know if you're going to be at any of these races, and I'll be sure to get your picture for the blog! Great pictures will likely be the most important yardstick for success for 2012.

SD