2016...A Year of Reflection and Personal Growth

As the last few sunsets of 2016 take their final soaring plunge into the Pacific, I am humbled and grateful to look back on another crazy year. Epic running and career adventures, a happy and healthy family, stumbles in both running and my personal life, and more surprises than a schizophrenic magician. It has prompted a lot more reflection and personal growth than most years, rooted even more frequently in quiet moments in the forests and mountains. It was a good year to slow down, and slow down is exactly what I did.

(Working at the 420 Games, ha, ha)

Then again, when January starts out like mine did, you really only can slow down. My career experiment in the cannabis industry turned out to be (in retrospect, unsurprisingly) complicated and time consuming. I had hoped for "Wild West" in this newly legal industry, but it turned out to be more "Westworld" (with a lot more lawyers). More than enough stories and celebrity run-in's to keep future running chatter going for miles, that's for sure. I did also enjoy running in a pot leaf costume as part of my job, and my 15-year-old self was quite proud of my 46-year-old self. But my 46-year-old self was already wondering if this career experiment could ever be scrubbed off my LinkedIn profile no matter what fortunes were made.

(Lance Armstrong and me at the MUC - he did really well, 4:19)

A winter trail race with my friend, Lance Armstrong, turned into an explosion of hate messages and shocking assaults that were, quite frankly, personally devastating. I had expected a few people to have issue with him participating in organized sport, but I tell ya, what I saw on my end was simply stunning. Perhaps it was an early sign of the Trump era getting revved up, or it was "too soon" for the Armstrong return to sport. I did my best to stay strong and neutral, but in the end the wrath was enough to turn off the Interwebs for a while (sorry blog readers). The stress fueled the running fire though, so I wasn't surprised to clock a new marathon PR (2:43) at the beginning of the year, and had a good showing at the Marin Ultra Challenge 50k (4:09, and yes, I beat Lance, but not by much!).

(Phew! Finally got one!)

The Spring and Summer found me easing into the right pace, largely in preparation for Western States in late June (7-time lottery loser, so better get that buckle!). A return to the Jungfrau region of Switzerland with my family in August also had me eager to get my climbing skills in order. It's funny how these big goals/trips can help you sort out other big questions in your life, and it didn't take long for me to turn in my resignation at work to be ready for the big summer. I cruised through the Boston 2 Big Sur Challenge, ran The Dipsea after making a promise to my dying Great Uncle, then took a new role at a more traditional Silicon Valley start up (if there is such a thing). I did manage to get that silver buckle at States (23:42) thanks to being relaxed, getting a week to chill with my awesome mother-in-law in Tahoe, and having a world class crew.  Switzerland, and a brief race at Sierre-Zinal, was all about a love of the mountains. Watching the Rio Olympics on TV was also inspiring, as was all the outstanding performances in ultra races that came across that Twitter feed.

(My 50-lb shoulder pack, aka 5-year-old Quinn, and Christi join me for a hike in Switzerland)

My mindset was different by August. Dramatically different, in fact. What really helped was practicing "Shinrun-Yoku" on my long runs - a combination of trail running and Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese method of meditating in the forest. Basically, I would run to a place deep in the forest, then sit and meditate for 10-30 minutes, then run back. Historically I haven't been one to meditate regularly (can't clear the head), but the Shinrin-Yoku method really took it to a new level (just fill your head with what your senses pick up in the forest around you). That stillness...so powerful. Letting nature resume around me, pulling me into an ecosystem that typically scatters as I run by. Grasping Mother Nature at a universal level, and taking that feeling into my day-to-day presence.

(Don't run, just sit!)

I sought even more focus, and the more I did, the less numb I felt. I sold off my most prize material possessions (car, motorcycle, wines, electronics, etc.) and it felt great. A friend told me how good it felt to take a break from drinking alcohol, so I quit all vices for 40 days...my longest stretch in over 30 years. Turns out, you sleep better and your poop looks awesome. And champagne now tastes like it is sprinkled with fairy dust.

I was most pleased to be present as my kids went off to school (5-year-old Quinn now in kindergarten, 10-year-old Sophie in 5th grade) and I could internalize how incredible those little bursts of maturity are when they start the school year. Christi has been simply amazing with them, and they read and socialize like total pros. No little runners yet, but the weekly 2-mile hike to the Mountain House restaurant has become a mainstay.

I got back into racing for the fun of it by Fall, and when I stopped looking at my watch, everything seemed to click. I had my fastest time yet at the Headlands 50k, then won the Half Moon Bay Marathon overall, and later won the Red Rocks Trail Marathon. I also had a blast watching others play in the rain at the Whistle Punk Half and Lake Padden Half. In all cases, the real joy was sharing the outdoors with family, friends, and fellow runners. I had come full circle. The year ended with over 400,000' of vertical on Strava, a solid 15% more than any year I can recall.

(Posing with "big check" and big wave pioneer Jeff Clarke at the HMB Marathon)

So as 2017 approaches, I am enthusiastic and optimistic, and I am present. My apologies to those whom I lost contact with when turning down the social media, and I hope to see you again soon. I am eager to get more into the grass roots events and reconnect, and promise to take it slower this year (just a few fast races to anchor my training). I am grateful my family is healthy, my Brilliant coworkers are ambitious and fun, my friends seek out adventure in all parts of their lives, and the forest and mountains remain an endless supply of serenity. I hope you are well, and taking a few moments to enjoy each breath.

I hope to see you out on the trails. Happy new year!

Looking Forward to Racing in 2016!

0101...the ultimate binary day of renewal. Time to pull up that spreadsheet of 700+ races that will take a lifetime to check off, and force progress with the annual race calendar! Man, I love this time of year. Few things anchor a life of adventure like a packed race schedule (see '06, '07, '08, '10, '11, '12, '13, '14, '15). It is my recommitment to a core passion that endlessly fuels my optimism and serenity. Proof that I chose to live IN this world, not ON it. It is, in all honesty, the drunk-dial equivalent of online race sign ups that defines and solidifies the character that is me, against all odds and curve balls that reality will conjure. Sorry about that, Mark (Mark Gilligan, founder and genius behind Ultrasignup.com who is forced to work 24 hours/day every New Years Day), but as is the case with thousands embracing the binary simplicity that is 1.1, I HAVE to throw down in the first 24 hours to make it stick. That is the gift that you give, Mark, and one that makes Santa Claus himself say "DAMN...now THAT is spreading the love".

So here we go...

2015 was an epic year of exploration for me, so it will be a tough act to follow. It delivered mountains and trails everywhere from Texas to Hawaii to Switzerland to South Africa to Italy, and filled my Facebook feed with new multilingual friends from across the globe. I raced distances from 4 miles to 100 miles, mixed up trails and road and mountains (360k vert for the year!), picked up a few AG national titles and one new PR, managed to get hit by a deer, found one of my heroes face down on a trail, welcomed another hero to my backyard, pranced among naked people with my 9-year-old (my biggest hero!), outed myself as a stoner, and met a long lost trail running family member just in time to share his last few days before dying of cancer. My life mantra is "live life to have good stories", but damn, 2015....you set the bar seriously f'ing high. In retrospect it was a little too much, which in my mind means it was absolutely perfect. Can't ask for much more than that.

So, 2016, what do you have in store for us?!? So far, it looks like this...

Camarillo Marathon, 1/3 - This is a local race near Santa Barbara that is flat and fast - perfect to try and lower my 2:48:50 Boston qualifying time before the 2/1 deadline. Gotta get that sub-1000 race number back! Funny how ego and vanity can take you to new levels, but doing so continues to raise my game at the ripe old age of 46, so I'm going to feed the beast and cross my fingers. This strategy worked well in 2015, and in retrospect it's largely because a "fast race" in early January keeps me a bit more honest through the holiday season when the wine and pie is flowing like a Syrian refugee crisis (ohhhh...too soon?).

Mystery Race #1, 2/1-3/5 - One issue with plotting a calendar annually is that I'm not always directly addressing my weaknesses. So this year, I'm going to keep this slot open to see what makes sense for the training, which could be the Napa Marathon/Jed Smith 50k/Caumsett 50k if I need speed, or Way Too Cool 50k/Fort Ord 50k/Montara 50k if I need some hills. Or perhaps, just some solid training blocks like a good coach would recommend if I actually had a coach. Phew! I feel better already.

Marin Ultra Challenge, 3/12 - Of all the races in the Marin Headlands, Inside Trail Racing (ITR) puts on one of the best with the MUC. I'm back on the ITR team for 2016 (WAA-HOO!) and it appears nearly all 15+ of the team members will be present for this one. Once again, the honor of having my ass handed to me by elite teammates the likes of Gary Gellin, Bob Shebest, Sam Robinson, Craig Shmidt, Erik Sorenson, Jennie Yeaman, Danny Metz, Kim O'Donnell, Chris Wehan, Luke Garten, Rayna Nelly, Mikey Jimenez, Victor Ballesteros, Chris Vizcaino, and more will prove to be epic!

Boston 2 Big Sur Challenge, 4/18 and 4/24 - The Boston Marathon has been my "streak race" (11 finishes), and I just can't get enough of it. The whole race weekend, the history, the people, and the memories...I fear I might be in this one for life. I've got a handful of new friends doing it for the first time, and am thrilled to show them the ropes. And, per usual, it leads to the logical question of "should I also do the Big Sur Marathon six days later", which is a big HELLZYA (ultrarunners say "Awww, yeah"). B2B Challenge #7, let's do it!

Mystery Race #2, 5/1-6/5 - What does the training need to fine tune for my 'A' race in June? Hills, heat, distance, speed, etc??? There are plenty of races to choose from this time of year (Miwok, Quicksilver, Silver State, Cayuga Falls, etc.) but I think it will be best to make this choice on the fly. I only mention it here so that on the rare occasion my wife is reading one of my blog posts, she will know I'm going to disappear for a weekend, and yes, you can cash in your get-away weekend equivalent.

The Dipsea Race, 6/12 - As I shared trail running stories with my great uncle Ray Morris in his last few days on the planet, it was The Dipsea Race that captured his heart. In our last conversation, he handed me his 17 finisher medals and asked me to run this iconic race in his honor. Absolutely, Ray, will do and the honor is all mine. Whether I'm officially in or not, I will run the Dipsea on 6/12.

Western States 100m, 6/27 - Thanks to Scott Roberds and the generous folks at WS100 sponsor Microlumen, I'm returning to States!!! The race that has captured my imagination and tortured me through a decade of lottery losses, and once deliver the most impactful spiritual experience of my life. It is by far my 'A' race, if not the mother of all 'A' races, and I'll do what it takes to get a silver buckle this time. It could be another decade before I return, after all!

Sierre-Zinal, 8/14 - Of all the places my family has travelled, few have gripped us like the mountains of Switzerland. Before we even ended the last trip to the Jungfrau Valley, we were plotting our return. My globe trotting parents-in-law chose it for their 50th wedding anniversary celebration, and it just so happens the iconic Skyrunning race of Sierre-Zinal lands right in the middle of the trip. Nice! A 30k race with 5k vertical...should be amazing.

Headlands 50k (USATF Trail 50k Championships), 8/27 - I complete screwed up this race last year thanks to no sleep and a redonkulous work travel schedule, but it has all my favorite sections of the Marin Headlands. Let's try again!

Lake Padden Half (USATF Trail Half Marathon Championships), 10/14 - I threw this Washington-based race on the calendar at the last minute in 2015, and was SO glad I did. Expertly run, very challenging with both fast and hard-climbing sections, and the fastest pack of runners to push you that one could possible conjure. I am really looking forward to coming back.

California International Marathon (CIM), 12/4 - Yeah, it's on the schedule AGAIN. And the probability of doing it, or any race that weekend for that matter, is practically zero. It's a California bucket list race for sure, so I keep putting it on the schedule (and paying $50 each year to defer). But every time I have inked this on the calendar, Christi pulls out her mega-ink-killing-eraser and asks me to cancel it so she can go on a trip with a girlfriend. Does she miss her friends that much? Yeah, she does. And quite honestly, she does "friends" better than anyone I know so I need to respect that. Perhaps because she is tired of me disappearing so many weekends for long-ass family-unfriendly races? Um, yeah, I'll have to give her that one too. Does she deserve it? Of course she does (and more), so I'm happy to cross out a race if it means that much to her. I'll have to admit that I kind of secretly love the whole "no, no...I'll just cancel my PASSION for you, because I love you" power exchange we do each year. When we draw the line in our family, SHE holds the chalk, now and forever. So here you go...a race to eee-race in a glorious dust cloud of family life balance.

Phew! I'm already exhausted and exhilarated. How about you? What races will pull you to your best this year? You deserve nothing less than something epic.

Happy 2016!

- SD

UltraRunning Magazine Launches North American Race Series

How do you stack up?

That's how the announcement read for UltraRunning Magazine's new Race Series announced via email this morning. In action from May, 2015 to April, 2016, the new Race Series includes all North American ultras (50k, 50, 100k, 100m) using their compiled race results and costs nothing to enter. In fact, if you've run a North American ultra since May, you are already in the results!

The new Race Series uses a "complex formula" to determine your overall score, then breaks that down into one of seven regions as well as age groups for each gender. They say prizes will be offered for all 146 categories, with overall winners getting a ticket to the 2016 Western States 100 Endurance Run.

The "complex formula" includes a number of factors for determining your score for each ultra, such as Finishing Time, Race Distance, Gender, Place, Strength of Field, and Size of Race. At first glance, it has a bias for frequency of races (particularly longer ones), but that feels like the UR Mag vibe to me. The focus on North America provides another bias, and one that will likely handicap some of our best runners who often choose peak races overseas. But when you do see the top ranks for each region, I see a lot of names I know are hard core.

Take a look...and you in there? What do you think of the scoring system and results?

Pretty fascinating. Hats off to UltraRunning Magazine for leveraging their knowledge to try something new!

SD

Race Lotteries for 2016 - Where Will You Place Your Bets?

It's that time of year again - ultra lottery season! Put your name in the hat for entry into some of our sports most popular events, and let the Lottery Gods determine your fate. I know many of you have your favorites - here are few dates to track for the ones I know of: 

Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, June 27, 2016 (Lottery Nov 7-14, Drawing Dec 5). I've got 64 tickets this year! Let's hope it's enough.

Way Too Cool 50k, March 5, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-10). If you don't get in, get on the wait list right away...historically this race has been able to accommodate a lot of wait-listers. 

Lake Sonoma 50m, April 9, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-13, Drawing Dec 15)

Gorge Falls 50k, April 9, 2016 (Lottery Oct 22-Nov 12, Drawing Nov 19). Note the 100k is sold out.

Bull Run Run 50m, April 11, 2016 (Lottery Feb 1-8)

Miwok 100k, May 7, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-10, Drawing Dec 12)

Massanutten 100, May 14, 2016 (Lottery Jan 1-8, Drawing Jan 12)

Mt. Washington Road Race, June 18, 2016 (Lottery Mid-Feb with $5 lottery fee)

Mt. Hood 50m, July 9, 2016 (Lottery Jan 4-9, Drawing Jan 9)

Hardrock 100, July 15, 2016 (Lottery Now-Nov 22 with $12 lottery fee, Drawing Dec 1)

Tahoe Rim Trail 100m, July 16, 2016 (Lottery Dec 6-20, Drawing Jan 1). Note that the Tahoe 200m no longer has a lottery, and is open for registration!

Eiger Ultra Trail 100k, July 16, 2106 (Floating lottery depending on entries, typically Oct/Nov)

Badwater 135, July ~28, 2016 (Lottery/application Jan 19-Feb 2, Selection Feb 12)

Leadville 100, August 20, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-31 with $15 lottery fee, Drawing ~Jan 15)

Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, August 20, 2016 (Registration Dec 16-Jan 5 with 1.5 euro lottery fee, Lottery selection Jan 14 if needed)

Waldo 100k, August 20, 2016 (Lottery Mid-Februrary)

Cascade Crest 100, Aug 27, 2016 (Lottery Jan 1-Feb 10, Drawing Feb 13)

Wasatch 100, September 9, 2016 (Lottery Dec 1-Jan 4, Drawing Feb 7)

Ironman Hawaii World Championship, October 8, 2016 (No more lottery - it was illegal!)

GOOD LUCK!!!