2012 Miwok 100K Race Report: The Highs, the Lows, the Strange Bodily Functions and Everything In Between

Training & Racing

2012 Miwok 100K Race Report: The Highs, the Lows, the Strange Bodily Functions and Everything In Between

12 Comments 19 May 2012

Running the Miwok 100k was a pivotal experience in my 18 years of running—longest distance ever, hardest course, a new approach to training and preparation—and it almost didn't happen. Here's the story of my very long day out there.

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How to Train and Gear Up for Mountain Running and Fastpacking Adventures

Destinations, Training & Racing, Travel & Gear

How to Train and Gear Up for Mountain Running and Fastpacking Adventures

5 Comments 07 May 2012

This guest post by Karen Schwartz of Sage to Summit is useful for anyone planning a challenging mountain run or hike. Here's what you need to do and take with you before heading out all day or many days in the wilderness. Plus, recommendations of trails to run in the Eastern Sierra.

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Q&A with Rickey Gates on Trail Running, Traveling and Living the Dream

Destinations, Training & Racing

Q&A with Rickey Gates on Trail Running, Traveling and Living the Dream

2 Comments 24 April 2012

In a sport not lacking offbeat characters with exceptional endurance, Rickey Gates stands out. Trail running’s Kerouac-quoting, motorcycle-riding nomad with the serious ’stache and tangled tresses talks about mountain running, ultra distances, global travel and what inspires him.

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The G2G Ultra: A Grand Adventure Is Calling

Destinations, Training & Racing

The G2G Ultra: A Grand Adventure Is Calling

11 Comments 16 April 2012

Seven days, 160 miles, Arizona to Utah, carrying my food and gear. Can I do it? I don't know, but I do know I can't pass up the opportunity to attempt and report on this amazing inaugural event.

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2012 Oakland Marathon Race Report: So Good, So Bad, So Oakland

Training & Racing

2012 Oakland Marathon Race Report: So Good, So Bad, So Oakland

9 Comments 30 March 2012

After so many trail races, it felt good to line up and take off through the heart of a city in an urban road marathon again. Over 26 miles, I went from feeling like a rock star to feeling like a Southwest jet ready to rip apart and crash land from metal fatigue.

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Ten Weeks and then a Taper: Reflections on a Marathon-and-Beyond Training Cycle

Training & Racing

Ten Weeks and then a Taper: Reflections on a Marathon-and-Beyond Training Cycle

7 Comments 13 March 2012

I reflect on what I did right—and what I might have done better—over the past ten weeks while training for the upcoming Oakland Marathon and Miwok 100K.

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Q&A with Running Stupid’s Ken Michal: How to be Happy on the Trail, All Day, No Matter What

Destinations, Training & Racing

Q&A with Running Stupid’s Ken Michal: How to be Happy on the Trail, All Day, No Matter What

3 Comments 08 March 2012

Call me a "Stupidhead"--I've become a fan of Ken Michal and his podcast Running Stupid. Find out how he went from being an overweight smoker to one of the most likeable guys in the sport.

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Training & Racing

Not Exactly Inspiring

9 Comments 23 February 2012

Some thoughts on getting through a recent funk.

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An “Adventure Marathon” in Argentina’s Lake District Lives Up to the Hype

Destinations, Training & Racing

An “Adventure Marathon” in Argentina’s Lake District Lives Up to the Hype

1 Comment 18 February 2012

Registration just opened for the November 17 Salomon K42 Adventure Marathon in Villa La Angostura, a picturesque village in the Lake District of Argentina. Here's info on the event and my report from that magical, crazy day in 2009 when I traversed a peak in the Andes while racing it.

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Running Ramage Peak and Discovering the East Bay’s Incredible EBMUD Trails

Destinations, Training & Racing

Running Ramage Peak and Discovering the East Bay’s Incredible EBMUD Trails

10 Comments 05 February 2012

Many runners and hikers don't know of or don't use the treasure trove of East Bay trails maintained by EBMUD. Here's what you need to know to run or hike on them—along with a guide to my favorite, Ramage Peak Trail.

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My 2013 Race & Family Travel Calendar

mid-February: Telluride
Way Too Cool 50K Mar. 9. Race report.
Oakland Marathon, not racing but volunteering as leader for the 3:40 pace group, Mar. 24
Lake Sonoma 50M Apr. 13. Race report.
mid-April: exploring Vancouver for Spring Break
East Bay Triple Crown Series: Tilden Tough 10M May 19, Lake Chabot Half June 2, Woodminster 9M June 16.
mid-summer: 6-day Maine biking trip and 8-day Colorado River rafting trip! Details.
Aug. 11: Skyline 50K in the Oakland hills
Pine to Palm 100M Sept. 14

My 2012 Race Calendar

Brooks Falls Trail Run 30K, Jan. 22, report & commentary
Oakland Marathon, Mar. 25, race report
Miwok 100K, May 5, Race report (it's a doozy!)
Marin Ultra Challenge 50K, June 30
Geoff Roes Alaskan training camp, July 24 - 28. Read about it.
Skyline 50K, Aug. 12. Pack training run.
The Grand to Grand Ultra, Sept. 23 - 29. Amazing.
Save Mount Diablo Half Marathon, Nov. 4.
Piedmont Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 3-mile (1st age group, 4th F).
North Face Endurance Challenge Championship 50M, Dec. 1. Race report.

My 2011 Race Calendar

Epiphany Ultra, Jan. 2. Did it! Here's the writeup.
European XC 10K in Ventura Jan. 30. Here's the writeup.
San Francisco Half Marathon, Feb. 6. Ugh, a hard one! Race report became "How to Recover from a Race that Sucked".
Montaña de Oro 50K, Feb. 13. Did it! Here's the writeup.
Oakland Marathon, March 27. So fun! My race report became a haiku.
American River 50M, April 9, race report
Santa Barbara Wine Country Half Marathon, May 7, race report
Tilden Tough Ten 10M, May 15, and the two other races in the Triple Crown trail series, too: Lake Chabot Half and Woodminster 9M. I ended up winning the women's 2011 East Bay Triple Crown trophy for the fastest cumulative time in the three events! (news blurb & pic)
Ohlone 50K, May 22, Unforgettable!
Pacing the last 25 mi of Hardrock 100 in Telluride! Here's the pace report.
Skyline 50K in Oakland Aug. 7. Bummer, no go because I'm injured.
Piedmont Fall Fest 5K Sept. 24: Placed 2nd
North Face Endurance Challenge 50M, Dec. 3. Race report.
PCTR Rodeo Beach 50K, New Year's Eve. Nice to end the year with a win! Race report.

Proud to race on the team of Inside Trail Racing. Check out their calendar of great trail races.

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