Weiser River Trail: Buck-O-Five

Weiser River bear from Jeremy Humphrey on Vimeo.

I spent yesterday biking the Weiser River Trail.  I have raced there, but never biked it.  It is a rather smooth (rocky in places) and gently rolling path next to the gurgling Weiser River.  It travels from the high mountain meadow of New Meadows, ID southward through a deep canyon before reaching farmlands and open country desert, and finally terminates where the river dumps into the Snake River in Weiser, ID.  It is 84 miles one-way.  I got an early start and entertained thoughts of a double crossing.  However, after a few hours, I realized with the fresh crushed rocks laid down recently and a nasty wind swirling, I was not going all the way.  So, I focused on a century ride.  I've never biked more than a few hours, so a hundred would be a good challenge. I would go from the north terminus at Wye Trailhead, south to Midvale and back.  At Midvale, I would stop for a meal at the Country Coffee Cabin for my midday cessation of activities for consumption of mass quantities.  With a few trips off the trail for snacks, Gatorade, etc- I would get 105 miles.

Along the way, I saw: 2 black bears, 2 owls, many elk and deer (whitetail and mule), eagles, hawks, turkeys, ducks, snakes, rabbits, beavers, assorted rodents and fish splashing.  Lots of cattle and horses grazed in the idyllic meadows along the lazy agricultural stretches.

There were 2 bears together in these bushes.  One was much larger, but I could not get her on camera.  I zoomed up to get these pics.  I don't go close to wildlife on purpose.  Except in September.

Typical stretch of river in the middle miles near Cambridge, ID.

Looking north towards Council Mountain on the return trip.

The best Blueberry Pie I've ever eaten at Country Coffee Cabin in Midvale, ID.  After dispatching a double decker "Titan" Burger, fries and a delicious double espresso- I went for this treat.  Tons of fresh fruit, very little sugar and fresh cream.  WOW!  If you are driving up the Rt 95 corridor for any reason, this place should not be missed.

Near Council, with about 20 miles to go, I blew a tire.  Yesterday, I purchased some tools, pump and an extra tube at Gravity Sports in McCall.  I also watched a 2 minute video on Youtube, so I was pretty much a mechanic by that point.  When the tire blew, I got the old one off, switched tubes and pumped it up.  But...it had a big tear in it!  I put the old tube back on and tried to get the SLIME to work. I spun it and pumped it and nothing.  I sat there dejected in the stifling heat.  After a while, I decided to walk the bike over to the road and try to hitch a ride up canyon to my rig.  I tried one more session of furious spinning and amazingly it worked.  I pumped up the old tire, with the SLIME now holding and off I went.  It is hard to come back when you have resigned yourself to defeat, but I took this opportunity to challenge my mind and finish it off.  One problem, my ASS HURT HORRIBLY.  "Biking is dumb and I hate it.  Why am I doing this? Why am I wearing my Old Man's cotton bike shorts from 1990?  The chamois is freaking BURLAP! AHHHH." I swear it I felt like I was sitting in a pile of fire ants.  My legs felt fresh, but the saddle sores were sucking my will to live.

Marsh full of ducks near Council, ID.

Bonking, slowing and stopping frequently.  I have some weak Gatorade in the bottle, but it was not getting it done.  I desperately needed fat and protein.  10 uphill miles to go.

Almost done.  Usually, I cringe at the sight of the old Lumber Mill- a blight in the beautiful valley.  After suffering greatly while climbing the final canyon, I was so happy to see it today.  Only 2 miles to go.

Done.  105 miles in 8:30.  3000' vertical gain and loss.

Gear
Bike: My wife's Marin mountain bike.  Quite a bit lighter than mine and slimmer tires.
Ultimate Direction Jurek pack
Ultimate Direction 26 ounce bottle in my bike mount.
5 VFuel Gels
1 VESPA Ultra Concentrate.

May 12- 18: Almost like training...not quite.

Totals: 70 miles, 21,000 vert.

5/12:  90 min massage, then 7 mile trail run (1000' vert) at Bear Basin.  First run this year on local trails, even if they are the lower ones.  Still some snow here and there, but good enough for the girls I go with!

5/13:  Brundage Skin and Ski 3 laps 4800'.  2 hard laps in 24-25 mins each, then 1 easier lap with Brandi.  Sweet, sunny spring conditions.  Mega dosage of Vitamin D today!

5/14: Brundage Skin and Ski 1 lap easy, then Goose Creek Falls Trail 3.5 miles.  2750' vert.

5/15: 12 miles, 4000' vert run with Jacob in Rapid River.  Up and down Rattlesnake plus some more miles in the East Fork Rapid River.  Camped at Trailhead w/Jacob.

5/16: 10 mile Mountain Bike (Wildhorse Loop), then 5 hour/19 mile/7000' vert run in Rapid River.  85deg F and super humid.  Tough day with lots of snow, bushwhacking and route-finding.  With 10 miles to go, I found some morel mushrooms and decided to eschew my water and fill my bottle with shrooms.  A memorable dehydration bonk ensued with dizziness and racing heartrate, but at least I have something to take home to the wife besides a sunburn. Another humbling thumping at the hands of Rattlesnake Hill.  All hills that matter or have meaning must have a nickname. I have taken to calling this one the "Commute," as it is the necessary evil of tangling with the canyon.  Camped at Trailhead w/Jacob.

5/17: Fartlek/Tempo run at Wildhorse with Jacob.  8 miles/1000' vert.  3 harder fartlek miles in the 6 min pace range on rolling hills.  Felt great to shift gears from humping 20% grades to some actual striding out.  Very happy with how the legs responded after yesterday's beating.  Drove home and went straight to the Donnelly Fire Dept BBQ Fundraiser.  Threw down with heaping piles of primo smoked meats and picnic fixins. 

5/18: Rainy/cold GYM day.  40 minutes Pool Running (DWR): 5 mins warmup, 30 minutes of 30 seconds sprint/ 30 seconds easy, 5 minutes easy cooldown.  40 minutes Spin Bike: 2 minutes easy and 2-3 minutes out of saddle in top resistance.  Went pretty hard today and lost touch with sanity on a few of the pool intervals.  Finished with an hour of plyometric box jumps, core work and stretching/rolling.  Solid day.

Quarter mile to go on the "Commute."  Photo by Jacob Robinson.

Still skinning. Pretty psyched to see what my summer peak looks like when stacked on top of a skiing base.  Every season is an experiment with an unknowable outcome.  I feel that the strength gained from repeated climbs of over 30% slopes will tip the odds in my favor to enjoy a healthy and satisfying year.

Rippin' spring corn with Brandi on a 70 degree day.

Bike, ski,or run?  Yes please!

Ski Fox trying to poach some food.  I don't feed wild animals, but he sure is cute.

Payette Lake and the Crestline Trail to the north.  Brandi and I were married right at this spot.

Jacob biking the Wildhorse Loop above the East Fork of Rapid River canyon.

Jacob climbing the 1000' feet per mile slope of Wyant Creek.

Rapid River.  I have been trying to open this loop for 3 years, but snow has always stopped me.  Rattlesnake TH, down to Wyant Camp, up Wyant Creek to Bryan Mountain, down to Potter Place and the West Fork of RR, back the East Fork of RR, up to Rattlesnake TH to finish.  10 mile mountain bike warmup.  Big day.  I have one more mega loop proj down there this year.  Should be ready by mid-June.

9 Years

The Old Man in front of Mount Foraker, AK.  9 years ago today, the Old Man took a tumble in Alaska.  He was "horizontal" for a short spell.  The lack of motion must have been hell for him.  A few months later, he was lifted into the winds high above the Colorado Rockies.  Still climbing.  Always Vertical. 

Training Update
 
Three things I dislike.  Bikes, Biking and Bikers.  They all seem to be sponsored and need ridiculous amounts of logo'ed up spandex for a cruise on the bike path.  I am coming to find out that hate it or not, biking is a workout.  I pedal the same steep hill in 16 minutes that I run in 10.  It's different though.  It's not as boring or pointless as I thought it would be.  It seems to be working.  I rock the Old Man's mid-90's vintage Trek.  Probably 50 pounds of metal and rubber.

I've been combining the biking, skiing and some running together to get my training hours up and build my endurance.  I just logged a 60 mile running week, plus a ton of other cross training.  That is the most I have run this year.  Everything is feeling groovy.  Itching to race.

My first photo of a wolf.  He was 200+ yards away and running away from me.  Not a very exciting pic, but I finally got one on film!  For you, Lucho.

A break at snowline to cool down in some snow.  An ancient 2 point antler- whitened in the sun after years of lying about.  Rapid River, just under Pollack Mountain.

Pollack Mountain with my nugget in the way.  A bunch of my pics from this day got cut off during the upload to my computer.

Brandi skinning.  

Skinning Brundage.  Tons of snow this week made for good skiing.  Should be ski-able until June.

My protege Jacob scores a podium at The Weiser River 50k in 3:57.    Since we have been working together this year, he has been 5th, 2nd and 3rd overall.  Watch out for him this year.  One who laughs and celebrates the worse he hurts...is a man you should fear.  A guy like THIS.

  
April 27- May 11

Sun April 27:  Gym.  Bike intervals for 78 minutes.  Rolled the spin bike into the 80+F pool area and knocked out intervals. 1 min hard, 1 min easy, then 2 hard, 1 easy. I wore 3 layers.  Lost 6 pounds.  Shorted out my ipod I was sweating so bad.

Mon April 28: Easy Recovery.  30 min elliptical at high resistance. Stretch and core work in sauna after.

Tues April 29: Bike 14mi, Run 8mi.  Started at the bottom of the Whitebird Ridge Road on the bike.  Ride 7 miles up the mountain to the Rattlesnake Trailhead (2500' vert gain).  Then stashed the bike in the woods and ran down the trail to Wyant Camp, then back up (2000' gain, 2000' loss).  Rode the bike back down to the truck (2500' loss).

Weds April 30: 14 miles, 3000' vert.  Run up Thorn Creek Road (snowy) to Brundage Resort.  Snow power hike up to Brundage Summit.  Run down the Cat Track (snow), then down Goose lake Road at good tempo to truck.

Thurs May 1:  2:30.  20 mile bike with Brandi at Fish Lake Forest Roads.  Did some of the climbs pretty hard.  2000' vert gain.

Fri May 2:  14mi bike.  27mi run.  Same bike as Tuesday.  From the Rattlesnake Trailhead, I ran down to Wyant Camp, went up the East Fork of Rapid River to Frypan Creek.  Climbed a few thousand feet up there to above 7000'.  Tried to make a loop of it, but snow stopped me.  I reversed it all the way back.  Spectacular bonk on the way back.  Mid-80's F down in the canyon scorched me good.  Barely able to ride the bike back down the hill to the truck.  Perfect endurance builder.  6+ hours and over 10,000 vert combined.

Sat May 3:  OFF.  Pretty sore all over.

Sun May 4: 90 min yoga.  2 hour, 21 mi bike at Fish Lake.

Mon May 5: My 35th Birthday.  OFF.

Tues May 6:  14 mi run at Last Chance.  2 hours, 2250 vert.  Ran some of the hills very hard.  Took easier stretches as needed to keep the effort reasonable.

Weds May 7: Bike 25mi + 9 mi run.  I broke the derailleur off my bike and had to run home.  4 hours of hard work on 1 gel and 16 oz water.

Thurs May 8:  Brundage Skin and Ski 1 lap with Brandi easy.  1600' vert.  Then I ran home 4 miles through Whitetail.

Fri May 9: Brundage Skin and Ski 3 laps. 4800' vert.  Moderate effort.  Lots of fresh snow.  On the way home, I stopped at the Little Ski Hill and ran 3 laps up their main ski run.  It is 375' vert per lap in just .38 miles.  That makes it 1000' per mile. I run these in a controlled effort in around 5 minutes.  This gets the HR way up.  Workout totaled 3.5 mi and 1100' vert.

Sat May 10: Brundage Skin and Ski 3 laps 4800' vert.  Harder efforts.  Lots of people on the hill today with the fresh, deep pow.  Freshies all day.  After ski, I went to the gym and did 30 mins elliptical, then core, mobility and strength work.

Sun May 11: I got my bike fixed and tuned.  2 hours biking at Last Chance.  2000' vert.  Some harder pushes on the hills, but pretty chill.

2014 Robie Creek Half Marathon

1:21 (6:10 pace, 2400' climb, 1700' descent)
"TOUGHEST RACE in the NORTHWEST" ***
2014 Theme:  Killer Queen.  Queen themed music, signage, costumes and pageantry. Pretty cool.
2nd Place out of 2500 runners

Pre-race.  This crew has got me through some pretty crazy racing over the years.  

First mile.  A flattish sub-5 affair.   I am in 3rd and it already a 3 man race as the 2500+ runners spill out behind us.  I already feel my left calf tightening and it would be a battle to keep it from ripping the remainder of the run.
Photo: JOE JASZEWSKI Idaho Statesman

Mile 2 after the initial climb and it is now a 2 man race.  From here it is a short descent to the beginning of of the 6 mile climb on a dirt forest road, ever steepening to the summit.  On these short breaks in the climbing, it was clear that winner Markus had WAY more speed than me.  Geiger is a 30 minute 10k guy with a strong Collegiate XC and Track pedigree and last year ran Robie in the 1:14 range- as fast as its ever been run. Photo: KTVB Erica Deshner Cornwall

6 miles of climbing later at the top of the mountain (mile 8.4 in 56+ mins).  It is over 80F and into a stiff head wind.  I am now 2+ minutes behind.  I am surprised to see both feet off the ground and some semblance of running form.  I am in a world of hurt.  Over the top, I spent a minute or so speaking Captain Caveman gibberish to the horror of the EMT's and spectators looking on as I screamed down the hill, knees wobbling, slamming feet and running as fast as gravity could carry me. Photo by The Pulse Running & Fitness

Almost there. I split a 24 min down- just a tick over 5 min average.  Without a watch, I would have guessed some of these miles at more like 7 min.  I could not believe no one came for me.  3rd place was another 3+ mins back.  I look like a body builder compared to my late-summer build.  Big, oxygen starved muscles = cramptastic.  I can't believe I ran almost 80 miles like this at Western last year.

Finish.  1:21.  A half mile or so up the road, I was chased by a dog from his driveway.  He was a big short-hair showing teeth and he lunged at me.  I jumped him to avoid being bitten, curling into a ball as I flew over him.  While in my tuck, my right hammy seized completely and I was barely able to outrun him.  Earlier, I had jumped over a rattle snake. 
Photo: DARIN OSWALD Idaho Statesman

Fresh Race Rockers sans socks.  Just a nick and I bled like a stuck pig.  This was from breaking my stride with my right leg on the down hill to keep my left calf from going.  Sweet shoes at 7 ounces.  I will review these soon.

At the finish party with the winner.   Big neck bling.  Photo: KTVB Eileen Capson

Good beer and good friends at the finish.  Brandi, Katie and I hung out and took in the scene for hours after the race.  We were on one of the last buses out of there.  I partied as hard as my dehydrated body would allow.  No more treats until September.

Recovery hike on Brundage today.  I bumped into Irene and her goats.  This is "Barley," a horse-sized French Alpine Goat. They will be supplying an aid station somewhere in the backcountry at IMTUF 100 this year.  Maybe a new tradition like the llamas of Leadville.

Gear and Support:

SCOTT Split Shorts
SCOTT Race Rocker racing flats
VFUEL Gel packet at miles 4 and 7.
Vespa Ultra Concentrate 15 minutes pre-race
Breathe-Right nose strip.  I'm liking how these help me breathe.  No sponsor or anything, just digging the extra O2.
Pre-Race Chiropractic by Dr. Guy Jeppe of McCall Chiropractic/ Personalized Healing. 


Report Card

Pre-Race Fitness:  Cardio= B/B+.  Muscle and Tissues= C.  Weight= C.  Racing Specific Training Miles= D.  Heat Training:  D.  Coming in I had only covered 550 miles this year, with only 400 of those miles from running.  In those 550 miles, I climbed over a quarter million feet of vertical (average grade of nearly 500 feet per mile traveled).  That makes for pretty strong lungs but sorely lacking in preparation of the running tissues.  I have my standard lower leg issues that plague each December to July.  I was lucky not to tear my calf in the race.  As is customary, I carry my 6 or 7 extra pounds of winter weight until it warms up in July.  It was up near 80 deg F, which is very hot for me for April.  The snow just left the front yard and McCall is still a month away from any trails melting out.  I did some sauna sessions and some gym workouts with extra clothes- it still felt way hot out there.  Of course all of these standards are compared against my late summer/autumn peak numbers.  For April, I am way ahead of the curve.  All signs point to another year of solid growth and improvement.

Race Exectution:  A-.  I raced hard, didn't settle.  I believed until the end that I would catch him and win.  I wanted to compete head to head.  But, I learned in the first mile that if I did not run my own pace, my calf would have ripped and I would have blown up in that heat.  So, I gave what I had.  I believe I can run the course as much as 5 minutes faster and will try to prove it next year, using what I have learned.

Fun: A.  I tried hard and enjoyed the experience completely.  Half Marathons are infinitely more stressful to me than a 100 miler.  That is the point.  Get out of your comfort zone and get better at running faster.  I was happy to not feel too anxious or nervous before the race and had no regrets after.  Total fun. 

Health: B.  My calf is really sore and tired, but no long term damage.  In the past few weeks, I tried to get some faster miles in before the race. That caused the calf tissues to stress, as I am accustomed to for April.  Thankfully, we have another week of snow in the forecast, so I am hitting the ski slopes some more.  That should get me back to normal and ready to resume a slight mileage uptick.  Nothing crazy until July.




***Toughest in the Northwest- Unless you count any actual trail race, ultra race, track meet, etc.  It's tough as far as your standard corny road races go, but only the "toughest" if you decide to make it that way and run to your limits.  Regardless of it's "toughest" status, it is Idaho's classic race.  It sells out 2500 plus bibs in minutes.  I will be back for more.

Once A Runner...

Once I was a runner.  A real runner.  I breathed and lived for the pain and glory.  But I was just a child and the weight of my world was too much.  By age 11, I lost the fire and wanted to be a normal kid doing normal things.  I wanted to be average.  So, I broke my Old Man's heart and quit running for 20 years.

Over the years I looked back at these experiences with bitterness, as if I had lost most of my childhood. It was a source of strife with my father that drove a wedge between us.  The struggles we had over my quitting are among the most trying times of my life.  It brought out the worst in us.

However, as the years passed and in spite of my disdain for running, it kept it's hooks in me.  There is just something about it.  A few times a year I would sneak out to explore some back roads or obscure atv trails near my home in Ohio.  During these outings I could feel it tugging at me.  By the next day, the soreness and exhaustion reminded me why I left it behind.  In the end, it wore me down and won me back.  Once I found mountain running, it was all over.  It is simple and pure.  It scratches so many itches. 

Recently, I dug up some old photos from boxes in the garage.  I knew what I would find, but I wanted to remember it and feel the "weight" again.  It is amazing how happy it made me to relive those times.  The regret is gone.  Now I know...I had not missed out on anything.  I lived those days fully.  My days as the prodigal runner were a gift.  My father's greatest gift.  The gift I cherish every day, 30 years later.

Rob DeCastella, fresh off his Boston marathon win.  I was 7 and star-struck.  This guy was devilishly handsome and charismatic.  He had the perfect running career- great at every distance up to the marathon.  He held the Marathon World Record from 1981-84.  Meeting Deek was a life-changing moment for me.  He was the most influential runner for me, along with Jim Ryun. 

10yrs, 3 months old.  5 miles- 29:53.  My old Nike Duelist flats weighed 2 oz!  I was 4'9"

8 years old.

August 1985.  I was 6 and the Old Man was 35.  Hard to believe I'll be 35 next month.  He had just quit smoking and drinking and we had just taken up the jogging fad.  Back in those days, if someone saw you running, they would pull over and ask you if you needed help or just scream and throw things at you.

My PR's from the old training logs I dug up:
Age 9- 5:18 mile.  39 min 10k.
Age 10- 5:05 mile.  5 mile 29:53. 37:56 10k hilly.  10 mile 63:07  hilly.
Age 11-  17:13 5k on a hilly xc course. 4:56 mile. 2:14 800m.

Bro Time

My BFF Nick came to visit from Colorado.  We caught up on some video gaming, steelheading, sushi slaying, and Lobo chasing.  Most of all it was just great to catch up and shoot the shit with someone I love.  I have been living a pretty isolated existence of hardening myself for the rigors of running 100 miles in the mountains.  My Brandi is a constant source of strength and the person that I rely on for my sanity...but some guy time is still important.  I have let many facets of life slip through the cracks of fatigue and the grinding rhythm of training.  It is fantastic to have great friends that don't turn their back on me because I disappear for a while.  Nick is a solid guy- a Firefighter/Paramedic and true Renaissance Man.  He has been with me through every high and low in my life since we met in the 9th grade.  I owe him so much.  He will be captaining an aid station for me at the McCall Trailrunning Classic, next time I see him in July. 

Over Nick's right shoulder is a huge her of elk- just 200 yards away.  A nasty, windy, sleety day of hunting. 

Steep.

Nick and our Guide Jess with Nick's wild steely.

 

Excercise Practice: March 30 to April 5, 2014

Sun 3/30: Boise.  13mi, 2500'.  Robie Creek Tempo.  Start at beginning of dirt.  Climb 5 miles to Adalpe Summit, fast back to truck.  Started 1 mile easy.  Then progressive tempo to summit arriving in 35mins (7min avg pace for the 2000' climb).  Few fast miles back down at 4:45 pace.  Met Brandi and went back up with her easy and back to truck.

Mon: 3/31: AM1- Brundage Skin and Ski 2x.  3100'.  Easy effort for 29 min climb splits. 

Tues: 4/1:  AM1- Brundage Skin and Ski 2x hard, 3100'.  Tempo effort first lap 25:50- 160 max hr.  Second lap was 27 min with each tenth of a mile my watch was set to beep- alternating easy and hard efforts.

AM2- Gym.  Sauna 15 mins.  Bike 30 mins.  5 mins easy, then 8 x 1min hard/ 2 mins easy.  Cranked the 8 mins very hard out of saddle on max resistance, getting HR up to 165- hard for me on a bike.  Strength, core and mobility work after.

Weds 4/2:  Brundage Skin and Ski 2x 3100'.  26:10, 30:40.  Went out hard on first lap and fizzled up high due to hard day yesterday.  Need to be more patient and ease into the workout smarter.  The problem is that there were other skiers on the hill ahead of me and I wanted to pass them.  I need to race soon.

Thurs 4/3:  Rapid River easy/long 5000', 2:30 mins,  16 miles.  Felt flat all day.  Took it easy and cut it shorter than the planned 4 hours.  Up to McCrea Cabin, then up some more to snow line.  Back easy with Brandi to J Jones Grave, then picked it up to 8 min pace last 5 miles.

Fri 4/4:  AM1- Brundage Skin and Ski 2x Easy.  3100'. Splits 29+, 30+. 
Am2- Gym.  Bike 30 mins intervals.  2 mins easy/ 2 mins hard.  Cranked hard out of saddle on the new spin bike at max tension.  Did 5 reps of 2 mins hard.  Then, did mobility and strength work, and hit the pool.  30 mins in pool.  5 mins easy, then 20 mins of 30 secs hard/ 30 secs easy.  Finish with 5 mins easy.  Went very hard.

Sat:4/5:  AM- Brundage Skin & Ski 2x, 3100'.  Easy effort.  4 inches of fresh meant brilliant and effortless skiing. 
Noon- McCall Track session with Brandi and Mo.  3 miles total.  Easy running several laps with 1 harder kilometer thrown in- 3:08.  Went home and tried to watch basketball.  Total fail.  3+ hour nap.


Totals and Recap:  51 miles, 23,000' vert.  Skiing is still good with new snow still piling up and urging me out into the dark mornings to get the freshies.  2 weeks until Robie Creek Half Marathon, but I still feel like the skiing is my best bet for training in the long term, so I will ride that gravy train until the snow fails me.  Probably stay in the pattern a while- skiing every day, doing a long run, tempo run and my faster work on the bike/pool intervals.