Whitney 5.0 Was My Fastest

We started at 2:04am and walked in the dark till we got to Trailside Meadow (5.3 mile / 11395 feet). We took it easy until we entered the Whitney Zone and then we picked up the pace a bit.

Our leader Debbie organized this trip and 8 of us started at 2:04am. David lead the way and here he is overlooking the Trailside Meadow.

This section of the hike from Mirror Lake (4.3/10640) is always hard for me going going up and especially descending. Trail Camp (6.3/12039) is only 2 miles away but it is a hard 2 miles. One climbs 1400 feet in 2 miles which is a 13% average grade. Plus the trail is not always clearly defined because it goes over so many rocks.

One of the few easy parts of this section is when you get to walk along side the creek.

Sometime, I would like to stop and enjoy this creek but usually I am in a hurry to get up or in a hurry to get back to my car.

The sun came up as we got to Trail Camp.

Plenty of campers at Trail Camp. In the past, there has been some snow on the way to this camp site and the lake is often frozen. This year it was very dry, in fact last year at this time the switchbacks had a lot of snow on them.

I caught up with David at Trail Camp before he headed up the Switchbacks.

Garrett at Trail Camp.

Shay at Trail Camp.

David heading up the Switchbacks.

The Cables (7.7/12820)

Snowball fight at 13,000 feet.

This trail block was not fun to climb over.

Just realized she was low on water, so it was Bear Gryles time.

Trails Crest

Just completed the JMT in 14 days!

Just completed the JMT in 14 days!

Trails Crest  (8.5/13777)

JMT (9/13480)

David summited in 7:11.

This snow field was not fun to cross.

My Hoka One Ones got the job done!

My third summit was also my fastest (8:22).

Summit (11/14496)

I only stayed about ten minutes at the summit.

Their first summit, 12 hours after they first meet.

Lupe

Debbie

Patty

Finished at 5:08pm (15:02)

Started at 2:04am

Whitney 5.0 - Summit to Outpost Camp

Mt Whitney 5.0 - JMT to Summit

Whitney 5.0 - Trailside Creek to the Cables

Whitney 5.0 - Cables to JMT

Second Heartbeat | Alpine Works

That is where my dearest and brightest dreams have ranged — to hear for the duration of a heartbeat the universe and the totality of life in its mysterious, innate harmony. Hermann Hesse 
After soloing the first flatiron for the first time, TK and I got a quick scramble up the second just before the rain.


Second Heartbeat | Alpine Works

Whitney 5.0 - Trail Camp to the Cables

Your Ultra-Training Bag of Tricks: Speed-Based Workouts

The Importance of Speed
Ultrarunners are tough. We must be in order to fulfill the demands we ask of our bodies and minds during long distance events. Undoubtedly, there comes a time in most races when an ultrarunner’s mental and physical mettle is put to the test. Though short in duration, performing challenging speed-based workouts is a way to simulate pushing through difficult race-day scenarios by learning to overcome the body’s desire to slow or, worse, stop.
The need for speed work has been hotly debated in the ultrarunning community. Geoff Roes and I present our respective cases in Bryon Powell’s book, Relentless Forward Progress.


Your Ultra-Training Bag of Tricks: Speed-Based Workouts

Sharman Ultra: How to train for...Western States 100

This posting continues my irregular articles with tips on how to train for various major world ultras which I've personally run several times. I've been top 10 at Western States in 2010, 2011 and 2012, having run two different snow routes and the official course too (finally!), with a best time of 15:54 and improving my time each year by 46 minutes exactly. So I now feel that I've learned enough about the race to be able to give a few useful pointers for anyone planning on running this iconic event. This isn't a definitive guide and many people are far more experienced with the course than myself, but there are things I've learnt along the way that you may find helpful, as have runners who I've coached for the event.

Sharman Ultra: How to train for...Western States 100

Over the Peak and Through the Pines: Hardrock Impressions

The reason the air feels extra thin isn’t any environmental reason (as a matter of fact, most areas are more humid than traditional dry peaks because there is so much greenery and water flowing everywhere (even in this dry year), the reason the air feels thin is because fear/stress in the human body causes inefficiency: increased blood pressure, headaches, asthma, etc. etc.. So, when they say “you have nothing to fear but fear itself” it’s basically, “you have nothing to fear but fear ruining your race.” Acclimation in this sense can’t be achieved only in an altitude tent; it has to be done in these massive mountains, in a hale storm freezing you to your core, in the middle of confusing cross country navigation, at the base of a gigantic climb, in the moments you hike past your comfort zone with confidence intact. This acclimation allows impossible performances like Kyle Skaggs CR, and Kirk Apt’s 17 finishes.

Over the Peak and Through the Pines: Hardrock Impressions

Training For a Self-Supported Stage Race

Training to run a multi-day ultra is one thing. Training to run a self-supported ultra over a week is something else entirely. I’m preparing for a 168-mile, seven-day event in September, and I’m either confident or foolish enough to believe I can log enough back-to-back long runs over the next two months, toughen my mental resolve and unlock the keys to nutrition and hydration to go the distance. To date, I have run one 100K and a handful of 50-milers.

Training For a Self-Supported Stage Race

A Trail Runner's Blog: Cruising the Black Hills 100m

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of joining 300+ runners for the second running of the Black Hills 100 Mile Run in Sturgis, SD, on a hot and sunny day. The views and trails were simply stunning, and although the course got the best of me (I dropped at mile 50), I had a great weekend meeting new friends and experiencing these wonderful and mystical mountains.

A Trail Runner's Blog: Cruising the Black Hills 100m

Life to the Utmost: Timothy Olson’s 2012 Western States 100 Race Report

 As I laid awake in my bed, buzzing with anticipation, just hours before the start of Western States I could feel the ground quivering with what was to come. I felt the walls and bed board rattling and it wasn’t my neighbors having a good time, either. There was a tiny earthquake around 8:30 Friday night, and even the mountains were trembling with excitement for the race to begin.

Life to the Utmost: Timothy Olson’s 2012 Western States 100 Race Report