TRANSROCKIES ENLIGHTENMENT FAIL

BUENA VISTA, CO - Where do I begin? I was very excited about this event. I had signed up in 2011, but toenail surgery the week prior to the race in 2011 kept me off the starting line. I had eagerly been anticipating this race, felt I was tremendously fit, proven by my 19th place at the US Championships, so my climbing legs were underneath me, and I had some great long runs on trails here at Patapsco, including some great races.

However, what I did not anticipate was a severe reaction to the altitude. My travel was not optimal getting to Buena Vista. I landed in Denver at 9:00PM and had to drive 3 hours in darkness to a damn cabin I couldn't find until 1AM. Finally, I got to bed, figured out how to get to the start, and then lined up.

The weather was great (hot, exposed, sunny). There were several usual suspects like Max King, but I was confident in my running. We started out relaxed with Jorge Maravilla making some nice jokes, but I got stuck in a train of singletrack while Max built a lead. I finally broke through and I latched on behind Max's rhythm and I was feeling good. However, once we hit jeep trail, Max was gone. He was hammering. I wanted to keep this as easy as possible, since it was a 3-day stage race, but by 20-minute or so, every step was a monumental effort. I was soon passed by Michael Smith and his teammate storming past, on a mission, but I was perplexed. I was labeled a "high-responder" to altitude at the 2001 USOC Altitude "Live High, Train Low" study, but man, I felt like death.

At the first aid station, I wanted to drop out. I talked myself into going to the next aid station, and it was just getting worse. Every step was a million pounds. I wanted to drop at 12 miles, then 18 miles for sure, but I was like, man, I can run 3-4 more miles, as I would have periods of good running with just deathly steps.

Finally I staggered to the finish line in 2:36:28 for 4th place, but I knew my TransRockies Run was done. There was something chemically wrong with me. I was not myself. I had to go home. I managed to get a ride to the Denver airport, cancelled my hotel and my Pike's Peak Ascent attempt, and lined up some blood work. I also had to pull out of the 2012 WMRA World Long Mountain Championships in Switzerland. Ugh, it could not get any worse, but I am severely depleted and it will take some time to restore reasonable levels to perform well at altitude.

Not sure if I will be back to TransRockies. The trails don't suit me, and obviously the altitude killed me, but I would do it if I had good iron levels heading in, did a 5-10 day training/altitude camp, and then raced it. Oh well, that's life.

BUNKER HILL DEFENSE

MONKTON, MD - Alright, a very interesting race. I had won this race in 2011 in some good muddy conditions and today the trails seemed in much better shape.

The beauty of this race, as is with all races in this area, is that I was the defending champion, yet of course no one remembered me and the race direction nicely made way for the "fastest" runner in the field, Graham Peck. It was funny, because in my mind, I was like, hmm, this is a trail race and I am one of the top 20 trail/mountain/ultra runners in the USA and I was quite sure that I was faster than Peck, especially over trail, but then again, I knew nothing about him.

Anyway, just to prove a point, I blasted off the starting line to capture the single-track first and put pressure on the "fast" guys. This is a pretty technical singletrack for about 2 miles before we hit an open uphill trail (picture above) in which I wanted to hammer and get some separation. Immediately I built up a pretty signficant gap and then Killian Jornet'd down the trails to finish up the first loop. I was feeling good and unpressed and was well under my personal pace from last year, 34:53 to 37:50. I wanted a time under 72-minutes, as that is the fastest time I had seen in race results.

However, by the time we hit the middle of the second loop, I felt someone was gaining on me. I think I was just paranoid, but I started pressing again, perhaps resting too much, much like Double Trouble, and I picked it up. The day was pretty humid, but I kept it going. Finally, I hit the Gunpowder (river crossing) and I knew I was in the clear for the win.

The best part about the race is that second place finished about 3+ minutes back, yet in the results they made it look like it was a tight race and I out-kicked second by 2 seconds! Nothing was further from the truth, but oh well, another conquered trail and another great effort. 1:10:38 for the win and an impressive almost 8-minutes faster on the same loop than in 2011 (1:18:18)! My strength has come a long way in a year.

ALLEGHENY FRONT TRAIL RUN, HUH?

PHILIPSBURG, PA - Alright, and so Gabriel set off with his family for a weekend of hard running and quality family time, post-race. The Allegheny Front Trail Run was a newly founded race, and since Gabriel had already experienced a portion of the trail at the Mile Run Trail Half Marathon and felt it's technical nature would prepare him for TransRockies, it was a sound decision to attempt the Hemlock distance (12.3M).

However, as he learned from this winter's local 50km, new races aren't always the most organized or professionally organized, as there are many growing pains for race directors tackling such monstrocities as trail and ultra trail runs.

Immedialtely upon setting off, Gabriel noted that the course markings were going to be suspect. He took a commanding lead in the offset, but on a three-mile stretch of dirt road, Gabriel was caught by a pretty powerful and smooth runner. Gabriel entered the six-mile checkpoint in the lead by a couple of strides, stopped to take a GU and some water, and then set off again on the singletrack, flying past his opponent and attacking the terrain and trail. Soon, he re-reached a fork in the trail and the volunteer started sending Gabriel into the same loop he had just run. Knowing the course map, Gabriel stated, "this is my second loop!" and so the volunteer stated, "oh, uh, go straight" and Gabriel headed into the darkness of singletrack.

However, this did seem the right trail and soon he found himself on a trail heading back to the start (named Seneca, was this the 30M trail finish?) and his confidence was high as he was hammering hard on the trail. Remembering this was the entrance, Gabriel committed to the pace, but soon enough, he encountered traffic, continued to run hard, found himself in the middle of the forest, and then found himself at the 6M check-point, ugh. Amazingly, within 5-6 minutes, the second place runner also found himself at the 6M check-point. Two lost leaders. A 5 min car ride delivered them to the finish line, but all was well. It was the effort that mattered on this day, and Gabriel got in 85+ min of hard tempo running on technical trails.

The rest of the day was spent racing go-carts and on rides in a great water/ride park in PA. Great day.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

July 8, 2012

MORGANTOWN, PA - This was more like multiple troubles. The Double Trouble 15K/30K Trail race was held in French Creek State Park on a very muggy, humid, and warm morning. The 2.5 hour drive from Ellicott City to the park was quite uneventful, although beautiful. Pennsylvania is a grand state, but amazingly, PA all looks the same with gorgeous rolling countryside and vast farmlands.

Back to the race. Gabriel was not feeling peppy. His left calf/soleus was weak and sore and he had jumped into some pretty good training immediately after Mount Washington. Perhaps he was doing too much climbing. The one workout he had schedule prior to the Double Trouble was a 4 x 1600m in 4:55, with 3:00 rest and he only managed 3 x 1600m in 4:55, 4:58, 5:01 in 97-degree heat. This heat wave was killing him.

The race was amazing, however. The original goal was to run the 30 KM with a 3M warm-up, and a 3M cooldown for a 24-mile day in prep for NYC. However, Gabriel managed to cop an entry to the Glossglockner Berglauf mountain race in Austria on the 15th of July, and this necessitated a training change. The 30 KM could potentially be shelved for the 15 KM, but it depened on how the race played out.

Amazingly, the race played out spectacularly not in Gabriel's favor. The eccentric RD decided to start the 30 KM runners on the singletrack portion of the start, while the 15 KM runners (part of the PA Off-Road Championship) started on a straight road path to the trailhead merge. Immediately, Gabriel fell behind about 5 runners on the singletrack, and when the two races merged, Gabriel was deep in 50-100th place. There was no room to move up. The singletrack was too tight and patience was of utmost importance. Gabriel's first reaction was, "well, no worries about winning the 15K, this is ridiculous." That quickly changed to, "screw this, I am going to win the 15K, or at least try, and if I do, no 30K for me, just the 15K."

However, the lead pack was way out and after 20-minutes there was no one in sight and he was in about 11th place. By 27-minutes, he had moved into 6th place and had 4th place in his sights, with 3rd place not far off. A gradual, steep incline at 30-minutes caused a major cave-in from the front-runners, and Gabriel started gaining ground. A quick road segment gave Gabriel a glimpse of 1-2nd places, and he set off in pursuit. However, once he tucked into 3rd place, he was stuck. Second place was stubborn and would not let Gabriel pass. This was a race. Screw trail etiquette. Even though Gabriel was a 30K runner, the 2nd place runner would not relent. So, after inquiring if the runner ahead was the leader, Gabriel did his best Usain Bolt impersonation and blitzed a turn, immediately opening a 20-30 meter gap and safely into 2nd place.

However, it was now 45+ minutes on the clock and he had to make up ground on first place if he had a chance to win. The race was going to take 1hr, give or take. Finally, after much stumbling on the rockiest terrain on the course, he spotted the leader, and on a nice incline the leader relented. Gabriel assumed the lead, but he proceeded to relax too much (in hindsight). The second place runner smartly tracked Gabriel until Gabriel had to re-tie a shoelace for the home stretch. Gapping Gabriel by close to 200m, Gabriel worked hard to catch back up and soon they entered the final aid station together before the final descent to Hopewell Lake.

Gabriel assumed the lead down the trail, and they were flying. Mimicking Killian Jornet, the leaders leaped boulders, tree limbs, and every rock and root possible, taking turns at dangerous, ankle breaking speeds. Gabriel searched for any flat or uphill ground to make a move and create a gap. Finally, there was a 100-200m flat section and Gabriel got the gap he needed. However, an ill-advised comment from a volunteer stated they were 1/4 mile from the finish and Gabriel launched into his kick, only to find that they still had over a half mile to go! Gabriel was devastated, but he recovered for one final launch, but he was being caught.

Finally, he spotted the lake, emerged from the trail in the lead, and proceeded to drop a great final 200-300m uphill finish to take the win and course record. He was absolutely destroyed, but it was a great effort. If there was a heart-rate monitor, he work rate would have been in the 180's the whole race. Not bad for working his way through the entire field. This was great preparation for Austria, and gave him the confidence necessary to descend recklessly and compliment his uphill skills.

Onto London, Munich, and Heiliglenblut...

MOUNT WASHINGTON ROAD RACE

USATF Mountain Championship - Mt. Washington Road Race 7.6M in 1:06:18* NEW State of Maryland Record (1:10:37 - 1990);
18th in USATF Mountain Championship; 19th Overall
SPLITS - 6:35, 14:55 (8:20), 23:41 (8:45), Halfway - 31:53, 32:44 (9:03), 1:00:41

Alright, so where do I begin? Obviously, I had researched the Maryland Record and that was goal #1, 1:10:37. I noted on some Northeasterner blogs certain splits to be able to hit that time and while laying in bed the night before the race, I settled on 9:00 miles - simple math: 9', 18', 27', 36', 45', 54', 63' would get me the record. Of course, I was still feeling quite sore from Dr. Bross' treatment and my legs were still trash from my 12 x 400m workout, but I got to bed by 7:30PM feeling very motivated and pumped. I would wake up at 6AM, not eat a single thing, and be ready to race.

On race morning, I was not feeling peppy. There was a lot of waiting around, as I had to coordinate a ride down from the mountain top. Got in a sporadic warm-up, and then headed up the first 400m of the climb. I was feeling so confident driving around NH because I felt their "8% grade" was less steep than MD 8% grade, but those first 400m I knew it was going to be a long day. Thankfully, I lined up next to Dave Dunham and took a peek at his wrist calculator. It looked like he was gunning for a 67' minute run so I said, "hmm, I've got to hang with this 47-year old legend, he knows what he's doing on this course." So, the cannon boomed and I got out relaxed behind at least 30-40 guys and right behind Dave and Nate Jenkins (2:14 Marathon). Once we started climbing, my natural rhythm took me past Dave and I was a bit confident. However, before the 1M mark, I was in trouble. Although my watch read 6:35 (wanted closer to 6:45-6:50) and I was comfortable, I was running on one leg (right) and was not smooth or powerful whatsoever. I didn't want to make any moves, but I started to get too aggressive and immediately got into a hole, oxygen-debt wise. On a pretty steep section before 2M, I actually walked two strides because my left quad was just failing on me. But I got going and never looked back. I was running pretty roughly to 3M, but then the canopy pulled back and I was re-vitalized. It was great seeing the sun and sky. I was full of life, but man, the climb was on! This was crazy. I approached halfway and saw sub-32:00!!! I couldn't drop out now. I had a legitimiate shot at doing something great. I just had to keep plugging away. I was literally just throwing myself up this hill, no true running form, just powering up.

I think I saw another 8:45 mile from 4-5 miles but by then my mind was playing tricks on me: "how much higher is this damn mountain!" Come on... Mile 5-6 was by far the steepest and most difficult, but by this point I was aiming on reeling in both Nate Jenkins and Kevin Tilton, who had worked past me at Mile 2. I was inching up on them with every step. However, mile 5-6, on a dirt covered road, was so steep and never-ending. It was dreadful, but it was beautiful. I kept looking up to spy the finish somewhere and then I saw it, it almost looked like it was on another mountain peak! At this point, I passed Jarred Freeman, a mountain skier/runner and kept going. Mile 6 split 9:14 and I was stoked. I was running very, very well. Now, I had to get back to work on some steep climbs for mile 7 to show up and thankfully this was taken up by focusing on catching Nate Jenkins and how impressive that would sound to my coach (turns out it did not impress him much at all, ha). My left calf started a mini cramp at this point, but I put it aside and stormed by Nate at 7M, almost putting myself into debt too soon. Shortly after the catch, the final stretch came into sight and I finished up quite well, seeing 1:06:15 on the clock! I had to smile. Not in my wildest dreams did I think about 1:06, because 1:06 was a traditional Top 5-10 on this course, but today, I felt I was behind a legit pack of 12-15 studs that I never saw on the mountain. They were just gone.

This was single-handedly the most difficult thing I have done. I had to dig to a pain-cave I had not visited in quite some time, if ever. But it was all worth it. I out-climbed some great runners, all 2:20-2:25 marathon guys and mountain guys that own the Northeast and trails. I did not have a practice run-up, I did not have a more than 25 min continuous run uphill on a treadmill at 8% grade. I really think my climbing skills are strong. However, I am not sure I could run much faster than 1:03 on this course, and mentally, it will take a year to get over the pain associated with this run. Man, that was fun.

PATAPSCO TRAIL JOURNEY

ELLICOTT CITY, MD - Gabriel Rodriguez prides himself on great ideas. However, most of those great ideas are great until the process to bring these ideas to reality are executed.

With training going well and a sudden change in the BRRC racing calendar, Gabriel was presented the opportunity of jumping in the BRRC Patapsco Trail Race 8M at the nearby Rolling Rd trailhead. And so, the plan took shape. Gabriel had on schedule a 2hr run with 30 min of tempo and 30 min of progression. So, why not run to the start line of the 8M, run tempo for 8M, and then run back home? Sounds simple, right?

And so, Gabriel headed out to the starting line at 7:30AM with an 8:30AM start. He knew it was 3M to the Grist Mill Trail and figured another 20-25 min to the Rolling Rd trailhead. Well, after eight miles and 58 minutes on his watch, and scrambling to register in time for the start, the gun sounded and off he went into the trail. Gabriel was hoping for a solo effort, but a very strong downhill runner appeared, and the duo were flying down the singletrack and across the Patapsco River (2M+) before Gabriel pulled away on an 800m uphill climb onto Morning Choice. However, in the process of pulling away, he put himself in quite some debt, physically. His glutes were shutting down and there was already 80min on the watch and he had to go hard for at least another 30 minutes. And so, the race and stretch began, and he finished up for the win in 52:36.

Now, with 1:50 on his watch, he had to run home. Another 8 miles, but predominantly uphill. His legs were trashed. His spirit burnt, because his great idea did not have an escape plan. 2hrs was the effort today and he was already at 1h50'. Ugh. No one had a cell phone and so he started the jog back home. Finally, at 2h20', Gabriel had enough and searched out for a Park Ranger and a cell phone. No dice. One cyclist had a phone but no reception, so Gabriel was forced to press on.

Finally, he reached base camp of the 5km climb up to his home. It is a legitimate 5km uphill climb with 12% grades back home. He was absolutely spent, but there was a Ranger, with a phone! So Gabriel called his great wife, Perla, but to no avail. She would not answer.

Gabriel looked up the hillside, put his head down, and ended up running a great final 5km to finish up the run, fully dehydrated at 24 miles and 2:45:01 on the watch. A solid day of running and another course conquered.

HUNTING HOGS ON AN EMPTY BARREL

HUNTSVILLE, TX - So after my last outing in PA at the Mile Run Trail Challenge Half Marathon, I headed down to Miami for Spring Break to visit my Grandfather. The sun was hot, the beaches gorgeous, and the training non-existent. I didn't plan it this way, but my legs were quite depleted from the race effort and drive down. I patched a training week together but ended up taking a quick sabbatical from training to fully enjoy my family.

And then, upon returning to work, I had to visit Houston for business. It so happened that the 2012 Hog's Hunt Trail 50K/25K were going on before I had to drive to Austin. Initially, I thought of signing up for the 50K, as I was the defending champion and course record holder (3:34), but the forecast stated 80-degrees. Hmm, with a complete lack of long run recently and a mini-break from running, I thought maybe the 25K would be a better option. And so, I entered the race.

Race morning was hot - 76 degrees and humid when I woke up. Thankfully the trails were in good shape, quite dry, but that meant super-sandy. Competition-wise, I had no idea who would show up, but within the first couple of minutes, I knew it was going to be interesting, as a buddy declared his friend was going to win the race, but I saw an even more dangerous threat... a Texas A&M Aggie... he was a bit larger, looking more like a mid-distance guy, but he was fit. And he took the lead from me after about 5 minutes of running and pressed the pace.

I wasn't super comfortable. The lack of training was evident. After a couple of miles, I decided to attack. I didn't want to battle anyone, but at the first aid station (after feeling I had been going WAYYY too hard), Aggie took the lead while I sucked down a GU and I gave chase. He was very fluid, very strong, running hard on the uphills, but I kept thinking: 1) the heat has to get to him more than me; 2) the pace has to get to him; 3) the hills have to get to him; 4) the sand has to get to him... it was pretty funny, but he was attempting to bury me. At 40-minutes I made the pass and thought, that's it. But within 10-minutes, he charged back and after almost blowing out an ankle heading into a trailhead, I let Aggie take the lead.

So I shadowed him on the singletrack until he had a big ankle twisting moment... it looked bad and I passed by, asking if he was alright. At the next aid station by an hour he was probably 20-30 sec back and I set off to try and win this thing. However, my body had other plans. I was a wreck. I could barely run, my fitness was catching up to me. My right glute basically shut down and my left foot was not landing correctly. But I was in the lead and I was battling. I just needed to make it to the final aid station, which was 2.8 miles from the finish.

Finally, the aid station appeared and I saw 1:20 and change on my watch. The fastest time I had seen on this course was 1:39, and I started the mental games: I have to be able to run 2.8 miles in under 18-19 minutes. I have to, regardless of the terrain. And I set off at a break-neck pace. The worst thing in a race is to work so hard and miss a CR by seconds... I didn't want that to happen, but I completely bonked with a mile to go. It was brutal. I could barely run, but I got a good rhythm going and was surprised to see 1:37 on the clock when I finished, a new CR.

Sure enough, Ryan finished in 1:41 and he turned out to be a 3:54 performer over 1500m and recently graduated. What a battle. It was a great day, but I was toast and thankful it was over and even more thankful I didn't attempt the 50KM... and now, off to London and another forced break from training (this time very welcomed) as I have some long days ahead of me with Tottenham Hotspur.

Embracing the Challenge

NEW COLUMBIA, PA - With the failed attempt to train for the Umstead 50M, Gabriel turned his attention to the 2012 Trophy Series race, the Mile Run Challenge Trail Half Marathon in Pennsylvania.

The course had been around for a couple of seasons, with proven times by proven competitors, and with the Trophy Series designation, the race was sure to provide some stiff competition. And so, Gabriel and his family packed into his Infinti and drove the three hours to New Columbia to awaken to a night full of rain and 45-degree chills.

Race morning was hectic. A solid 20-minute wait in a steady drizzle while awaiting the pick-up of the race bib proved to not produce a warm-up. And so, with a few minutes to spare and having to decide between a warm-up jog and a porta-potty stop, Gabriel opted the restroom.

Soon enough the gun sounded, and twenty or so chaps were out at sub-5:30 pace onto the road. Immediately a group of four runners formed, and Gabriel was not among them. He was stuck somewhere in tenth, struggling with navigation of the rocky underfoot in such tepid conditions. However, a lone leader struck out and Gabriel started to panic that if he did not close the gap shortly, that he would not be able to make up the gap over such treacherous terrain. And so, he forged his way to the front and by 15-minutes or so caught the leader on the steady climb.

However, Gabriel soon found himself in debt and was surprised that he would be able to maintain his effort over the 13.4 mile distance. Each change in terrain proved a blessing, as he was able to work different muscle groups. At the 3.5 mile aid station in 22:00, Gabriel felt he was running well. At the 6.5 mile AS, he was at 45-minutes but wasted 2-minute re-tying a shoe-lace. And off he went.. absolutely dominating single-track and the flats. The only real damage came to a treacherous descent after 9M, in which his quads were pushed to their limits. However, he amazingly recovered and attacked, attacked, attacked.

The final 2 miles or so of the course were the most disappointing. The runners were forced to surmout a boulder field. No running was possible, only dangerous, slipperly stepping from stone ledge to stone ledge, which felt like an eternity navigating the boulder-field. Finally, Gabriel found some runnable ground and entered a water-logged tunnel, and exited towards the finish in a new course record, 1:40:54, about three minutes ahead of the locals.

Another challenge, another test, another performance. A great day all-around, with great sensations throughout the race. This will be taken.

Climbing Cliffs in Calvert County

February 04, 2012

LUSBY, MD - A last-second decision to supplant a workout with a race left Gabriel Rodriguez and his family to venture ninety minutes down to the Chesapeake Bay area for the Calvert Cliffs Trail 4 Mile race hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Running Club.

Arriving in the nick of time, Gabriel scouted the out-and-back dirt road and quickly noted the course's challenging nature: it would be a nice workout. With the course record being standing at 24:06 from 2009 and Karsten Brown (16:04/1:13 runner), Gabriel figured he was capable of a mid-22 minute effort, much like his Kowomu Trail CR in Westminster.

Lining up with the 30-odd participants in 37-degrees, Gabriel tucked in behind the early leader for the first few climbs, but soon passed the leader and assumed the lead, pressing on an uphill. The chase was then on for the CR. Finally hitting the sandy turnaround (basically walking 100 meters), Gabriel split 10:34 and set off on attempting an even split, but the gauntlet was thrown by the course, this would not be easy, there were several 200-400 meter hills at greater than 7-12% on the return and although running strongly, Rodriguez would fade over the last three minutes of the course, but would be surprised at a nice 21:25 CR (10:34/10:51).

A great start to a solid trail season in Maryland... next on tap is the Holiday Lake 50K++..