SJ Ultra Vest: Trial Run

As I mentioned in my previous post, I received my Ultimate Direction Scott Jurek Ultra Vest last week, having ordered it the day it was released. Unfortunately, I received it while I was taking an extended period off of running to heal a nagging ankle injury, and also just before I headed to Chicago for work. So when I got back, I decided to take it for a test run.

And where better to test it than Green Mountain? I will grant you that, since it generally takes just over an hour, Green is not a full test of this vest. Normally I would run this with a handheld, also by UD, at most. But since I had taken time off and was not sure how long I could actually run, and how well my ankle would hold up, Green was the best option.

That, and I love Green Mountain.

First Impressions: Ok, to be honest, this is all first impressions, but here are my out of the box first impressions.

First, this thing is light. I pulled it out of the box and almost flung it over my head because I was expecting it to be heavier. Even with the bottles attached it feels remarkably light, so much so that I wondered how durable it might be. Knowing Scott, though, and his exacting nature, I have little doubt that it will hold up well.

Second: fit. After nearly throwing the vest across the room, I put it on. I had initially questioned getting the size medium instead of the large, as my chest measurements suggested I was right on the border, but I think I chose the right size. With the bottles empty, I could hardly tell I was wearing it, which of course is what you hope for from a running pack.

Third: there are a ton of pockets on this thing. Each bottle holder has two side pockets. There are two more velcro closed, mesh pockets right above each bottle, and an additional pocket (one mesh, one water-resistant) below. Each of the hip straps (for lack of a better term) has both a zipper pocket and a velcro pocket. And, of course, there are the two larger pockets on the back. One of these is smaller, suitable for sunglasses, hat, and probably gloves. The other is larger, which is equipped for a small hydration bladder, or in my case a larger camera.

Immediate concerns: These packs had been rolled out with a lot of hype, and rightly so. For some reason, this is one of the first times a hydration pack company has actually gone to well-known athletes to design their packs. It surprises me not at all that UD would be the company to do this.

And there were a few surprises, the most notable of which is that all three athletes wanted a pack that had the water bottles up front. They all opted for a vest style pack rather than a traditional pack.

I did have some concerns heading out on the trail initially, though. First, I was worried that the bottles would bounce around too much for my taste. And they do, just a bit. But it is surprisingly mild, and more side-to-side than up-and-down. I quickly forgot about it as I ran down the trail, and the ease of access made possible by having the bottles up front, rather than around back at your waste (for somebody with bad shoulders, that was always a problem with hip packs), more than made up for any initial bouncing.

Second, I was worried about balance. With my Katoa waste pack, if I drink too much from one bottle, or had one out for an extended period of time,  the whole pack tends to shift on my hips annoyingly. This was not a problem with the vest. I could definitely tell that one bottle was heavier than the other. How could you not? But the vest did not shift, nor did it feel at all uncomfortable. The one thing I noticed is that it is difficult to impossible to put the bottle back in its holster one-handed. Possibly unavoidable and not a big deal, but definitely noticeable.

My worry about durability cannot be spoken to yet. I'll get back to you in a couple years on that (hopefully).

Overall impression: This will definitely be my go-to pack for longer runs in the future. The combination of weight, convenience, and fit is unbeatable in my experience. The myriad pockets will make it possible to carry everything I need (gels, real food, gummies, electrolytes, and of course my car key) and keep them all separate. I can see the velcro pockets on the hips being used primarily to pack out my wrappers.

The large pocket on the back easily fits my camera, which is a primary concern for me as I love photography. I may need to find a new, smaller, better fitting case for my camera though, as my current case now seems overly large and unwieldy. I guess better design in one item makes me desire better design in others as well.

The drawstrings on the back of the pack securely held my GoLite wind jacket. Nothing much more to report there. I did notice the lower loops on the pack, designed to hold trekking poles or an ice axe. There appear to be areas on top to lash the trekking poles there as well, but I was not sure how you are supposed to do so, as there was no corresponding cord. Perhaps you're supposed to use the drawstring that secures your windbreaker?

It is a question I may ask UD or Scott, next time I see them.

As a final note, I got a lot of questions about the pack. As I mentioned, there has been a lot of buzz (forgive the pun, Buzz) about these packs, and people noticed. I even ran by a woman who works for UD, and she promptly took a couple pictures of me to share with the company. I am sure I sounded a little hedgy, but I always am with a new product.

That said, I give this pack full marks from my first run. I cannot wait to try it out on a longer adventure, and post my more considered thoughts at that point.

Guess What Came Today

Unfortunately my Ultimate Direction Scott Jurek Signature Series Ultra Vest came while I'm taking a short break to let a lingering ankle injury heal. But once that's better and I get a chance to try it out, I'll post a review.

A brief retrospective on Pikes

Today marks precisely three months after my Pikes Peak Marathon debut.  As my report at the time suggested, I was none too pleased with my result at the time. After some time to reflect, though, I have come to a bit of a different and, I hope, healthier perspective on the race.

As I pointed out at the time, it was not my best day. I had not slept very well the night before, nor had my nutrition and hydration been optimal in the days leading up to the race. These were both problems of my own creation, and I can chalk that down to experience.

Looking back at it now, the race was just that: experience. Pikes Peak was only my third marathon, and I had chosen what is generally regarded as one of the most difficult races in the country.  I had very little knowledge of the course, Matt Carpenter’s excellent course description notwithstanding, so I was not as prepared as I might have been for the fast, flat section in the middle on the way up and down. 

And I simply had a bad day. I had a few good miles at the outset, and a few good miles after the turnaround, for a total of 6 miles out of 26 where I felt ok.  Not an ideal ratio.

But I finished. I slogged through 20 difficult miles. I had time after time where I thought I would give up but turned that around and finished in spite of it. And I think that kind of stubbornness and determination will only help me as I continue in my racing career.

All in all, despite my initial disappointment, I have to count this as a win.

Race Report: Highlands Ranch Backcountry Wilderness Half Marathon

Those of you who read this blog may be thinking "wait, you ddin't say anything about racing!" Those of you who know the Denver area might be thinking "wait, a Highlands Ranch Backcountry race?"

Both questions have a point. I heard about this race a couple weeks ago, and after the Bear Creek 10-spot was postponed to the weekend I was in Santa Fe, it moved up a notch. After reading Dave Mackey's race report, I decided, a good 5 minutes before online registration closed, to bite the bullet and sign up.

As for the second question, it will be explained in the report that follows.

The forecast, as of the night before the race, was for rain at the start turning to snow some time during the race. In Colorado, this always carries the risk of the infamous Colorado mud, that conglomeration of soil and sand that builds up with each step until it cakes to an inch thick on the sole of each shoe and then flies off, leaving just enough to slow your pace.

Fortunately, when I got to the start, it was still clear, and about 55 degrees, though the clouds were piling over the hills of the front range, promising the snow that was forecast. Despite my complete lack of taper, my legs had a surprising amount of pep in them as we lined up at the start. It turns out, we all lined up facing the wrong way, and after a little reshuffling, the gun fired and we were on our way.

After the inevitable fast start, I settled in to what I felt was a sustainable pace, and churned up the first, paved, mile in a little under 7 minutes. We said goodbye to pavement and took a sharp left down a dirt double-track that wound over rolling hills. Mile 3 took us under a road to single track for the first time, and a sustained uphill mountain back track.

I was still feeling solid here, though I had noticed that my GPS mileage did not match the posted miles, where they were posted. But I still felt good, and passed through three and four miles sustaining my average of 7 minute pace. I was pleasantly surprised by this point with the quality of the course. There had been a mix of bike path (inevitable in the suburbs), dirt road, double track, and single track.

Back under the road at the "top" of the hill, and we hit the infamous rollers, man made humps for mountain bikers, that take all the pep out of your legs on the way up, and spring you back on the way down, all while still heading generally uphill.

Surprisingly, though, I had managed to keep my effort reasonable and my legs still felt decent as I hit a stretch of rolling hills. I kept the effort up and stuck it out, and was rewarded when, hearing a shout behind me, I turned around to watch a buck (a good 14 points plus) vault over the fence and dash into the field. It was an almost surreal experience watching that big an animal leap a 5 foot fence with seemingly no trouble.

Rolling section done, I made it to the high point of the course: 7 miles in, the course hit a section of dirt road where I could pick up the pace to 6:40 or so, before dropping down on single track. It was here that the promised precipitation finally began to fall. In the form of ice pellets flying at you from the slide and stinging your face. Fortunately this would later turn to wet snow, which is much less unpleasant.

Dropping down onto the single track, I initially sped up and gained some time. I quickly realized, though, that the trail was iced mud the whole way. Any misstep would send me careening off the trail and into the trees.

Still, I felt alright. And in mile 9, I looked up, and saw a herd of elk bounding across the meadow in front of me. Another completely unexpected wildlife sighting in what was, after all, the middle of a Denver suburb.

Miles 10 and 11 were both mostly uphill single track. And here I finally felt the pace and the distance. I put in a good effort, and was told by a guy at the finish line that I really took off here. He had thought he could catch me up (from 5 people back) on the hill, but ended up losing ground. A good indication that my training has been successful.

This section seemed endless. It consisted of winding, uphill single track. Every so often you could catch a glimpse of the next switchback, and each time it looked like the next switchback was the top, but the hill just kept going.

Whatever I accomplished up the hill in leaving people behind, I lost at the top. The trail topped out at another rolling, but mostly downhill, single track section, and I didn't up the pace enough. I knew I was close to the finish line now, but there were no longer any mile markers, and my GPS was unreliable, so I was unsure how much was left. Had I known, I would have pushed a bit harder.

I didn't, and I got caught by several people here as the race descended back to the start line, once again hitting the bike path. I was unsure of whether the race would head straight for the finish line, or ring the park as it did on way out. Turns out it went straight for the finish line, meaning I did not kick when I should (well, I kept sub 6:30 pace, but I didn't kick as much as I should have).

Still, it was a solid race, and I'm happy with the result. I ran a 1:33:04 on a tough trail course, which Dave Mackey reported as having 1800 feet of vertical. I ran my own race, not getting sucked in to the fast start, and not letting my pace slack too much. I came in 21st place, in a race which saw the top two men and the top woman beat the course record. I was strong on the hills, and solid on the technical downhills, and kept the pace sharp on the flats.

Of course, there are always areas for improvement. I still think, despite the comment of the other runner, that I could have pushed harder on the uphills. I certainly could have pushed it more on the flats, since the 6:30 pace at the end didn't feel as hard as I would have expected.

The race was an affirmation. I am in good shape, and I'm building my confidence in the (slightly) longer races. My legs, over all, still feel pretty good. I think my hill-emphasis in training, combined now  with trail tempos and fartleks, is making a big difference.

As for the race organization, the race was well marked, and anywhere you could easily take a wrong turn, there was either a clear arrow or a race volunteer. The one thing I would change is the aid stations. The first was at about 4 miles. Then there was a gap until mile 10 (should have been one more, not sure if I missed it or if it was not set up), and another in the last mile (which nobody used). It would not have been an issue had I brought even a mini-bottle. A minor issue, in the grand scheme of things.

Oh. Did I mention this was a 17 minute PR?

Fall Pictures

My last few posts have been a little more wordy, with fewer pictures than usual. I will rectify that. Here are a few pictures from an autumn of running. 

South Boulder Creek from the trail down to Walker Ranch

Bird in a tree, also from the Walker Ranch run.

A splash of fall color along the trail.

More than a splash of fall color. 

Longs Peak from the trail to Emerald Lake. This will be part of my Glacier Gorge Traverse next summer.

Flat Top Mountain and Hallett Peak from  Dream Lake. One of my favorite views in the park, and often photographed.  Also on the Glacier Gorge Traverse.

Just a cool picture.

Hitting the Roads

There are many reasons I love running. For trail running, at least, it is relatively obvious: I love getting out into the woods, or mountains, or plains, and covering ground. It is immensely freeing to be out there with nothing but your feet and maybe a water bottle and some gels to get you from point A to point B, or from valley C to summit D. The technicality of running on oft-times uneven, difficult, and even dangerous trails only adds to the appeal.

I love trail running enough that I sometimes forget the advantages of road running. These came storming, literally, back to me on Wednesday night. The weather had gone, in under 24 hours, from sunny and 80 to rainy and 40. Nonetheless, the run at the Boulder Running Company commenced as ever.

Reason number one for running on roads: it’s easier to do in bad weather and at night. Had I planned a trail run that day, I would have run earlier, and would have missed the best part of the storm. Indeed, running in bad weather is often when I have the most fun. Something about the pure audaciousness of flinging yourself into the wind as fast as you can, and damn the stinging ice and snow that may be flying at your face.

And talking, yelling, and laughing while you’re doing so.

Reason number two I love road running: the company. It’s not that you can’t run on trails with company. In my experience, though, road running is more conducive to conversation, since you can run in a pack instead of single file.

This particular night, I took off, and soon found myself running in surprising company. I started off with a guy who has a 2:12 marathon PR, and came in fourth in the trials 4 years ago. We in turn latched on to several more people who had various course records and the half-marathon and marathon distance. And for good measure, we picked up a guy who won the Western States 100, 7 times in a row.

I made some comment to the effect that I was under qualified to be running in such company, which they laughed off. And sure enough, we were soon all laughing, joking, and yelling our way down the bike path.

And speeding up.

Reason number three I love road running: speed. You can run fast down the trail, and up the trail, and across the trail. But on a trail you always have to be aware of where you place your feet, moderating your stride so you don’t twist an ankle or trip over a rock. On the roads, you can lose yourself in the speed.

So while I love trail running, and will always choose trails over roads when picking a run, I am glad I have the BRC run every week to remind me of the values of tearing up the roads once a week. 

Another Minimalist Running Study, plus a Saucony Xodus mini review

Once again, Dr. Kram's lab has produced some interesting results about barefoot/minimalist running. And once again it got a shout out in the New York Times (here).

I must admit to a bias. I had the opportunity more than once to run for Rodger's lab at CU, and my sister worked for him during her graduate work. Still, interesting stuff.

I can say myself that I have noticed this phenomenon as well. In a shoe with just a bit more cushion, I find myself running faster than in one with less. Say my Peregrines (may they rest in peace) versus my Inov8's. My current go-to trail shoe is the Saucony Xodus 2, the newer version of which was recently reviewed over at iRunFar. I've run 350 miles in them so far, and the tread and overall structure is holding up well. The sidewalls are a beginning to break down and blow out, which is the same problem I've had with the Peregrines, but I anticipate being able to put at least 500 on these babies.

My one beef with these shoes is the grippiness on bare rock. I ran Longs in these three times this summer, and while for the most part I was ok on the upper sections (trough, narrows, etc) there were sections where I wish I'd had more grip on the bare rock. I've recently started wearing a pair of Inov8 Trailrocs, the 245 version with a 3mm drop, and find them to be much more trustworthy on rocks.

But again, they don't have the cushion of the Xodus. I may try the 255, but I'm not sure that would make much of a difference.