KarlMeltzer.com

Speedgoat 50k final instructions and info!

Published

on July 26, 2010

. 13 Comments

1) The race is Saturday July 31, starting at 630am at ENTRY #1 at Snowbird. This is a different location than last year. It is a 10-15 minute walk from the Cliff Lodge. We recommend you drive to the start to make it easier when you finish.

2) Check-in is at ENTRY #1 at the Creekside building on the deck. Registration starts at 5am. Please come early so you have the best selection of Drymax socks to choose from.

3) There are NO runner bags, only numbers, shirts, socks and a cheerful “Good Luck” from our staff.

4) It will be hot! If you plan on running this race WITHOUT a water bottle. I will deem you “not very smart”. :-) There are a few sections where you will certainly want a bottle or three.

5) We will have a brief informational talk at about 615am on the start line. If you miss this for any reason, please look at my race page now for details.

6) If you plan to come up and pick up the goodies, but don’t run, please tell our staff this info. It’s vital that we have a perfect runner list at the start.

7) THERE HAS BEEN A FEW SUBTLE COURSE CHANGES!!! So please pay attention to markings. Orange flagging, Orange Pin Flags in sets of 3’s. And BLUE flagging is the WRONG WAY.

8) There is still almost 12,000′ of climbing. If you think this race is only a little further than a marathon….you are DEAD WRONG. Or perhaps you’ll like the Dead Last Award…. There are no other 50k’s on the planet this tough…

9) Updated RUNNERS LIST can be found here. If for some reason your name is NOT listed here, contact me at Speedgoatkarl@gmail.com and let me know now.

Vanessa	Aadland
Christopher	Adams
Gregory	Adams
Roger	Adams
Frank	Aldana
Jay	Aldous
Brett	Andersen
Curtis	Anderson
Douglas	Anderson
Richard	Angell
Dawn	Aoki
Peter	Bailey
Jim	Baillargeon
Thomas	Bain
Daniel	Barnett
Frank	Barrows
Linda	Barton
Cliff	Bates
Eric	Belzz
Nathan	Berg
Matthew	Bero
Ron	Bero
Stacy	Bero
Jason	Berry
Jeff	Bertot
Zach	Bishop
Amie	Blackham
Garrett	Blattner
Jill	Bohney
Richard	Boud
Chad	Brackelsberg
Stacy	Bracken
Kelly	Bradbury
Ben	Brewer
Duncan	Britt
Cali	Brown
Bj	Burlison
Jayme	Burtis
Paul	Busto
Jared	Campbell
Mindy	Campbell
Katherine	Cargiulo
Christopher	Cawley
Todd	Cedarholm
Chris	Christensen
Tony	Christensen
Mark	Christopherson
Erin	Clark
Nick	Clark
Celeste	Collman
Marc	Collman
Matt	Connors
Mark	Cosmas
Michael	Cummings
Gary	Dawson
Matthew	Dawson
Daniel	Dean
Kimberly	Demarco
Scott	Dickey
Andy	Dorais
Cody	Draper
Bogie	Dumitrescu
David	Dyatt
Kirk	Dyches
Jake	Elkins
Michael	Evans
Sarah	Evans
Colleen	Ford
Terry	Foust
Darren	Fowler
C.B.	Fralich
Jim	French
Nicholas	Gaitan
Rick	Gates
Jeff	Gerke
June	Gessner
Kim	Gimenez
Stuart	Gleason
Neil	Gleichman
Brett	Gosney
Ben	Gowans
Kevin	Grabowski
Alton	Gray
Craig	Green
Josh	Greenwell
Molly	Gross
Derrick	Gunther
Brian	Hall
Dan	Hamilton
Brian	Hamos
Wayne	Harrell
Gary	Harrington
Daniel	Harris
Matt	Hart
Dustin	Hartman
Joel	Hatch
David	Hayes
Brian	Hill
Jerry	Howard
Jared	Inouye
Karl	Jarvis
Clark	Jensen
Jeffrey	Johnston
Stephen	Jones
Jennifer	Jurynec
Mick	Jurynec
Bronson	Kelly
Steve	Kirkland
Steve	Kissell
Wesley	Kissell
Ryan	Kluh
Chuck	Konopa
Chris	Kroger
Michelle	Lance
Jessica	Laroche
Lindsay	Lauck
Ryan	Lauck
Brian	Lee
Scott	Lewis
Suzanne	Lewis
Amy	Lim
Kacey	Lish
Catherine	Litherland
Ross	Litherland
Lynn	Longan
Phil	Lowry
Carol	Maack
John	Maack
Pete	Malen
Sandy	Margulies
Callie	Martens
Andrea	Martinez
Ed	Masters
Elizabeth	McCoy
Joseph	McDonald
Rich	McDonald
Phillip	McDonnell
Lynette	McDougal
James	McGregor
Patrick	McMurtry
Cheryl	Meltzer
Phil	Mendoza
Anny	Merrill
Glen	Merrill
Mark	Michael
Missy	Miller
Emily	Mitzel Brackelsberg
D. Chaski”"	Montoya
Daniel	Moore
Jason	Moreland
Lee	Moss
Arthur	Myshrall
Keri	Nelson
Luke	Nelson
Jeffrey	Nielsen
Greg	Norrander
Monica	Ochs
Tetsuro	Ogata
Troy	Olson
Larry	Oniel
Liz	Onufer
Kelly	Paasch
Nick	Pedatella
Bud	Phillips
Mike	Place
Emmanuel	Pons
Dmitry	Pruss
Todd	Ragsdale
Jamie	Remkes
Tom	Remkes
Ron	Remkes
Matthew	Ricks
Alex	Robertson
Joy	Robertson
Jeffrey	Rocco
Aaron	Roderick
Vince	Romney
Brent	Rutledge
Robert	Schrader
Colleen	Seyer
Kevin	Shilling
Stan	Sieverts
Jeff	Silverstein
Jeremy	Simmonds
Ray	Squier
Roger	Squires
Craig	Stahl
Benjamin	Stegner
Kelly	Stevens
Suky	Stewart
Jonathan	Stuart
Jeremy	Suwinski
Paul	Sysun
Stevo	Takahashi
James	Taylor
Connie	Teteberg
Tara	Tulley
Kristen	Vaides
Travis	Vandenburgh
Beth	Vitalis
Scott	Wait
Dave	Walick
Derek	Ward
Becky	Wheeler
Doug	White
Matt	Woolley
Clay	Zapletal
Kevin	Zelechoski

10) Course topo map? It’s really hard and hilly……and technical to boot. Expect it to take alot longer than a normal 50k..

6-pack or bust!

Published

Speedgoat Karl

on July 2, 2010

in Race Updates

. 69 Comments

We’re about 6.5 days away from Ultrarunning’s “Superbowl”. We just witnessed the track meet, and it was awesome. Let’s hope myself and a few other fast guys can entertain the world running around the San Juans.

The Top contenders:

Speedgoat Karl 2-1. I give myself the nod as last year’s winner and clockwise record run. I’ve had 3 bad things happen to me in the last 9 weeks. A broken arm, bruised ribs, and currently I have a broken clavicle. I haven’t missed any training with the broken shoulder, although it’s a bit annoying. As long as I don’t crash on my left side, I’ll be fine and I’ll be running for a 6th Hardrock win….and a 6-pack.

Scott Jaime 3-1. Scott has had a great year, and has really turned on the jets over the past few months. Scott just ran at the San Juan Solstice 50 miler two weeks ago. Is he gonna be a little tired? probably not, he’s got that autopilot button like I do. Chances are he’ll be looking for Hardrock title #1.

John Anderson 4-1. John is always in it when the races are tough. Hardrock is tough. I haven’t seen his name pop up lately, but if he’s fit, he’s easily fast enough to win this race in the 26 hour range, if that’s what it’ll take. I think it’ll be faster, John ends up 3rd.

Troy Howard 5-1. Troy was second last year, but only gets 4th on this list….only because he ran at Western States last weekend. He should be a little tired. He excels well at 100s, no reason his autopilot won’t work. He also acquired some valuable experience last year.

Nick Pedatella 6-1. Nick is as fast as the rest of the bunch, but a Hardrock rookie. There’s no reason he can’t hang up front all day, but it’s gonna wear on him, can he last another 8 hours longer than normal?

Jared Campbell 7-1. A Hardrock veteran, one who has all the tools to win…if the stars line up, look for Jared to run a PR in the 26+ range. He’s due for a great race.

Ricky Denesik 10-1. Ricky is a past winner just over 30 hours, that would put him right about here, in 7th. Being a local and veteran of the area, he’ll just get it done, and go sleep in his own bed. I hope he breaks 30 hours, he’ll be the only one over 50 to do so. That would be cool.

Paul Sweeney 13-1. If he can hang with the wife, he’ll crack top 10. :-)

Brooks Williams 15-1. A Hardrock rookie, but he asked me for some advice on how to break 30 hours….so I assume he’s pretty quick. Hardrock is no picnic and can sometimes be underestimated.

Look for Dave Coblentz and Roch Horton to round out the top 10.

And the ladies:

Diana Finkel 1-2. yah, 1-2. Diana ran 27 and change last year. No girl was even close, nor will one be this year. She won at Jemez without really running hard. If Hardrock goes well, she’ll probably come in at least top 5 overall. Her mountaineering experience doesn’t hurt either.

Darcy Africa 3-1. Darcy is back, she’s been running lots and racing, and if Diana falters, Darcy will run away for the win. She’s got the speed of Diana, but Diana’s 27+ scares me….

Betsy Nye 4-1. She’s right in there again to pick up 3rd, maybe second. She’s won it before, so if she’s close near the end, she knows how to put her head down and get it done.

Betsy Kalmeyer 8-1. Betsy with her experience could certainly move here way up in the standings. She’s a great hiker, and one of only 3 women to ever break 30 hours. If she’s really fit, she’ll be strong at the end.

Diane Van Deren 12-1. She’ll be tough as always, somewhere in the 38 hour range.

That’s it for predictions. Let’s hope the weather cooperates and makes it a fun one. When this one’s over we can all focus on the Speedgoat 50k, it may even be a harder 31 miles than any 31 at Hardrock.

Still looking for Hoka’s, you can find them here.

Or find them over here in Park City, or locally over here.

Western States…Speedgoat Odds 2010

Published

Speedgoat Karl

on June 18, 2010

in Pony Express Trail and Race Updates

. 149 Comments

No doubt this will be the toughest “odds” I’ve ever done. Picking the winners of this great race is certainly gambling. The heat plays a huge factor. A few WS rookies up front stand out as big overall favorites, but it’s a long way from Squaw to Auburn, and anything can happen. Some of the fast men and women will drop, that’s a given. Let’s hope it’s real close at the end..I call it the “Track Meet”, wouldn’t it be cool if the last 300 meters decided the race? I guess I’m dreaming. Good Luck to all!!

Bear with me as I’m working on my site!

This just heard through the grapevine…$2000 TO MALE/FEMALE WHO BREAKS THE FASTEST TIME!

Thanks Pearl Izumi for showing the race directors prize money should be handed out with that cool trophy! What makes this even better, is PI is not even a sponsor…..

1. Hal Koerner 3-1. Hal being the previous champ two years in a row, certainly gets the nod. He’s held off some of the best in the business before, why not again. His experience at WS should play a huge factor as many of the fast guys near the front haven’t felt what it’s like to run 100 miles when it’s 100 degrees. Look for Koerner to be fearless while he drags the others along at the front.

2. Geoff Roes 7-2. Although Geoff doesn’t have the heat experience as Hal, he does bring the most casual attitude to the start line. If Geoff doesn’t get involved with all the hype, runs his own race, and runs smarter than everyone else, he may be one of the rare WS virgins to take home that Cougar trophy, along with some other little prize. He could be the only undefeated 100 mile runner to reach 10 wins without a loss. I think WS would be 9, but he’s got Mt. Blanc later too.

3. Anton Krupicka 4-1. He’s had his best training ever, claims to be ready to rip. If he doesn’t think “record” and focuses on “winning instead”, he’ll be right there when the end is near.

4) Tsuyoshi Kaburaki 9-2. Smoked it last year, and coming back for a second chance means alot, he’s super fast, and although none of us really know how strong he is right now, chances are if he’s fit, he’ll run real smart too.

5) Jez Bragg 5-1. Jez ran 3rd last year, enough said. Like Kaburaki, we really don’t know, but experience is big here. He’ll be in it.

6) Nick Clark 6-1. Nick has been quick all year, was real fast at Jemez in a hot race. He’s kinda the sleeper here. If he plays it smart, he’ll do his best. He doesn’t quite have the 100 mile experience yet, but he can hang for a long time if he wants too….we’ll see.

7) Killian Jornet 7-1. If Killian pulls it off, well, his “quest” will be complete. I think he’ll come in strong, but not fast enough, due to his tour across the Pyrenees. Multi-day adventures make us slower, at least for a little while. Hopefully for us spectators, he’ll be in the mix when Auburn approaches. I just think he’ll have slow legs.

Josh Brimhall 10-1. Josh can hang, bottom line, he’s due to run a good, solid 100. He’ll have a little score to settle with the course, after last year’s stumble.

9) Erik Skaden 12-1. He know this one well, and as experience counts, thats in his back pocket. He just has to keep it together.

10) Rod Bien 14-1. Great race at Miwok, he gets the last spot for the following year. If he runs well from Green Gate in, he’ll move forward.

So those are my top 10.

The rest in the order I think they’ll finish:

11) Zach Miller

12) Gary Robbins

13) Andy Jones-Wilkins

14) Leigh Schmitt…Sleeper to win.

15) Troy Howard

16) Victor Ballesteros

17) Nick Lewis

18) Ian Torrence…sleeper for top 10

19) Phil Kochik

20) Andrew Henshaw

21) Dan Barger

22) Glen Redpath

23) Mike Arnstein

24) Todd Walker

25) Brian Vandenburg

And the ladies:

I believe Anita is out, she would be #1 if she were to start. The ladies race is gonna be a great one too, I’m sure a few will slip into the men’s top 20. This race will be close!

1) Nikki Kimball 2-1. Previous champ a few times, gets the nod and will be tough to beat if she’s fit. Hopefully she’s feeling good and is ready to race.

2) Meghan Arboghast 3-1. She’s been close, she’s been running well, this could be her year. Experience counts.

3) Joelle Vaught 4-1. Joelle always shows up and runs well, this year will be no exception. Definately fast enough to win it. If she stays in the mix late, it’ll be a classic 3 woman race.

4) Tracy Garneau 6-1. Canada (I think) has been tough this year, look for her to represent.

5) Devon Crosby-Helms 8-1. Better at shorter distances, but could surprise us all if she’s still running strong after Foresthill. She probably has more speed than most men…and women.

6) Annette Bednosky 10-1. The hope from the east, she generally dominates her region, and is certainly fast enough to hang….we’ll see.

7) Jenny Capel 12-1. She’s been there done that, she’ll crack top 10 with a little room to spare….did I say experience counts?

Bev-Abbs 14-1. Did I say experience counts? top 10 no problem.

9) Becky Wheeler 15-1. She was pretty fast at the Speedgoat 50k, that’s enough for me to put her in the top 10. Hopefully her legs are speedy on the WS track.

10) Suzanna Bon 17-1. Kind of a sleeper, she’s a tough runner, but I think she’s better when terrain is tough, she’ll still slip in to the top 10.

11) Tamsin Anstay

12) Angela Shartel

13) Connie Gardner…she’s the overall sleeper

14) Caren Spore

15) Jill Perry

16) Julie Fingar

17) Liz Vitalis

Every one of these ladies could finish anywhere….so many variables.

After reading through all that mumbo jumbo about my predictions, read just a little more about what’s next for me:

I’m proud to announce that Krissy Moehl and Matt Hart will be crewing me for the entire run on the Pony Express Trail. It’s hard to beat a combination like that! The experience of these two will certainly help me make it to Missouri by the time the snow starts flying. I’ll be starting on or around September 15! 1840 miles on a mail route, my own route through the mountains. I’ll be on alot of dirt road, but plan on making a few diversions to hit some wilderness too, as long as I make the necessary stops. With the help of Ted Meyer on the “detail” end of things, it’s sure to be interesting to watch me run halfway across the US. Our tracking device is being created at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology! Something tells me it’s gonna work this time!!

The Corral is full at the Speedgoat 50k, plan on entering early next year to get in the toughest 50k on earth. Remember this year it closed early June! Please don’t ask to enter over our limit, but check back on July 12. On that date, I’ll announce if there are any spots available….be ready on the 12th! First come-first served, and there won’t be many spots.

Can’t find Hoka’s? The most comfy shoe ever! Available here online, until they’re sold out again!

Broken…Bruised…Battered, but not beaten yet…

Published

Speedgoat Karl

on June 7, 2010

in Uncategorized

. 34 Comments

Let me explain: first, I’ll say “battered” should be “broken”, cuz my shoulder is broken now too. :-) See you all at Hardrock!

The last 6 weeks have been tough. Crashing backwards climbing over a dead tree started it all at Zane Grey. We all know I broke my arm there. The status on that is “very slow improvement”. I bruised my ribs falling on my cast in a random situation 4 weeks later. The Status on that is, “much quicker improvement”, and almost out of the picture. That’s cool. Battered? I crashed on my left side again, and had to protect the arm and ribs. So, I used my left shoulder to break the fall. I rolled once over a rock, it dug into my neck and shoulder. My guess is either a blown rotator or a traumatic blow to the muscle, which is not allowing me to raise my arm while holding it out straight. I can raise it wing style….we’ll see what happens Tuesday when I see Dr. Toronto.

These injuries all stemmed off the fall at Zane Grey, none of the three injuries are “running injuries”. I think the running gods are testing me to see if I can handle training in pain. The gods lose, I can train in pain, and feel it’ll make me tougher again when Hardrock comes around in a month. Positive thinking. The gods haven’t beaten me yet!

The Speedgoat 50k is now full, sorry to all of you who procrastinated, next year we’ll try and raise the limit a bit, and bring in some more prize money.

Let’s Clarify….

Published

Speedgoat Karl

on May 31, 2010

in Race Updates

. 22 Comments

ONLY 4 SPOTS LEFT FOR A CHANCE TO RUN THE SPEEDGOAT 50K, register now!

A few questions have been recently asked about my new Hoka runnin’ shoes.

“Why would I buy shoes that Karl crashed in at Zane Grey?”

“Did Karl crash because the Hoka’s have a higher base?”

“Did the shoes make Karl stumble?”

Like everything else these days…speculation comes up. Some think I supermanned the fall after stumbling, some think the shoes caused me to crash. Guess what? wrong again! I figured I’d clarify the incident to back up my enthusiasm over a simple pair of shoes.

Here it goes:

While running at Zane Grey on April 24, I managed to crash hard and break my left Radius bone. How did this happen? While leading the race comfortably and just starting to get into my “autopilot zone” at mile 40ish, I came upon a huge dead tree. One that had been there for years. I grabbed two large branches with my left and right hand, proceeded to pull myself over the tree (about chest high), the left branch snapped. I fell to the ground BACKWARDS on my left arm. It happened so fast, I still can’t say how I fell on it, all I know now is that my range of motion after almost 6 weeks is about 2cm…..not much…..my hand is wrecked. Hard to blame shoes when forward motion was 0 MPH. Speculation explained. :-) Tim Wagonner fell right in front of me at Jemez wearing Nike Luna Racer’s. Does that mean it’s the shoes?…..hardly, he stumbled….I wish I would have stumbled, I wouldn’t have a broken wing right now. I crashed over 100 times on the Appalachian Trail in La Sportivas in 2008. I crash almost every race….cuz’ I do take some risks. It’s simply part of the deal….running to win.

On a more positive note, sort of….I intended to run the Pocatello 50 this past weekend for another 50 mile trainer, only a week after the Jemez 50. The legs felt good after a slow 50 last week. The weather forecast wasn’t so good….rain and snow above 6000′. I decided not to run due to the fact the course would be super slick, and crashing was a big risk. Turns out the race was shut down at mile 32 because of brutal conditions. And did I mention the winds were nuking at 50+MPH on the ridges?, blowing markers away and causing many runners to go off course and become hypothermic. In the end everyone was safe…..and I can’t even count the amount of runners that said I made the right decision. With age comes wisdom, and I have bigger fish to fry in Silverton in 6 weeks.

I’ll be at the Squaw Peak 50 this coming weekend, manning the aid station at mile 29 with fellow ultrarunner Roch Horton. If you are running this great course, stop in for a PBJ or some boiled potatoes, I’m sure they’ll be delicious.

My “Red Bull Human Express” project is moving forward, tune in for an entertaining look at what it takes to run 50 miles a day for 37 days…that’s right, 1840 miles from Sacramento, CA, to St.Joseph Missouri. Set to begin around September 15, 2010. Daily video, and a comedy act all about running real far!

We’re getting close to filling the Speedgoat 50k, ONLY 21 SPOTS LEFT to get in the toughest 50k on earth. REGISTER HERE NOW! Don’t miss out!

Jemez 50 Mile…..training run?

Published

Speedgoat Karl

on May 18, 2010

in Race Updates, Speedgoat 50K and Uncategorized

. 23 Comments

Hard to say what’s gonna happen this weekend in regards to me running the Jemez 50 mile. I’ve been officially cleared to run if I want…that’s pretty cool only 4 weeks after a broken wing at Zane Grey. Will I “race”? No, not likely, the risk factor is still there if I crash….I tend to take a few risks running downhill. It would be safer if I just ran it as a good training run for Hardrock, somewhere in the 10 hour range. I won’t decide till Friday. I will be there regardless as my wife Cheryl is running the 50k. I would love to be in the mix with the large handful of fast kids running, but with age comes wisdom……..and Hardrock is far more important to me.

So I entered the Pocatello 50 one week later, to give the arm an extra week….probably smart. I’ve been running for two straight weeks now and figure my fitness level will continue to improve…with age comes wisdom.

However, here’s my picks for Jemez:

#1, the record will not go down, that’s an easy one.

1. Nick Clark, Ryan Burch, and Dakota Jones are the three out front, you pick’em, it’s gonna be close. Nick hasn’t run here, the other two have and ran in the mid 9’s.

4. Tim Waggoner, just as fast as the other three, but a little less experience, also running blind.

5. Nick Lewis, claims to be nursing a hamstring, saving it for some track meet in California. He’s quick, and could be sandbagging.

6. Tom Neilsen, his experience puts him fairly close, but not close enough.

7. Speedgoat Karl, with a broken wing, he’ll need a little more Red Bull to fly, but his NEW HOKA SHOES create flight, so who knows, if he’s close, the hammer may go down on that last 9 mile descent….then again, he may not even run…..and save it for Pocatello.

8. Nicolas Mermoud, Claims he’s not so fit, but he’ll have the Hoka’s on too, so he’ll be flying.

9. Brett Rivers, Harry Harcrow, Tim Barnes, Scott Eppleman, and David Coblentz, round out the rest.

Diana Finkel should run away. I don’t think Anita Ortiz is running and Petra McDowell has dropped to the 50k, Diana all the way. It would be different if Anita and Petra were running the 50…but they’re not.

HOKA’S ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN THE US IN 4 STORES!!

Wasatch Running Center, Salt Lake City,Utah

Salt Lake Running Company, Salt Lake City, Utah

Boulder Running Company, Boulder, Colorado

Playmakers, Okemos, Michigan (May 24 ish)

Scarf them up now, they are already selling in SLC! If they get ordered online, or over the phone, bump up a half size larger….they’re european you know!

The Speedgoat 50k is now 90% full, don’t ask after it’s closed. :-) ….or it’ll be $200.

266.677 km’s!!!! Jurek is back!

Published

Speedgoat Karl

on May 14, 2010

in Award category and Race Updates

. 20 Comments

That’s 165.70 in miles!

The Jerker finally has rebounded taking “Fat Boy’s” american 24 hour record down, and Rae Clark’s “absolute american record”…whatever that means. ! We’ve been waiting for Scott to do something big….well, he did something big! Hell of a run Scott! Congrats on an incredible effort! Maybe we’ll see you back at UTMB so we can all redeem ourselves there too.

I think he’s pretty psyched…well deserved my man!

Massannutten 100 this weekend

Published

Speedgoat Karl

on May 12, 2010

in Uncategorized

. 14 Comments

One of my favorite 100 milers happens this weekend in Virginia. The Massanutten 100. This race is a rocky one and moderately hilly to my standards. Total climbing in the 18,000′ range. The course is somewhat different this year, starting at a different location. It should be a real competitive race up front. Noone reallly sticks out in my mind, but whoever comes out on top, it’ll be close. My picks:

1. Todd Walker…..He’s due to win Massanutten, too many times he’s been close.

2. Dan Barger…..He’s familiar (unfortunately) with 2nd in his last few 100s, I give Todd the nod because of MMT experience.

3. Sean Andrish…..He could easily sneak away on a good day, he’ll probably lead early.

4. Harland Peele…..If he’s fresh and ready, he’s my sleeper to win.

5. Joe Kulak…..He’ll win the race to the keg, but comes up a little short on the win.

6. Mike Mason…..Another guy who could be close with a good day.

7. Aaron Schwartzbard…..tough call, but he’ll be in it.

8. Kieth Knipling…..If he’s fit, he could win, he’s got it in him.

9. Chris Reed…..He could surprise everyone, he ran pretty well last fall at Grindstone.

10. Mark Tanaka…..The mystery man from out of town.

11. Steve Anderson…..trained by a goat.

Doing real “odds” with this field is really tough, as all these guys listed could pull it off. Although, I don’t see any records going down, only a “new” course record as the route has changed a little. Follow the race, it should be interesting.

I have no clue as to who will win the women’s race…..maybe Ragan Petrie?

On another note:

The Pony Express Trail Run is moving forward, my crew is being assembled nicely. More details on that when they come available to me…..I’m just the crazy guy who thinks 1840 miles isn’t that far.

I’m really psyched on my new shoes, The Hoka’s, for all my races and the Pony Express Trail. Hopefully in a few weeks, they will be available for purchase. I do know that Boulder Running Company, Wasatch Running Center, and Salt Lake Running Company will be expecting some soon. How many? probably not enough the way it’s looking, so if you are interested in changing your running style to something comfortable, check back periodically as I’m gonna post the day they will be available, and when they’ll be in stores.

The Speedgoat 50K is still open, only about 50 spots left if you want to endure some pain, it should fill quickly from this point, so keep paying attention.

In the meantime, today was my 8th run in a row. The legs are coming back already, so fitness levels are improving. In 10 days I may or may not run the Jemez 50 Mile. It all depends on what the x-ray shows next week. The catch is: if I do run, it’ll be a fun run and not a “race”. It would be too risky if I crash on the wrong arm….it’s already happened once a few days ago. Although all is well, it was a quick wake-up call and reminder to SLOW DOWN on the downhill. It’s hard to resist running downhill in the Hoka’s, it’s too fun…

That’s it for now—————–

Last chance for the big dance

Published

Speedgoat Karl

on April 29, 2010

in Race Updates and Speedgoat 50K

. 65 Comments

Miwok 100K happens Saturday, the field is “pretty solid”.

Here’s my picks:

THE MEN

1. Anton Krupicka 5-2. We all know if he has no injury issues, he should be gone daddy gone. He’s been training hard, comes from 8000′ ish and should be able to challenge Mac Daddy’s record if has his day in the sun.

2. Gary Robbins 3-1. He should push Anton off the line, we’ll see if he challenges him, chances are he’ll hold on for 2nd and not be too concerned about winning, 2nd is probably all he’s looking for.

3. Mike Wardian 4-1. If he’s not over-raced, he’ll challenge for 2nd with Gary, he’s run pretty well on these trails at the North Face races in the past.

4. Hal Koerner 5-1. Great run at Lake Sonoma, he’s fit, but has no pressure to run up front, he’s already gonna dance at Squaw Valley anyway. He’s the new Mr. Western.

5. Dominic Grossman 6-1. Ran pretty quick at American River, if he’s just starting to get the ball rolling, he’ll look to be closer up front.

6. Nathan Yanko 7-1. I forgot Nathan, as I always forget someone, he slips in here, he wasn’t far behind Mr. Western at Sonoma, and won’t be too far behind him again!

7. Rod Bein 8-1. Hmmmmm, could be his day, top 6 would be a strong showing, he’s got it in him.

8. Lewis Taylor 10-1. He’s got the speed, but not sure if he can hold it for 62+ miles. Better at 50k.

9. Erik Skaden 10-1. A little less speed than Taylor but more endurance, these two at 10-1 should duke it for the lucky 8 spot.

10. Kevin Schilling 13-1. Always a mystery man, when he’s on his game….he’s quick. Utah’s #1 representative

11. Zach Gingerich 15-1. After bailing at the McNaughton 100 a few weeks ago tells me he’s a little tired. He ran a stellar 13:23 100 at Umstead, but it’s flat too, the hills will likely break him down a bit.

The rest….in no particular order:

Tim Monaco, Thomas Reiss, Tracy Moore, Brett Rivers, Jean Pommier, Mark Richtman, Glen Redpath, Ray Sanchez, Chris Rennaker, Rob Evans, Topher Gaylord.

THE LADIES

1. Kami Semick 5-2. It’s her home turf, but it won’t be easy, she’s been our “runner of the year” recently and this is the chance for her to prove she’s still the woman to beat.

2. Anita Ortiz 3-1. She knows how these trails are and if she’s been working on that turnover she’ll be in to win, but like Koerner on the mens side, she’s already dancing at Squaw Valley, so she has no pressure to stay up front.

3. Devon Crosby-Helms 7-2. Her run at JFK last year almost beat all the men, so if she’s in good form, Kami will be challenged for the win.

4. Darcy Africa 5-1. On a good day she can hang with anyone, I’d love to see her nail it.

5. Krissy Moehl 6-1. Now that she’s just a pro runner, her training, hopefully has been going well. She’s a better 100 mile runner, so she gets 5th here.

6. Amy Sproston 8-1. The east coast’s best shot at top 5.

7. Helen Cospolich 10-1. Another fast girl…..but just not fast enough on hardpack, she’s better when it’s not “roadlike”.

8. Prudence L’huereux 10-1. Always a mystery to me, I never seem to predict her finish too well.

9. Angela Shartel 15-1. She was high on the ultrasignup list….she gets 9th.

On another note:

I have decided to leave La Sportiva as one of my primary sponsors. They were a great company and brand to run for, but I have now discovered a shoe that takes technical running above and beyond anything else out there.

What are they?

A small corner of ultra world already knows after seeing me run in them at the Zane Grey 50 this past weekend. For those who don’t, they are called HOKA ONEONE. No other shoe rips through technical terrain like these, not even close….don’t be decieved. They weigh 10.8 ounces, lighter than most…no, not the lightest, but close.

We’ve all read the book on how the indians run barefoot, which somewhat brought on the low profile designs, with minimalistic features, but none of these light shoes have protection, response, or stability as the HOKA’S!…none of them. As I am not a salesman here, I only rave about something I really like. These are so incredibly comfortable, it’s mindblowing. Check em’ out. www.hokaoneone.com/en/. They’ll be available soon in the US. The kicker…my pair have over 600 miles on them and are going strong, what other shoe lasts that long?…none, at least as far as I know.

No, I didn’t finish the Zane Grey 50 this past weekend, so you won’t see my name on the results list…

What happened?

While running along at mile 40 with roughly a 40 minute lead and running strong, I came to one of many large downed trees. While grabbing a branch with each hand, I proceeded to lift myself over it, then SNAP!, the left branch broke, I fell backwards and crushed my hand, breaking the head of the radius and jamming it into my hand bones…..it wasn’t pretty. I walked into the mile 44 aid station with a crooked hand and decided to go to the Payson hospital to get it x-rayed. Still, eventual winner Scott Jaime had not caught up. I estimate my time would have been in the 8:30 range. Not close to the record, but a good run at the ugliest 50 mile in town. The winning time was 9:40.

And lastly, the Speedgoat 50K is filling, the comp is getting stronger. Register now, but don’t plan on running a PR, it ain’t happenin’ here.

THE NEW SHOE!!

Crawford Smokes Leona Divide 50! And the Zane Grey odds….

Published

Speedgoat Karl

on April 19, 2010

in Race Updates

. 78 Comments

Tom Crawford….the guy I passed with a few miles to go at Moab….just crushed the field at the Leona Divide 50. LD legend Jorge Pacheco ran second and Ashland’s newest fast guy Nick Lewis slipped under 7 hours to run 3rd. All three of these times would have won the race many times. How ironic it is to keep seeing faster times in Ultras these days…..I keep getting older and I have to keep getting faster to keep up. Tom’s time was a stellar 6:25, Jorge 6:40, Lewis 6:56.

Michelle Barton threw down a 7:17 to take the women’s race! Not sure if that’s a record, but a great run for her as well, congrats Michelle!

Now, a brief look at the field at the ugliest 50 miler in the US…

1. Josh Brimhall 3-1. Josh being the previous winner gets the nod, but he’s gonna have his hands full at this one. It’s as technical as it gets and the next guy in this list is a pretty good technical runner. Josh just ran a 1:18 half marathon in SLC…ahh, but that doesn’t matter here.

2. Speedgoat Karl 4-1. I’ll give myself some love and put me close to winning. Previous runs here show I have the fastest times on this track, with a little room to spare, but that was a while ago. I’m excited to see how I do at 50 miles. I’ve got a new trick up my sleeve too, one that will be revealed race day morning.

3. Scott Jaime 5-1. Definately as fast as the two in front, but not sure how he’ll do when he can’t find the trail. He lost it at Antelope, so I expect it to happen again :-). This one is ugly to follow….all in good fun of course!

4. Ian Torrence 6-1. Ian has also run around 8:30, so he’s got it in him is he can rekindle the spark at a course he knows as well as anyone.

5. Todd Walker 8-1. Another guy pretty quick, he’ll round out the top 5.

6-7. Nick and Jamil Coury 10-1. Jamil has won it before, but I feel he’s gonna feel some pressure on the start line this time. They both know it well, so shouldn’t lose any time looking for the route. One of them will likely run top 5…flip a coin.

8. Andy Jones-Wilkins 12-1. He’s in tough company when it’s technical. We’ll have the beer cold for him when he’s done…unless it’s all gone.

9. Ian Moore 13-1. Don’t know much about Ian other than he’s only 23, so us old guys never really know sometimes. He’s my guinea pig to go out too hard…

10. Ron Gutierrez 16-1. Ron replaces Chris for the number ten spot.

The Ladies:

1. Diana Finkel 2-1. 27 hours at Hardrock….she’ll run away if she’s reasonably fit, but will have to hang tough if she’s gonna beat my second pick.

2. Jane Larkindale 4-1. She’s run it before and has all the tools to be close. If she runs smart, she’ll be in it for sure.

3-4. Jody Chase and Honey Albrecht should round out the next two..

The Speedgoat 50k is now near 70% full, so sign up soon or get shut out. I’ll even say it’s tougher than Zane Grey…..scary!

The Pony Express Trail is moving forward. Tune in for more details as time goes by. The site for this RedBull project will be at the one and only Whereskarl.com site….

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