Trail Runner September_2017

TRAIL
SPECIAL FOCUS ON PUBLIC LANDS p 34
SEPTEMBER 2017 / ISSUE 122
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EXPLORE
FAVORITE TRAIL
Observation
Point Trail
ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH
PHOTO BY FRED MARMSATER
RUNNER: Joe Grant, 34, of Gold Hill, Colorado
BETA: Observation Point is a spectacular trail located
in the heart of Zion National Park. The high point sits
at 6,508 feet, with 2,100 feet of elevation gain from
the Weeping Rock Trailhead.
The trail climbs steadily from the start, up a
number of switchbacks. It can be sandy in spots,
but is mostly paved, making for good footing and
efficient upward progress. (Do not be deterred by
the pavement, as it is broken up and blends quite
naturally with the surrounding environment.)
One of the highlights of the ascent is Echo Canyon,
a soaring, red-rock-lined slot canyon. If water is
running, take a quick (refreshing!) dip to stave off the
heat on this otherwise exposed run.
Bring lots of water as sources on the trail are unreliable
and, if available, need to be treated or filtered.
PRO TIP: Bring a headlamp and time your run
for sunset at Observation Point, which will offer
incredible views and light looking back toward Angels
Landing, a jutting fin of sandstone in the center of
the canyon. Running back down the trail at night
is a unique experience, but watch your footing,
particularly on the upper sections above cliffs.
DISTANCE: Eight miles, round trip.
SEASON: Year round but preferable in early spring
or fall. The summers can get very hot and crowded.
Remember to plan your return around the shuttle
schedule, or tack on some flat cruiser miles to get
back to your vehicle.
INFORMATION: Between April 1 and October 30,
the Weeping Rock Trailhead is accessed via shuttle.
You can drive to the trailhead the rest of the year,
although you will likely encounter snow and ice on
the trail during the winter months.
www.zionnational-park.com/zion-observation-pointtrail.htm
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CONTENTS
SEPTEMBER 2017 / ISSUE 122
FEATURES
20
Top Trail Meccas
8 regions for year-round
trail running.
By Eric Senseman and Meghan M. Hicks
34
Monumental
Controversy
Why Westerners disagree
on protecting public lands.
By Paul Cuno-Booth
38
No Free Lunch
Are trail runners freeloading
on public lands?
By Mike Foote
44
Running Bears Ears
Why the newest U.S. National
Monument is worth preserving.
By Morgan Sjogren
DEPARTMENTS
PEOPLE
02
favorite trail
06
editor’s note
08
making tracks
12
run amok
Lessons learned from
a trail-running shooter.
By Doug Mayer
COVER: Loyola Marymount
University runner Koby
Pederson gets a taste of
the trails on The Crown, Elk
Mountains, Colorado.
PHOTO BY RANDALL
LEVENSALER
THIS PAGE: Mike Foote
running a mountain-goat trail
during a high traverse through
the Lewis Range, Glacier
National Park, Montana.
PHOTO BY STEVEN GNAM
14
faces
Vietnam veteran Rich
Hooper reinvents himself
through trail running.
By Ariella Gintzler
62
last gasp
Race-course sweepers
see it all.
By Claire Walla
EXPLORE
16
take your mark
Under Armour Mountain
Running Series kicks off.
By Emily McIlroy
18
everyman’s exposed
GEAR
51
trail tested
Why a good pair of socks
is a necessity.
By Ariella Gintzler
PERFORM
54
training
How to safely sustain
high-mileage training.
By David Roche
56
nutrition
Electrolyte replenishment
is key to trail performance.
By Reagan Colyer
TRAIL
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4 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

BUENA VISTA – BEAVER CREEK
COLORADO
6 DAYS • 120 MILES
20,000 FEET OF GAIN
OR 3 DAYS – GU RUN 3
PEOPLE
EDITOR’S NOTE
BY
MICHAEL
BENGE
The Battle
Heats Up
Stand up for your public lands
RUN . RELAX . EAT . DRINK . REPEAT
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“Take a second to think about your last long trail run.
Instead of focusing on the pace, the views or that nagging
injury you’ve held at bay all spring, picture the land under your
feet,” writes accomplished ultrarunner Mike Foote in “No Free
Lunch” (see page 38). “For most of you, I’m betting that land
was public land.”
Indeed, my last trail run was in Colorado’s Maroon
Bells-Snowmass Wilderness in the White River National
Forest, lands designated as wilderness way back in the
original Wilderness Act of 1964. I’ve run in those hills and
neighboring wilderness areas, national forests, BLM lands and
other public lands for 30-some years now.
While I’ve certainly appreciated running wild in these
mountains, have I taken that opportunity for granted? The
answer would have to be yes. In fact, I’ve always smugly
considered the Wilderness Act—which offers perhaps the
highest protection designation—to be sacrosanct.
But as threats to our public lands are becoming
commonplace and more emboldened, and coming from
many different angles, that attitude needs to change for me,
and all of us trail runners.
Just today, I learned about Secretary of the Interior Ryan
Zinke’s recent order to expedite issuing drilling and mining
permits on public lands. The decision is puzzling, since
the impediments to oil and gas development are few. Many
companies aren’t even developing the leases they already
hold. More development means potentially less access for
public-lands users, not to mention degraded air and water
quality.
In this issue, our special Focus on Public Lands section
addresses some of the issues public-lands users are facing and
how we can counter them. Foote’s piece chides trail runners
for riding the coattails of other public-lands users, and
encourages us to become better advocates.
In “Running the Bears Ears,” Morgan Sjogren writes from
first-hand experience about Utah’s massive and wild Bears
Ears National Monument, one of the 27 national monuments
under review by the Department of the Interior for possible
revocation or alteration. While most of us trail runners feel
strongly in favor of keeping federal public lands public and
protected, in “Monumental Controversy,” Paul Cuno-Booth
explores reasons not all users may share that perspective.
So, while we can, let’s raise a toast to the wonderful publiclands
legacy here in the United States, and vow to join the
battle to safeguard those treasures. TR
AUGUST 14–19, 2018
6 SEPTEMBER 2017

ONE
DIRTY
MAGAZINE
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Trail Pack
SEPTEMBER 2017 7

PEOPLE
MAKING TRACKS
Q A
What appeals to you
about trail running?
I like the training for
it. I like watching a
whole day go by on
the trails.
now I know what
to expect. After
my first couple
hundreds, I thought
something was
really wrong with
me. Generally, I try
to sleep as much as
possible and just
chill as hard as I
trained for about
a week.
BY
MEGAN
JANSSEN
Going Deep
with David Laney
On post-race depression, the meaning of
life and running with no pants
It’s a chilly October morning in southern Oregon. I’m clinging to a mug
of coffee and staring blankly through the window when David Laney
runs past. A sense of peace overcomes me. It could be his praying
mantis body, the ’80s neon wrapping his sinew or the immaculate
mustache, fit only for legends like himself, Tom Selleck and John Oates.
There’s something comforting about his dedication to his craft—you could set
your watch to his routine. As a lamplighter toils in the dark of night or a Buddhist
monk sits silently on a hill, David Laney puts in the kind of work myths are made of.
How do you feel
after finishing
a big 100-miler?
After UTMB, I
moved to Seattle
with my friend and
didn’t do anything
that whole autumn.
I started coaching
cross country so I’d
work like two hours
a day. Then I’d go
to the park near
Lake Union and
just sit on a grassy
hill for hours.
I didn’t want
to get out of bed.
I tried to run five
miles a day even
though I didn’t
want to. But if I
didn’t go then I’d
feel even worse.
During a race, I
know it’s uncomfortable
and it
doesn’t feel good
but I remember
there’s always a finish
line. But after
the race, I don’t
have a finish line.
I think people
don’t realize how
bad these races are
for your body. They
do extensive damage;
you are running
hard for such a long
time. Your brain
chemicals get really
out of whack after
doing something
that hard.
How do you deal
with these episodes?
It’s not
getting easier, but
Does that make you
want to do it less?
Not really. It’s a lovehate
relationship.
How do you deal
with your life outside
of training—a
life with no “finish
line”? A big reason I
run is that it provides
direction. If I have a
race in four months, I
live everyday preparing
for that race. The
training directs my
eating, my sleeping,
my coaching, my life.
It’s really clear
and allows me to
have a simple answer
when people ask me
what I’m doing. I just
say, “Training for a
100-mile footrace.”
Unfortunately it’s a
pretty self-centered
direction.
While I still love
[competitive training],
I really hope
to transition to
something different
in the next year. I
really want to get my
hands dirty helping
people. But it’s hard
to get off the treadmill,
so I’m still trying
to find another deliberate
direction.
If you could go back
to your 11-year-old
self, what advice
would you give? In
middle school and
high school, I didn’t
talk to anyone. My
grandma would
HAYDEN TEACHOUT
8 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

MAKING TRACKS
PEOPLE
come over on Friday
nights. That was great
because I got to hang
with her, but I didn’t
spend time with anyone
my age.
I probably should
have done a better job
hanging out with kids,
but I was terribly shy.
At some point I just figured
out that nobody
really cares. I still don’t
talk to that many people,
but I’m more social
than I used to be.
What is your most
embarrassing running
moment? When I was
a little kid I forgot my
pants at a race. It was
a road race in Portland.
All my brothers and sisters
were running. The
shirts for the race were
extra large and somehow
I dressed myself
that morning. My sister
went to tuck in my shirt
and then was like, “You
don’t have pants on.”
I was really embarrassed
for the first part
of the race but by the
end I didn’t care. We
did that race every year.
What advice do you
have for burgeoning
runners? You have
to have patience
and realize it’s a
process. If you have
a bad race, it doesn’t
matter that much.
Just learn from it,
figure out what the
problem is and do a
better job next time.
Once I started being
more flexible with my
training, I was way
less stressed.
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Laney grew up in a running household. His
dad was a marathoner, and often led him and his three siblings on long hikes.
As a young boy he remembers watching a PBS special about the Western
States Endurance Run and thinking, “I’m going to do this race one day.”
He kept to the track through high school and college, moving to the
mountains of southern Oregon after graduating in 2007. In 2012 he met Erik
Skaggs, former Waldo 100K course-record holder, and Hal Koerner, two-time
Western States champ, who showed him the ropes of mountain running. He
was hooked.
Of the 24 races he’s completed since then, he’s stood on the podium for
17. In 2015, he finished UTMB 3rd and joined the ranks of only four other
American men to have podium-finished at the race. That same year, he was
crowned Ultrarunner Of The Year–the youngest ever, at 27.
“Laney is the most exciting person to follow in trail running,” says elite trail
and ultra runner Jenn Shelton. “His races leave you on the edge of your seat.
He also has my favorite sense of humor, maybe of anyone in the world. He’s
basically like the male Ellen, when it comes to humor.”
Indeed, when I talked to him one morning in January, he told me he had
just lathered his mustache with lavender soap and simply couldn’t stop
smelling his upper lip: “It’s like springtime,” he said.
But Laney isn’t all ’80s pluck and lavender wash. After major races,
utterly exhausted in body and mind, Laney experiences post-achievement
depression, leaving him aimless. “Most of the time I’m just kind of empty after
a long race,” he says. “I always think I can anticipate how it’s going to be, and
I never can.” TR

PEOPLE
MAKING TRACKS
Summer Madness
FKT and OKT action
Huayhuashed
Over June 10-11, 2017, Darcy Piceu (above), 42, of Boulder,
Colorado, set a new supported fastest-known time (FKT) on Peru’s
Cordillera Huayhuash circuit of 29 hours 15 minutes. Located
in west-central Peru, the Huayhuash is a sub-range of the Andes,
30 miles in length. The Cordillera Huayhuash circuit, which
circumnavigates the range, runs 85 miles with more than 25,000
feet of climbing amid jutting 21,000-foot peaks. The range is
remote and Piceu’s support team was only able to meet with her
once, about midway through the rugged route.
Holy Nolan’s
During the first week in July, Andrew Hamilton, 42, of Denver,
Colorado, set two FKTs in a single run on Nolan’s 14, an approximately
100-mile linkup of 14 14-thousand-foot peaks in Colorado’s Sawatch
Range.
Hamilton tacked 14,005-foot Mount of the Holy Cross onto the
Nolan’s 14 route, completing an Only Known Time (OKT) on what has
been dubbed “Holy Nolan’s,” adding 30 extra miles, in a total time of
72 hours flat. Coincidentally, Hamilton also set the (supported) record
for Nolan’s 14 in the south-north direction, in 53 hours 42 minutes.
Hamilton currently holds the overall record (53 hours 39 minutes)
on Nolan’s 14, which he set in 2015, unsupported, north to south, just
10 weeks after setting the FKT for linking all of Colorado’s 14,000-foot
peaks—9 days 21 hours 51 minutes.
Manning Up
In early July, in the Issaquah Alps east of Seattle, Ras Vaughan, 45,
of Whibdey Island, Washington, and Seth Wolpin, 45, of Seattle,
Washington, completed an OKT on the so-called Harvey Manning
Peak Challenge, a 95-mile linkup of 18 peaks with roughly 40,000 feet
of elevation gain. Vaughan and Wolpin took 78 hours 36 minutes to
complete the route, which had apparently seen a couple of previous
attempts and was conceived by Seattle-ite George Orozco.
“It ran the gamut from picturesque Pacific Northwest trail to Forest
Service roads to boulderfield scrambles,” says Vaughan. “And some
crazy, nasty bushwhacking. [In some spots] the evergreens were so
tight, it took a few minutes to move just a few feet.”
QUIN STEVENSON

©2017 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries

PEOPLE
RUN AMOK
BY
DOUG
MAYER
Posers’ Delight
Lessons learned from
a trail-running shooter
Dan tells me, “You’re missing a leg.”
“I’m missing a leg?”
“Yeah. Here, look. See? You’re an amputee. Try it again.”
I am with the mountain-sport photographers Dan and
Janine Patitucci, and I am flunking trail-running photo school.
Badly. We are in Switzerland’s Jungfrau region, where there’s
something like 500 miles of the best flowy singletrack in the
world, and I am stuck in a 100-yard recursive trail-running
loop. Working with Dan and Janine is like being in prison with
two of the nicest people you could possibly imagine. I am in the
photo equivalent of Groundhog Day.
I make another pass on our alpine runway. I hear the shutter
on Dan’s Sony a7rII whirring. I stop, and Dan stares intently at
the camera’s screen, flying through something like 30 images
in 10 seconds.
“I don’t have it,” Dan says. “We need it.”
Dan, I realize, is one part tweaker, one part Kilian Jornet,
one part Dalai Lama. He has a heart of gold, and he is fully
capable of accidentally grinding fellow runners into the dirt.
But if he doesn’t get the shot he craves, he mopes.
I am not helping. I move through the mountains like a worn
Sherman tank, every inch of ground hard-fought. There’s
someone nimble inside, but he hardly ever appears. Most of
my surfaces have battle scars.
Yet the power of imagery is such that it’s all worth the effort.
Single images have changed people’s lives, mine included.
Years ago, I saw a photo of a climber in British Columbia’s
Bugaboos. He was happily dangling his feet off a ledge, the
forest incomprehensibly far below. “One way or another,” I told
myself, “I am going to do that.” A climbing and mountaineering
life ensued, with celebrations atop remote peaks, funerals so
soul-crushing my eyes still mist at the memories and many
deeply fulfilling experiences between those poles.
In my life’s slideshow, Dan and Janine’s trail-running
images have supplanted the one of that climber. They have
been everywhere I looked, from the Patagonia catalog to Rock
and Ice to this magazine. So, when I needed photographs of
trail running in the Alps for an idea that would become an
improbable career, I hopped a train to their corner of the
Alps, Switzerland’s ridiculously dramatic Jungfrau region.
We talked for a few hours at their local pub, but not once
about work. I caught the last train home feeling like a transfer
in grade school who had found his new best friends.
Everyone knows them, and everybody loves them. Just
mentioning Dan and Janine creates an unspoken bond. In
Colorado, a bartender once overheard my conversation and
blocked me as I headed for the door, pleading, “Tell Dan and
Janine Kathy from Silverton says hi.” One of these days, when
I need a place to crash for the night, I’m going to head for the
nearest brewery in the nearest mountain town and yell, “Dan
Dan, I realize, is one part tweaker,
one part Kilian Jornet, one part
Dalai Lama.
and Janine said I might be able to crash with one of you guys.”
The door will open to someone’s spare bedroom.
The last few summers, I have been training new trailrunning
guides, who will lead running trips on which,
of course, many clients will take photos. I try to convey
what I learned from Dan and Janine: technical tips, bodymovement
insights, advice on clothing choices. But
something’s always been missing.
Last fall, I realized what it was. We were trail running
the Tour du Mont-Blanc, and found ourselves high on the
col between Switzerland and Italy long after the season’s
tourists had come and gone. The day was winding down.
Hungry, we coasted through tilted pastures towards dinner
in the Swiss border village of Ferret. Rounding a corner,
we intruded on a scene that has played out in that spot for
centuries—a shepherd, her flock, dog at her side. Dan was
first through, and he captured a scene both beautiful and
timeless. We were there, I realized, for the simple reason
that he and Janine get out. A lot. They are there when
beautiful things happen. Over and over, day after day, over
the course of years. The important thing, as Kilian Jornet
says, is to keep moving. Dan and Janine do.
These days, I still lumber along. I wear clothing that’s
not quite colorful enough, and I can barely remember the
photographer’s rule of thirds. But I always think of their
example: Get up early, grab your shoes, run through town
and head into the hills while others are reaching for their
first cup of coffee. Be the one who’s there.
Doug Mayer is not sure if he lives in Chamonix, France, or
Randolph, New Hampshire. But he thinks he might be a
trail-running model in a future life.
JOE KLEMENTOVICH
12 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

PEOPLE
FACES
Hooper out for a head-clearing jaunt near his home in Basalt, Colorado.
BY
ARIELLA
GINTZLER
Putting Away the Pain
Fifty years after returning from war,
Vietnam veteran Rich Hooper reinvents
himself through trail running
A
friend of mine saw three bears here last week,” Rich
Hooper says by way of introducing me to his favorite
trail, a steep, rocky loop above his hometown of Basalt,
Colorado. He usually runs it alone, but he’s made an exception today,
so I huff quietly and do my best to keep up.
“If you see poop with a bit of fur in it, that’s coyote,” he says, slowing down briefly
to point out shriveled scat. Noting a broken sage branch a few feet away, he adds, “I see
something like this, and wonder what broke it off.” He gazes off into the forest, craning
to hear or smell the bear that must have passed this way.
Hooper, 67, is around five-foot-five, with a square jaw, sizeable calves and a
sturdy build. His close-cut silvery hair
and beard frame leathery wrinkles
and gray-blue eyes that sparkle
mischievously every time he says
something sarcastic, which is often.
“Psh,” he’ll say, when someone claims
to be too tired, busy or injured to run.
“You’re weak. I take no prisoners.”
Hooper served as a sergeant in
Vietnam, from 1969 to 1970, and, like
many veterans, suffers from posttraumatic
stress disorder. For decades,
he had no idea what was wrong with
him and no way to deal with it, until
he was finally diagnosed in 2009. Four
years ago he discovered trail running.
Now he is finally learning what it
means to be at peace.
“I can think more clearly when I’m on
the trails,” says Hooper. He speaks softly,
measuring each syllable with precision.
“Other times, I just think about nothing.
It’s almost like being back in the war
again, the way you go down deep inside
your own mind, put the pain away, get
rid of all your feelings and just go.”
Hooper grew up in Elizabethtown, New
York, and was drafted in 1968, when he
was 19. After 11 months and six days in
the Ia Drang Valley, he returned home
with major hearing loss in both ears and
type II diabetes, which a study by the
National Academy of Sciences would
later link to Agent Orange exposure.
Worse were the bursts of rage that would
seize him at the slightest provocation—a
joke that rubbed him the wrong way, a
smell, a song. “I was like Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde,” he says. “No one understood
why I was like that. I didn’t understand
why I was like that.”
In reality, Hooper was experiencing
PTSD, a condition that would not be
named, or recognized as a medical
diagnosis, for over a decade. The stress
of combat had left him hypersensitive
to potential threats, even where there
were none. In crowded rooms, he stood
with his back against a wall, for fear
of someone sneaking up from behind.
One morning, his mother tapped him
on the shoulder to wake him up, rather
than kicking him in the foot as was
customary in the military, and he
grabbed her by the throat.
Hooper coped by drinking, which
RANDALL LEVENSALER
14 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

FACES
PEOPLE
“I ran some of my first
‘ultras’ ... wearing cotton
fatigues ... and a pack
full of ammunition that
weighed more than I did.”
fueled his anger and risk taking. He
got into fights. He drunkenly drove
his Plymouth Hemi Cuda at 140 miles
per hour on steep, winding roads. He
wandered through the woods and snuck
up behind hunters, exhilarated by the
thought that they might shoot if he
caught them by surprise.
“Friends of mine, guys twice my
size, have told me that they were
scared of me, because of who I became
when I was drunk,” he says now. “It
was that bad.”
Despite his struggles, Hooper earned
a degree in Outdoor Recreation
Education. Over the course of the next
17 years, he moved from New York to
Colorado, divorced three times and
once tried to commit suicide.
By 2002 he had grown estranged
from his 12-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn,
and become a single parent to his
10-year-old son, Keegan. He was
working as a property manager at a
chapel in Snowmass, Colorado when
he met Houston Cowan, the CEO of
Challenge Aspen, a local nonprofit that
specializes in recreation for people with
disabilities. Cowan invited Hooper to
join their annual marathon fundraiser.
“It was clear that Rich was proud of
his service,” says Cowan. “But whenever
you brought up anything about the
military, he would get very quiet. You
could tell that whatever had gone on in
his past, he was trying to bury it.”
Ramping up from zero miles to a
marathon wasn’t easy or painless.
Hooper routinely woke up at 4 a.m.
to run while his son was still asleep,
and by race day he had developed
plantar fasciitis.
“It wasn’t difficult,” Hooper says.
“I just made up my mind to do it,
no excuses.”
In 2012, Dina Belmonte, a Challenge
Aspen teammate, introduced Hooper
to a trail loop behind her house. “I
was, and still am, amazed at his agility
and his awareness of everything around
him on the trail,” says Belmonte. But to
Hooper, it just made sense.
“I ran some of my first ‘ultras’ in
the jungle, wearing cotton fatigues, a
long-sleeved shirt, combat boots and a
pack full of ammunition that weighed
more than I did,” he says. In Vietnam,
he navigated with a compass and maps
that could be off by several hundred
yards—“not an issue until the enemy
starts shooting howitzers at your
position”—and relied on oddly shaped
leaves or fallen branches to remember
the path back to base. No one stopped
when temperatures soared over 110
degrees and water canteens ran dry,
when sunburned blisters burst and
soaked their shirts with puss or when
a soldier had jungle rot and chunks of
flesh were falling off his feet.
For most of his life, Hooper has
struggled to maintain interpersonal
relationships —“You went [to Vietnam]
as an individual, and for the most part
you covered your own ass. There was no
room for emotion.” But with running
as an outlet, he has become happier,
more relaxed and more fulfilled—and
more social.
He invites other people to run
with him and makes sure they are
comfortable with the pace and terrain. If
someone trips and falls during a race, he
stops to help. He spends several hours a
week volunteering for Challenge Aspen.
He hasn’t relapsed to heavy drinking in
seven years. Most importantly, he has
reconnected with his daughter. When
he ran his first 50-miler, the Grand
Mesa 50 in Grand Junction, Colorado,
in July 2015, Kaitlyn and her husband
came out to crew for him.
While trail running is a far cry
from war, Hooper finds it calls upon
a similar blend of endurance and
adrenaline. “It’s not that I am reliving
my war memories when I am out on the
trail,” he says. “But being here, pushing
my physical and mental limits again, it
feels good.”
Ariella Gintzler is the assistant editor
at Trail Runner.
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SEPTEMBER 2017 15
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EXPLORE
TAKE YOUR MARK
UNDER
ARMOUR
MOUNTAIN
RUNNING
SERIES
All events include a 50K,
Marathon, Half-Marathon,
Marathon-Relay, 10K, 5K
and Vertical Challenge
BY
EMILY
MCILROY
Resort Running
Kicking off the Under Armour
Mountain Running Series
Mount Bachelor,
Oregon
July 22, 2017
ELEVATION GAIN
50K: 4,802 ft
Marathon: 4,206 ft
Half-Marathon: 2,103 ft
10K: 1,150 ft
5K: 575 ft
Vertical Challenge:
1,388 ft in 1.77 miles
Some may argue that trail races are always a party. However, the inaugural
Under Armour Mountain Running Series hopes to give that term a whole
new meaning. This three-race series is focused on trail-racing festivities for
the whole family, with seven different race distances—50K, marathon, marathonrelay,
half-marathon, 10K, 5K and Vertical Challenge—at three iconic mountain
resorts in Oregon, Colorado and Vermont.
The 50K events are set to attract top talent,
with prize purses of $1,500, $750 and $250 for
male and female podium finishers. Signups so
far include two-time Lake Sonoma 50-Mile
champion YiOu Wang and 2017 U.S. World
Trail Championship team member Cody Reed.
Ski Resorts in the Summer?
Mountain resorts are not only great places to
ski and snowboard in the winter. The expansive
views, extensive trail systems and built-in
amenities create perfect environments for
weekend-long running events.
The series begins on July 22 at Mount
Bachelor, the biggest ski resort in the Cascade
Mountains. “[The terrain] is typical Central
Oregon. [It] goes from fine volcanic dirt to
rocky volcanic basalt,” says Bend trail legend
Max King. “Most of the trails around the base
are smooth, buffed-out singletrack. Higher,
they get really rocky and rough.”
The Vertical Challenge, which will take place
at twilight, begins at the base of the mountain
and takes the most direct route to the summit.
From the top of Mount Bachelor, racers will
gaze south to 9,184-foot Mount Thielsen and
Diamond Peak, a shield volcano. To the north
lie the third-, fourth- and fifth-highest peaks in
Killington,
Vermont
August 19, 2017
ELEVATION GAIN
50K: 10,075 ft
Marathon: 9,578 ft
Half-Marathon: 4,789 ft
10K: 2,649 ft
5K: 837 ft
Vertical Challenge:
1,552 ft in 1.25 miles
Copper Mountain,
Colorado
September 9,
2017
ELEVATION GAIN
50K: 7,346 ft
Marathon: 6,478 ft
Half-Marathon: 2,277 ft
10K: 1,757 ft
5K: 983 ft
Vertical Challenge:
819 ft in 0.77 miles
UNDER ARMOUR MOUNTAIN RUNNING SERIES
16 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

the state, the Three Sisters.
The second stop of the series, is
Killington, Vermont, in mid-August.
Often referred to as “The Beast of
the East,” the 4,241-foot peak is the
second highest summit in the lush,
rolling Green Mountains.
“The race on Killington is going
to be very tough,” says Reed, who
is signed up for the 50K at both
Killington and Mount Bachelor. “It has
about the same amount of climbing as
the world champs in Italy—and that
kicked my ass!”
The last event of the series takes
place at Colorado’s Copper Mountain,
which will feature phenomenal fall
foliage and rugged alpine terrain.
“Copper is a hidden gem for running
in Colorado,” says accomplished local
trail runner Helen Cospolich. “The
views to the east and the rugged, rocky
Ten Mile Range are spectacular.” Thin
air will be an added challenge for
athletes, with the summit of Copper
Mountain hitting 12,313 feet.
A Running Festival for All
Aside from running, the weekendlong
events feature local beer, food and
live music, a dunk tank, lawn games,
vendors and what Under Armour hopes
will be “a fun festival vibe.”
The Mount Bachelor event highlights
local beer from 10 Barrel Brewing based
in nearby Bend, a place perhaps best
known for its beer culture. “With over
20 breweries, it’s hard to find a favorite,”
says King. “And [the breweries] take
pride in crafting something that gets
people excited to visit Bend.”
As for Colorado, “The vibe of
Copper is laid back and outdoorsy,”
says Cospolich. “Trail-running shoes
and a pair of jeans or yoga pants is
acceptable attire day and night … And
dogs are everywhere.”
One of the main goals of the series
is to encourage all levels of runners to
celebrate together.
“We really think that the shorter
distance will appeal to that aspiring trail
runner,” says Topher Gaylord, general
manager at Under Armour, “or that
crossover road runner who is looking
for a mountain trail experience.” TR
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excuses
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Photo: Noah Wetzel

EXPLORE
EVERYMAN’S EXPOSED
Summertime! Taylor Mae strides
out on the rolling, green foothills
outside Boulder, Colorado.
PHOTO BY JOSHUA ADDISON
18 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

EVERYMAN’S EXPOSED
EXPLORE
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 19

ANYTIME EXPANSES > PLACES FOR YEAR-ROUND TRAIL RUNNNING
Top Trail Meccas
>
WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON PAGE 22
NORTHERN MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA PAGE 23
COCONINO COUNTY, ARIZONA PAGE 24
CANYON COUNTRY, UTAH PAGE 25
BLUFF COUNTRY, MISSOURI PAGE 26
WASHINGTON, D.C. METROPOLITAN AREA PAGE 27
THE PORT, SOUTH CAROLINA PAGE 28
HILL COUNTRY, TEXAS PAGE 30
From the Grand Canyon to Humphreys Peak, Coconino County, Arizona, hits five ecosystems .
20 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

ANYTIME EXPANSES > PLACES FOR YEAR-ROUND TRAIL RUNNNING
BY ERIC SENSEMAN AND MEGHAN M. HICKS
Gone are the old days of trail running where we took a real off season,
much like we did in track and cross country. Sure, we still laced up our
shoes and trained when winter weather battered, but we broke from
racing itself.
These days, it can be 24, 7, 365, all the time. We know you want the
option to trail run and race your brains out no matter the month.
We’ve got you covered because, this year, our annual top-trail-“towns”
feature highlights eight places—towns, counties or full-on geographic
regions—that make great trail-running and racing destinations all 12
months of the year.
TAMARA HASTIE / TANDEMSTOCK.COM
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 21

trails
FOREST PARK / At 5,100 acres, Forest Park is one
of the country’s largest urban forest reserves.
Nestled in the Tualatin Mountains, just west of
downtown Portland, the park includes roughly 70
miles of trails, and runners are greeted with views
of the Willamette River after ascending more
than 1,000 feet to a ridgeline. The park’s varied
terrain includes smooth, rolling singletrack trail as
well as steep, muddy, root-filled climbs.
1
If you’re into running past waterfalls, Oregon’s Willamette Valley is the place.
Pictured: Abiqua Falls.
SILVER FALLS STATE PARK / Located about 40
miles south of Portland and 20 miles east-southeast
of Salem, in Silverton, this stunning 9,000-
acre landscape contains many waterfalls, including
its biggest, South Falls, at 177 feet. The park
includes over 40 miles of multi-use trails, some of
which wind behind waterfalls. Try the seven-ishmile
Trail of Ten Falls loop to see 10 of the park’s
cascades in a single run.
BULL OF THE WOODS WILDERNESS / This wilderness
area resides just east of Willamette Valley
proper. Established in 1984, the 37,000-plus-acre
expanse showcases dozens of lakes, creeks and
streams, and a 5,558-foot highpoint at the Battle
Ax summit. The area also contains over 60 miles
of trails.
>
Pacific Northwest, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Ripe with Trails
Willamette Valley was created when colossal floods inundated
the region during the last glacial period, creating a vast lake
more than 300-feet deep. As the floodwater slowly drained to
the Pacific, it left the Willamette River, which runs the length
of the north-south valley, in its wake. In the shadows of the
towering Cascade Range to the east, and the Oregon Coast
Range to the west, the valley houses roughly 2.9 million of
Oregon’s four million residents and welcomes many more
visitors each year to its collection of wineries and waterfalls.
But beyond wine tastings and cascading waters, the 150-mile
expanse stretching from Portland south to Eugene is filled with
accessible urban and state parks, and sprawling wilderness. The
winter rainy season, from mid-November to mid-March, when
the region can receive as much as 10 inches of rain per month,
shouldn’t dampen year-round exploration, as temperatures in
the valley remain mild, and trails, though sometimes wet, stay
open for business.
+
Insider Info: “Doubletrack and gravel fire roads can be a good
option in winter over narrow, non-draining, singletrack
trail, so rail trails and multi-use paths, though with less
varied terrain, are often the ticket during rainy season.”
—Willie McBride, a co-founder of Wy’East Wolfpack, a personal training
and coaching service based in Portland
500+
The number
of wineries in
Willamette Valley
2.9
The population of
Willamette Valley,
in millions, which
includes Portland,
Eugene and Salem
50.9
Average annual
rainfall, in inches, in
the city of Eugene
races
PORTLAND TRAIL SERIES / This is a low-key,
five-race series held in Forest Park in each of the
spring, summer and fall seasons, and distances
range from four to seven miles. Info: Gobeyondracing.com/races
TRAIL FACTOR 50K / This Memorial Day weekend
event, also held in Forest Park, includes a half-marathon
and 50K. Be sure to stay around for the postrace
barbeque. Info: Gobeyondracing.com/races
SILVER FALLS TRAIL RUNS / Held in November
near Salem in Silver Falls State Park, this two-day
event offers a seven-miler, half-marathon, marathon
and 50K. The 50K course covers nearly every
major attraction in Oregon’s largest state park, and
each course offers nearly constant up-and-down
terrain with creek crossings and waterfall views.
Info: Silverfallsmarathon.com
JUSTIN BAILIE / TANDEMSTOCK.COM (2); BRANDON SAWAYA / TANDEMSTOCK.COM
22 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

KAARE IVERSON / TANDEMSTOCK.COM; EMILY POLAR / TANDEMSTOCK.COM
trails
POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE / The
seashore is the main gig for trail running in north
Marin County. The area envelops most of the Point
Reyes Peninsula, a chunk of land protecting most of
mainland Marin County from the ocean with miles
of beaches and rising to a north-south ridge some
1,400 feet tall. Almost 150 miles of trails await
here, from oceanside doubletrack to singletrack
switchbacking through redwood forests—and among
poison oak, watch out! Perhaps the most bang for
your buck can be had on the 9.5-ish-mile out-andback
on the Tomales Point Trail, which travels to the
peninsula’s northern tip.
GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA /
This recreation area extends from southern Marin
County northward. Its northern extension contains
the rightfully famous 11-mile Bolinas Ridge Trail.
Run this point-to-point or create an eight-mile loop
out of it and the Randall, McCurdy and Olema Valley
trails, which involves a steep ascent onto and off of
Bolinas Ridge, but gets you onto arguably the ridge’s
best miles. Bolinas Ridge tops out at over 1,600 feet
and will offer you big views from its grassy top in
good weather. In the spring, the ridge is also famous
for its wildflowers.
TOMALES BAY STATE PARK / This state park
sits in the eastern shadow of the Point Reyes
Peninsula, at sea level on Tomales Bay and under
the peninsula’s protective ridge. The park is mostly
used for its quiet and protected beach access, but
the trails leading to the beaches offer gorgeous
forest running. Start where the park road ends,
and run all the trails to all the beaches, racking up
about 10 miles of running total. Pick a weekday and
there’s a decent chance you won’t see anyone else
the whole time.
SAMUEL P. TAYLOR STATE PARK / This small state
park is named after a 19th-century entrepreneur
of the same name who previously owned the land.
Make the six-mile loop with about 1,500 feet of
climb to the park’s high point, Barnabe Peak, via the
Barnabe Fire Road, a wide, doubletrack dirt road,
and the paved Cross Marin Trail. The views onto the
Point Reyes Peninsula from high on the mountain
are superb as is the forest that you’ll climb and
descend through.
Sunset jaunt on Mount Tamalpais, Marin County, California.
223
The amount of public
lands in Marin County, in
square miles, about 27
percent of the county’s
total land area
490
The number of bird
species that have been
spotted in Point Reyes
National Seashore—
nearly half of all of North
America’s bird species
600
The number of Coast
Miwok Native American
sites discovered in Marin
and neighboring Sonoma
Counties, marking 6,000-
plus years of history
>
West Coast, Northern Marin County, California
Marin’s Quiet Side
The southern finger of Marin County, containing the town
of Mill Valley and the public lands of the Marin Headlands
and Mount Tamalpais, gets all the trail-running action.
But if you check out a county map, you’ll see that this area
represents a tiny part of the open space and trail systems
available in the north.
The main hotspot is Point Reyes National Seashore.
There, you’ll find quiet, curvy roads through grassy
greenscapes, restaurants cooking fresh oysters … and
hundreds of miles of singletrack all to yourself.
+
Insider Info: “Running in [north] west Marin offers a
wonderful mix of dense forest, open grasslands and
ocean views. The trails tend to be a bit less crowded
and not quite as steep as those surrounding Mount
Tamalpais [in southern Marin County].”
—Magda Boulet, an accomplished trail runner who lives in the
East Bay of San Francisco
races
MIWOK 100K / The Miwok 100K bridges the gap between southern and
northern Marin County. It’s also a race that bridges the past, present
and future of ultrarunning. Started in 1996, this race is something of a
NorCal icon in that it preceded the trail and ultra boom that has led to
literally hundreds of NorCal trail races. NorCal kids, you have this race
and the people behind it as starters of your culture! Tia Bodington is the
current and long-time race director and she puts a lot of love and her
decades of ultra experience into this special event. Info: Miwok100.com
02
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 23

trails
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK / Grand Canyon
National Park’s south entrance is a scenic hour-anda-half
drive from downtown Flagstaff. From the
rim, it’s straight down into the belly of the canyon
via Bright Angel or South Kaibab trails. Proceed with
caution as you descend and temperatures rise—the
only way out is to climb back up.
3
Fall magic in the Coconino National Forest above Flagstaff Arizona.
MOUNT HUMPHREYS / Arizona’s highest point and
part of the San Francisco Peaks mountain range,
Mount Humphreys tops out at 12,633 feet. The fivemile
Humphreys Trail ascends more than 3,000 feet
from the base of Snowbowl Ski Resort to the summit.
The steep, rooty and rocky trail winds through pines
and aspens, then from Agassiz Saddle at 11,800 feet
continues another mile along the ridge to the summit.
FLAGSTAFF URBAN TRAILS / For easy runs
around the Flagstaff area with five-star views
of Flagstaff’s San Francisco Peaks, hop on the
doubletrack, crushed-gravel trails in the Flagstaff
Urban Trails System (FUTS), which connects to
myriad and more challenging trail systems.
>
Southwest, Coconino County, Arizona
A Varied Landscape
Coconino County is a land of plateaus, mesas, canyons
and peaks—and very little in between. Around these
parts, you’re either running on flat, runnable dirt trails,
or straight up or down steep and often-rocky mountain
terrain. Variety abounds. The Grand Canyon alone—a
fraction of Coconino County—encompasses five
ecosystems, the same number found between Canada
and Mexico.
Trail systems navigate high desert through aspens
and roll along treacherous ridges above treeline; they
switchback into canyons and meander next to creek beds.
Elevations in Coconino County dip down to 2,480 feet, at
the base of the Grand Canyon, and soar to 12,633 feet, at
the summit of Humphreys Peak. And due to the varied
landscape, a temperate running environment offers yearround
running.
+
Insider Info: “In Flagstaff, when you’re snowed in, you
can drive 40 minutes and be running on dry rock and
dirt in Sedona. When it gets really hot in Sedona—triple
digits—you can go up to Flagstaff and run in aspens and
70-degree temps.”
—Ian Torrence, race director, ultrarunner and Flagstaff local
10,153
Difference in elevation,
in feet, between the
bottom of the Grand
Canyon and the top of
Humphreys Peak, just 90
miles or so apart
18,661
The county’s total area in
square miles, making it
the second-largest county
in the United States
1,750+
Number of plant species in
the Grand Canyon alone
NORTHERN SEDONA / A breathtaking 45-minute
drive south of Flagstaff, Sedona is located at the
southern border of Coconino County, and is ripe
with trails in every direction. The 18-mile Three
Passes Loop is a locals’ choice. Climbing a total
of 3,800 feet, the loop offers sweeping views of
red-rock and ochre-colored plateaus and trailside
desert cacti.
races
FLAGSTAFF TO GRAND CANYON STAGECOACH
LINE RACES / You can tackle the 55K, 100-miler or a
fraction of those distances with a relay team at these
high-altitude races in September. The scenic courses
largely run on the Arizona Trail in the shadow of
Humphreys Peak. Info: Aztrail.org/ultrarun
RUN FLAGSTAFF SUMMER SERIES / From May
through August, the Northern Arizona Trail
Runners Association hosts seven races, from one
mile to a half-marathon, showcasing the area’s
mesas, aspens and plethora of city parks.
Info: Flagstaffsummerseries.com
FLAGSTAFF SKY RACE / Aravaipa Running, a
stalwart race organization in the Arizona trail
and ultrarunning scene, plays host to the U.S.
Skyrunner Series finale in October with these
brutally difficult races. The two-day event offers a
Vertical Kilometer, 39K and 55K. The 39K and 55K
start at the base of Flagstaff’s Mount Elden and
top out at over 11,000 feet. Info: Aravaiparunning.
com/network/flagstaff
BENNETT BARTHELEMY / TANDEMSTOCK.COM; RYAN KRUEGER / TANDEMSTOCK.COM
24 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

04
Utah’s Canyon Country offers high-desert to high-mountain options—pick your season.
JAY GOODRICH / TANDEMSTOCK.COM; BEN HERNDON / TANDEMSTOCK.COM
trails
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK / With 337,000-
plus acres divided into four districts, there’s plenty
to explore. Start in the park’s most accessible
Island in the Sky District on the 11-ish-mile Murphy
Loop, a lollipop that drops off the ‘island in the
sky’ and climbs back up on it again. Move up to
advanced-level backcountry trail running in the
park’s more remote Needles District. Salt Creek,
Horse and Lavender canyons are remote and
contain hidden archaeological wonders if you’re
willing to slow things down and search hard.
LA SAL MOUNTAINS / Most peoples’ Canyon
Country photos will have the snowcapped La Sal
Mountains in the background, but few people
venture into the vertiginous range itself. Go big
or go home by summiting its tallest peak, Mount
Peale (12,726 feet), a six-mile roundtrip outing with
2,500 feet of gain from La Sal Pass.
The Whole Enchilada is a 34-mile route that tops
out at over 11,000 feet in the La Sals and ends in
Moab, offering a couple of hours of alpine bliss, a
breeze through the pinyons and junipers in the middle
elevations and ledge-y red rocks in the low country.
BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT / Established
in late 2016 and protecting 1.3-plus-million acres all
within Utah’s San Juan County, this new national
monument is named after an eponymous rock
formation resembling a set of bears ears. Cedar
Mesa may be the most accessible way to experience
the Native American history it protects; drop down
into any number of canyons, such as Bullet Canyon,
Grand Gulch or the Fish and Owl Canyons loop, and
explore. Most archeological ruins aren’t noted on
maps, so finding them requires you to engage your
spidey senses.
>
11,617
The size in square
miles of Canyon
Country, which
encompasses Utah’s
Grand and San Juan
counties
12
The number of peaks
over 12,000 feet in
Canyon Country, all in
the La Sal Mountains
2.12
The population
density of Canyon
Country in persons
per square mile,
making it among
the least-populated
areas of the
lower-48 states
Mountain West, Canyon Country, Utah
A Southeast Utah Secret
Yeah, you know Moab, Utah, known to many as a winter
respite for snow-less running. Indeed, the surrounding socalled
Canyon Country of southeast Utah is a massive tract
of public lands featuring intricate canyon systems. From the
depths of Canyonlands National Park’s four districts, to the
high-altitude La Sal Mountains, to the spanking-new Bears
Ears National Monument (see “Running Bears Ears,” page 44),
multiple lifetimes of trail-running exploration await you here.
+
Insider Info: “No matter how similar the innumerable
canyons and mesas appear, each has a unique spirit and
identity. To continue down one canyon and up the next is to
experience two worlds.”
—Bryon Powell, Canyon-Country local and Editor-in-Chief of iRunFar.com
races
MOAB RED HOT 33K AND 55K / This Moab springtime classic will ring in its
12th year in 2018. Both distances offer a mix of dirt-road and techy-slickrock
running. Unless you’re running for the win, carry a camera, for Pete’s sake. Info:
Grassrootsevents.net/moab-red-hot
MOAB TRAIL MARATHON / This ain’t no beginner marathon! With former
international-caliber adventure racer Danelle Ballengee as race director,
expect a big adventure. Slickrock expanses, running straight through a creek,
clambering along fixed ropes and a real obstacle course late in the race, the
Moab Trail Marathon is a full-body workout taking place in November. 5K and
half-marathon distances are also available. Info: Moabtrailmarathon.com
DEADORSE ULTRA / This event hosts 30K, 50K and 50-mile races in November
on the trails and dirt roads located in Canyon Country’s northwest sector. This
part of Canyon Country is probably its most runnable, but don’t be fooled by
a flat course profile as deep sand and plenty of slickrock make this a race of
strength, too. Info: Madmooseevents.com/dead-horse-ultra
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 25

trails
KLAUS PARK / Just four miles north of downtown
Cape Girardeau, Klaus Park offers conveniently
accessible dirt paths and root-infested
switchbacks. Try the park’s 3.2-mile, multi-use
outer loop, which averages a mellow 90 feet of
ascent per mile. The trails here are popular on
summer nights and weekends.
HAWN STATE PARK / Nestled in the hills outside
of Ste. Genevieve, about an hour’s drive north of
Cape Girardeau, the park houses about 15 miles of
trails with “plenty of elevation and creek crossings,
combined with moderate-to-technical terrain,” says
Kelpe. The rugged, 10-mile Whispering Pines Trail
loops through pines and moss and across creeks.
TRAIL OF TEARS STATE PARK / Hugging the
mighty Mississippi River, the park memorializes
the thousands of Cherokee Native Americans
who perished during their forced removal by the
American government from their homelands in the
winter of 1838 to 1839. The park’s four trails total
15 miles. Burly climbs lead to the top of bluffs,
where you can take in uninterrupted views of the
river and southern Illinois. Located just a 15-minute
drive north of Cape Girardeau.
5The “flatlands” of the Midwest can surprise you with short ups and downs
that add up.
races
>
Midwest, Bluff Country, Missouri
Bluffs of Plenty
Cape Girardeau, a running hub for the quad-state region including
Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Kentucky, is located along the
Mississippi River, about halfway between St. Louis and Memphis,
and is surrounded by state forests and parks, national recreation
areas and national wildlife refuges—all within an hour’s drive.
The climbs around here are short, but steep and punishing,
often covering 200 or 300 rocky and root-y vertical feet within a
mile, and made even more difficult with the area’s humid air and
thick vegetation. The fall and winter seasons—when temperatures
are mild and dense forests thin—are an especially opportune time
to visit, but the bluffs and their views are worth exploring all year.
+
Insider Info: “For ‘flatlanders’ training for the mountains,
there are tough, steep, runnable trails here to train on yearround.
But wooded areas may occasionally get some poison
ivy or ticks during the summer, so be ready.”
—Bryan Kelpe, co-owner of Missouri Running Company, a local
running store that hosts several events in the area
9The number of
historical landmarks
in Cape Girardeau
that are listed on the
U.S. National Register
of Historic Places,
many of which date
back to the 1700s
106
Record high
temperature, in
Fahrenheit, during
the hottest month in
the region, July
3,415
Size, in acres, of Trail
of Tears State Park
BERRYMAN TRAIL RACES / The St. Louis
Ultrarunners Group (SLUGS) hosts the Berryman
Trail Races every May, with marathon and 50-
mile distances. Located in Mark Twain National
Forest near Potosi, Missouri, these courses roll
through the highlands of the Ozarks. The 24-mile
looped trail has about 3,000 feet of climbing,
with some rocky sections but overall relatively
quick terrain, resulting in course records of 6:33:27
for 50 miles and 3:05:18 for the marathon. Info:
Stlouisultrarunnersgroup.net
MEANDERING TURKEY 4.5 MILE / “No whimps,
whiners or crybabies.” That’s the witty slogan
for this regional favorite held the Sunday before
Thanksgiving in Klaus Park, and it sells out quickly.
The root-y and hilly singletrack course challenges
runners of all abilities. The post-race cookout, with
homemade chili and craft beer, is a perk you won’t
want to miss. Info: Moruncocape.com
ONDESSONK TRAIL RACES / Shawnee National
Forest, located in Illinois, 60 miles east of Cape
Girardeau, contains seven wilderness areas
within its 280,000 acres. This rolling glaciercarved
landscape is home to the Ondessonk Trail
Races each May, with 5K, half-marathon and
50K distances. The races utilize the Moccasin
Gap Trail, a challenging 10-mile trail that passes
Cedar Falls (the highest freefalling waterfall in
Illinois), crests ridges and follows creeks. Info:
Ondessonktrailraces.com
MARC MUENCH / TANDEMSTOCK.COM; DOMINIK ZAUGG / TANDEMSTOCK.COM
26 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

trails
ROCK CREEK PARK / A go-to park for hundreds
of local runners daily, the trails meander along the
creek toward the Potomac River. Go all in and make
a nine-plus-mile loop that includes the Valley and
Western Ridge trails, which are mostly dirt. Take
note, the park has a lot of social trails not found
on maps and you might briefly meander off course.
Don’t worry, you’re in the middle of a city so you
won’t be ‘lost’ for long! “Many parks close in the
evenings, so it’s best to check before you make the
trip,” advises Rick Amernick, President of the local
DC Capital Striders Running Group.
You can run through history on the diverse trails in D.C.
06
RON KOEBERER / TANDEMSTOCK.COM; ISTOCKPHOTO
POTOMAC HERITAGE TRAIL / The nine-mile trail
lies on the Potomac’s west side, and offers frequent
access points via parking lots and side feeder trails.
Remarkably technical at its outset from downtown
D.C., you will run among boulders and rock outcrops,
in and out of side drainages and up and down bluffs.
Go in the early morning for solo time.
BULL RUN-OCCOQUAN TRAIL / This 19.6-mile trail
traces Bull Run and the Occoquan River tributaries
to the Potomac River, in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Designated in 2006 as a National Recreation Trail,
it ranges from perfectly smooth singletrack in
places to technical in others with roots, rocks and
brief steep climbs and descents.
races
BULL RUN RUN 50 MILE / Held on the 19.6-mile
Bull Run-Occoquan Trail, it has two out-and-backs
with a couple of additional small loops and is hosted
by the spirited Virginia Happy Trails Running Club,
specifically race directors Alisa Springman and Jim
Daniels. The Bull Run Run has been running since
1993, and takes place in April. Info: Vhtrc.org/brr
THE NORTH FACE ENDURANCE CHALLENGE
SERIES—WASHINGTON, D.C. / Starting and finishing
at Algonkian Regional Park on the Potomac River
and utilizing the Potomac Heritage Trail and the
trails of Great Falls Park, this April event offers loads
of distances ranging from 5K to 50 miles in length.
Info: Thenorthface.com/get-outdoors/endurancechallenge/washington-dc.html
6,131,977
Number of people in the
Washington, D.C. metro
area, the sixth-largest
metro area in the U.S.
38
Percentage of workers
in Washington, D.C.
proper who are federalgovernment
employees
>
1790
The year Washington D.C.
was established as the
U.S. capitol
Mid-Atlantic, Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area
Running Past Politics
While known as hub of the American political sphere
for some 225-plus years, Washington, D.C. is lesser
known for its trail running. But courtesy of a long
history of local, state and federal land managers
preserving green spaces, there are plenty of places for
trail runners to play.
The area’s parks tend to follow watercourses, and
around D.C. that means the mighty Potomac River and
its tributaries. In this mosaic of developed and wild
places, you can run past U.S. history while dodging
rocks and roots.
+
Insider Info: “Here’s our well-guarded secret:
Washington, D.C. trails are copious and not crowded.
They run in and out of neighborhoods, along roads and
under highways, connecting the city. They can be fast
and flat, and rocky and steep. One mile you can bomb
down singletrack and another be at The White House.
There’s only one place in the world where such a run
is possible.”
—Michael Wardian, globetrotting runner and
D.C.-metro-area resident
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 27

trails
LAUREL HILL COUNTY PARK / Located about 15
miles northeast of Charleston in Mount Pleasant,
the 745-acre park contains more than 10 miles of
mellow trails that wind through open meadows,
past oaks and by a small pond. These shaded dirt
paths are an urban favorite for runners trying to
escape the summer’s heat.
NORTH CHARLESTON WANNAMAKER COUNTY
PARK / Roughly 19 miles north of Charleston and
next to Charleston Southern University, this park has
more than 15 miles of trails through woodlands and
wetlands. The northeast section of the Wannamaker
Trail features technical and challenging terrain.
THE PALMETTO TRAIL / The 350-mile trail
(soon to be 500 miles) was established in 1994.
Located about 30 miles northeast of Charleston,
the mountain-to-sea trail’s coastal terminus is at
Awendaw Passage, an easy seven-ish-mile stretch
of the trail along the coast. Much longer adventures
await, as the trail provides access to the Blue Ridge
Mountains, on the western side of the state.
7From casual beach runs to ultra distances on the Palemetto Trail, the low
country of South Carolina promises year-round variety.
>
Southeast, The Port, South Carolina
Low Country
The low country is a region along the coast of southeast South
Carolina that includes many towns, including Charleston. This
area offers something that mountainous regions usually can’t:
guaranteed year-round running. You won’t find low-country
trails closed due to snow. Instead, you’ll find a refreshing ocean
breeze, accessible, sea-level running trails, warm southern
hospitality and scenic waterways cutting through historic,
centuries-old, port towns, marked by cobblestone streets,
antebellum houses and new-age restaurants.
When it comes to trail running, the Palmetto Trail, which
passes through the Francis Marion and Sumter national forests
north of Charleston, is the gem of the region. But whether
you’re looking to run a few easy trail miles in an urban setting,
catch a coastal breeze on an ocean-side trail or escape into
the woods for a lengthy adventure, the low country of South
Carolina has you covered in any season.
+
Insider Info: “The trails here are surprisingly flat yet unforgiving,
and most of them are on the remains of plantations
from the 1700s, so there’s lots of history all around you. The
local phrase to remember is ‘dirt, sweat, bugs.’ Bring bug
spray with you from spring until winter.”
—Chad Huffa, CEO of Eagle Endurance, which puts on nine
trail events in the area
12
Number of Sea
Islands—a chain of
more than 100 barrier
islands stretching
from South Carolina
down to Florida—in
Charleston County
1,546
Length, in feet, of
the Arthur Ravenel
Jr. Bridge, which
extends over the
Cooper River, the
third longest cablestayed
bridge in the
Western Hemisphere
389,262
The population of
Charleston County,
making it the third
most populous county
in South Carolina
races
PEYTON’S WILD AND WACKY ULTRA / Laurel Hill
County Park opens its gates every March to host a 5K
and 50K in honor of Peyton Johnson Moore, a lover of
the outdoors and member of several running clubs,
who passed away in 2013. Since the course’s 5K dirt
loop is flat and fast, the course is perfect for your
next personal best. Info: Run4p.com
DELIRIUM ULTRA 6, 12, AND 24-HOUR RACE /
If you’re looking to run far, take a trip down to
Ridgeland, some 80 miles southwest of Charleston,
in October. Participants can run the course’s wooded
1.69-mile loop in South Carolina’s low country. A
well-stocked aid station provides hamburgers,
pizza and pancakes throughout the long day. Info:
Groundedrunning.com/delirium
HOMESTEAD 10 X 5K SERIES / This April 50K
features a unique race format, which has participants
run a 5K every hour, on the hour, for 10 straight hours.
The faster you finish the loop, the more time you
have to rest before the next one. If you’re not on the
start line at the top of each hour, you’re out. How cool
is that? Info: Groundedrunning.com/homestead
JASON THOMPSON / TANDEMSTOCK.COM; ISTOCKPHOTO (2)
28 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

Joe Grant | zion, ut | fred marmsater photo
h2o
gps
bpm
fkt
the spin

8
trails
Dodging a puddle atop Enchanted Rock in the Texas Hill Country, a massive
trail mecca in the central part of the state.
COLORADO BEND STATE PARK / Hugging the
Colorado River, northwest of Austin, is this
5,300-plus-acre state park and its 35 miles of
trails. Don’t miss the greenscape of the Gorman
Falls Trail, and be ready for a big dose of rocks and
spiny plants along the way.
>
South, Hill Country, Texas
Rough and Tumble
Texas outdoor enthusiasts lovingly say that everything in their
state stings, scratches or bites. Texas is a rough-and-tumble
state and the Hill Country region, which refers to the hilly
uplands in the central part of the state that includes the major
cities of San Antonio and Austin, is not an exception. Abundant
trail-running opportunities exist throughout the Hill Country,
mostly on state-park lands and some private land open for
public use, but they generally aren’t for the faint of heart.
+
Insider Info: “It’s hard to beat being able to comfortably
run in a tank top through the winter! The heat and
humidity do scare people out of signing up for summer
trail races, but the coolest thing is (pun partially
intended) that we constantly wade through cold springfed
water at creek crossings.”
—Chris McWatters, Tejas Trails co-owner
Eric Senseman is a freelance writer with publications at
numerous websites and magazines. He calls the American
West home and explores its many peaks, canyons and valleys
for business and pleasure.
Meghan M. Hicks is iRunFar.com’s Senior Editor and a
Contributing Editor for Trail Runner. She lives in Utah’s
Canyon Country and loves using trail running as a means
to explore the USA.
25
The number of Texas
counties that make
up what’s colloquially
called Hill Country
1848
The year in which
many German
citizens left Europe
in revolution, with
some emigrating to
the U.S. via Texas,
and settling in what’s
now Hill Country,
leading to the strong
German influence
still felt there
9Texas Hill Country
American Viticultural
Area’s size, in millions
of acres, which is the
U.S.’s second largest
wine-making region,
containing over
50 wineries
PEDERNALES FALLS STATE PARK / Straddling
the Pedernales River, this gorgeous park offers
meandering, rocky singletrack with decent amounts
of shade. You can run an ultramarathon distance on
trails here without repeating any terrain—don’t miss
a recovery soak in the river afterward.
HILL COUNTRY STATE NATURAL AREA / Located
southwest of Bandera, this 5,300-plus-acre park
has a primitive feel and plenty of Hill-Countrystyle
rugged and rocky trails on which to get lost.
Highlights are the Vista Ridge and Ice Cream trails.
races
BANDERA ENDURANCE RUN / This 25K, 50K and
100K event, which has frequently served as the
USATF 100K Trail National Championships, takes
place in Hill Country State Natural Area in February,
and exudes the essence of Hill Country trail
running: rocky and rugged trails, brief-but-steep
climbs and descents, spiny plants everywhere and
a passel of local trail runners who are as friendly as
they are tough. Info: Tejastrails.com/bandera
CACTUS ROSE ULTRA TRAIL RUN AND RELAY /
This mega-tough, unsupported event features a
relay, 25-mile, 50-mile and 100-mile races in the
Hill Country State Natural Area. Info: Tejastrails.
com/#/cactus
LIGHTHOUSE HILL RANCH TRAIL RUN / Run on
the private Lighthouse Hill Ranch located south
of Johnson City, which contains quintessential Hill
County rocks and punchy hills. The event hosts
10-mile, 20-mile and 50K races in September. Info:
Runintexas.com/lighthouse
TURNER & FITCH / TANDEMSTOCK.COM; T.M. SCHULTZE / TANDEMSTOCK.COM
30 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

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TOP
TRAIL
MECCAS
PLACES FOR YEAR-ROUND
TRAIL RUNNNING
COCONINO COUNTY, ARIZONA
THE LOW COUNTRY, SOUTH CAROLINA
NORTH MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON
CANYON COUNTRY, UTAH
BLUFF COUNTRY, MISSOURI
WASHINGTON, D.C., METRO AREA
HILL COUNTRY, TEXAS
CALIFORNIA, NORTH MARIN COUNTRY
Oct 2017 • Stinson Beach
March 2018 • Golden Gate
April 2018 • Mt Tam Wild Boar
May 2018 • Muir Woods
envirosports.com
SOUTH CAROLINA, THE LOW COUNTRY
PEYTON'S WILD &
WACKY ULTRA
5K Run/Walk, 10x5K solo, 10x5K Relay
MARCH 10TH, 2018
Laurel Hill County Park, Mount Pleasant, SC
Register at www.Run4P.com
ARIZONA, COCONINO COUNTY
Eagle
Endurance, LLC
CHARLESTON SC
41 st Annual Dave McKay Memorial
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff
Half Marathon Run/Walk and 5K
August 11 th , 2018
http://www.flagstaffbigs.org/dave-mckay-run.htm
Dirt Dash 8/26/17
Swamp Fox Ultras 11/2/17
Last Chance Trail Runs 12/2/17
Frozen H3 1/20/18
Hallucination 6/12/24 H 2/3/18
Almost 9 Miler 2/10/18
Wambaw Swamp Stomp 5/5/18
Run To Momma 5/12/18
Hello Hole Hundred 5/31/18
Dirt...Sweat...Bugs.
www.eagle-endurance.com
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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UTAH, CANYON COUNTRY
MISSOURI, BUFF COUNTRY
The
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Thousands of acres of
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VisitCape.com/GreatOutdoors

MONUMENTAL
CONTROVERSY
Why Westerners disagree
on protecting public lands
By Paul Cuno-Booth
34 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

Focus On
Teague Hatfield says public lands have made Bend, Oregon, what it is. “The
reason we’ve gone from 32,000 people to 80,000 people in the last 20 years is
because of the fact that we’re a recreational mecca,” says the owner of the local
FootZone running store.
“That and beer,” he adds after a beat.
Bend’s story will be familiar to residents of many
small and medium-size towns in scenic locales
across the West. Outdoor amenities—trail systems,
ski slopes, raftable rapids and the like—draw tourists
as well as entrepreneurs and knowledge-economy
workers, which all gradually accretes into a diverse
and vibrant local economy.
Public lands—especially protected tracts, like
wilderness areas and national parks—form the
foundation of that economy.
“There are a lot of examples of tech industries that
have relocated to Bend,” Hatfield says. “A lot of those
are lifestyle-driven choices, whether it’s single-person
operations or small firms.”
The majestic peaks to the west of Bend, the
sweeping desert to its east—it’s hard to imagine such
sublime and imposing landscapes ever changing.
Paradise Imperiled?
But, despite their importance to places like Bend—and
to trail runners the world over—public lands occupy
a contentious place in our politics. To Hatfield, those
public lands’ continued existence is more tenuous than
it might seem.
“I believe strongly that if we don’t protect the
things that are just invaluable in our Western
landscapes,” he says, “that those things can and will
be taken away from us.”
Recent years have seen a renewed push by some—
though by no means all—Republican politicians
to reduce the federal government’s role in land
stewardship. Utah lawmakers have led the way
in advocating for a “transfer” of federal holdings
to state or local governments, a move opponents
say would result in a massive sell-off due to those
agencies’ inability to manage the lands. Meanwhile,
recent national-monument designations have come
under fire.
Keeping public lands public, and wild lands wild,
may seem like a no-brainer. Outdoor-industry
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 35

“I think there’s a really
tremendous opportunity for race
directors to become the central
educators. As an event director, if
I don’t have public lands, I don’t
have an event.”
—Idaho runner and race director Luke Nelson
entrepreneurs like Hatfield see the economic benefits public
lands provide. And trail runners who spend their days exploring
national-forest singletrack know the intrinsic value of accessible
open spaces.
But that perspective is not universal. Some factions in the
rural West have sincere concerns about federal management.
More importantly, they distrust the very intentions of
bureaucrats, environmentalists and outdoor-industry groups.
Historically Contested
Federal-land management has been controversial for as long as
the federal government has managed land. Through most of the
19th century, public lands were simply as-yet-unclaimed parcels
awaiting settlement or development.
That began to change in the latter half of the century.
Congress granted Yosemite Valley to the state of California in
1864, on the condition that it remain a (mostly) undeveloped
park. As the wilderness historian Roderick Frazier Nash writes,
“The legal preservation of part of the public domain for scenic
and recreational values created a significant precedent.”
Eight years later, Congress set aside “a certain tract of land
lying near the headwaters of the Yellowstone River” as the
country’s first national park, protecting its “timber, mineral
deposits, natural curiosities, [and] wonders.”
Those early acts of preservation were not without controversy.
“The best thing the Government could do with the Yellowstone
National Park,” a Kansas senator declared in 1883, “is to survey
it and sell it as other public lands are sold.”
A decade later, the creation of the first “forest reserves”—later
to become national forests—withdrew still more acreage from
the survey-and-sell pool. Wilderness advocates, like the writer
John Muir, hoped the reserves would remain untouched. But in
the end, adherents of so-called “wise-use” conservation—the
idea that forests should be harvested sustainably, rather than
logged destructively—prevailed.
However, by the mid-20th century, the preservationist
movement had gained steam, helped along by the growth in
outdoor recreation. After decades of piecemeal protections—a
national park or monument here, a “primitive area” designation
there—a raft of legislation in the 1960s and 1970s redefined
federal land-management priorities.
The 1964 Wilderness Act famously created a national system
of protected areas in which “man himself is a visitor who does
not remain.” Other acts created a parallel arrangement for
undeveloped rivers; established a system of national recreation,
scenic and historic trails; required environmental assessments
of federal decision making; and codified the multiple-use
mandates under which the Forest Service and Bureau of Land
Management balance resource development and grazing with
recreation and preservation.
By the late 1970s, though, shifting federal priorities had
sparked a backlash in some parts of the West—the so-called
Sagebrush Rebellion.
“Not Just Randomly Managed”
Malheur County, Oregon, lies 200 miles southwest of Bend. It’s
sagebrush country, literally and figuratively.
The landscape of deep volcanic-rock canyons is known as the
Owyhee Canyonlands. Writing in this magazine in September
2016, ultrarunner Jeff Browning called it “an untamed chunk of
the American West larger than Yellowstone.”
Though largely federal land, the area lacks official protection.
Worried about mining or other development, conservation
groups—including the Oregon Natural Desert Association,
on whose board Hatfield serves—sought to change that by
advocating for a national-monument designation.
The 1906 Antiquities Act empowers the president to
unilaterally protect “historic landmarks, historic and
prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific
interest” on public land as national monuments.
Though prompted by concerns over discrete archaeological
sites, the language allowed for a broader interpretation. President
Theodore Roosevelt established the precedent of using the
Antiquities Act to protect whole landscapes when, in 1908, he
created the 800,000-acre Grand Canyon National Monument.
In 1996, President Bill Clinton created the 1.7-million-acre
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern
Utah. Local officials opposed it vociferously. Senator Orrin
Hatch of Utah called it “the mother of all land grabs.”
Part of the problem was procedural. The Clinton
administration deliberated and decided in secret, without
public input—a process even some monument supporters took
issue with.
But it also affirmed a suspicion, deeply held in parts of the
West, of a heavy-handed federal government that didn’t have
the best interests of local communities at heart. In this case,
opponents could even point to a tangible example—a planned
STEVEN GNAM
36 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

Public Lands
a brief history
1862: Homestead Act promises
160 acres of federal land to each
Western settler.
1864: Yosemite Valley is
granted to California, on the
condition it remain a public
park. (The valley later returns
to federal ownership as part of
Yosemite National Park.)
1868: John Muir arrives in San
Francisco. Over the next several
decades, his writings popularize
the notion of wilderness.
1872: Congress designates
Yellowstone the country’s first
national park, stipulating that
it be “set apart as a public park
or pleasuring-ground” and that
its “timber, mineral deposits,
natural curiosities, [and]
wonders” be protected.
1891: The first federal “forest
reserves” (later renamed
national forests) are created.
Wilderness enthusiasts like
Muir and proponents of “wise
use”—scientific, sustainable
forestry—disagree on how they
should be managed.
1905: U.S. Forest Service is
established.
1906: Antiquities Act
authorizes the president
to preserve archaeological,
historical or otherwise
significant sites as national
monuments.
1916: National Park Service is
established.
1934: Taylor Grazing Act
establishes the basis for grazing
regulations on public lands.
1937: The Appalachian Trail,
first proposed in 1921, is
completed. Federal protection
as a national scenic trail comes
in 1968.
1946: Bureau of Land
Management is established.
1960s-’70s: A wave of
environmental legislation
establishes multiple-use
mandates for the Forest
Service and BLM; creates
national systems for preserving
wilderness and wild rivers; and
requires federal agencies to
consider the environmental
impacts of their decisions,
among other things.
Late 1970s: Changing land-use
laws spark a backlash among
some in the West—the so-called
“Sagebrush Rebels”—who call for
greater local autonomy in landmanagement
decisions.
1980: Alaska National Interest
Lands Conservation Act creates
over 100-million acres of
national parks, preserves and
forests in the state, including
56-million acres of wilderness.
1996: Bill Clinton creates Grand
Staircase-Escalante National
Monument in Utah.
2016: Barack Obama creates
Bears Ears National Monument
in Utah (see page 44).
“Public land is not just Glacier
National Park and the Grand
Canyon. It’s city parks, it’s that
one little grassy hill on the edge
of town that is accessible to
the public.”
—Montana runner and race director Mike Foote
coal mine, expected to create hundreds of jobs, that the
monument effectively shut down.
Grand Staircase-Escalante remains a touchstone in
monument debates—including in the Owyhee.
In a March 2016 nonbinding resolution, 90 percent of Malheur
County voters opposed a national-monument designation. One
of those opponents was local rancher Elias Eiguren.
“The history of national monuments has not been good,” he
says. “Ones on this scale that affect the management of this size
of a landscape have not been good to local communities.”
Eiguren grazes his cattle on BLM land that abuts his ranch,
and local residents pitch in to fight fires and noxious weeds on
public lands. He worries the added restrictions of a national
monument could hamper that work, and have impacts on the
local agriculture economy.
“The land out here, it’s not just randomly managed,” he says.
He and his neighbors are “stewards of the land with dirt under
our fingernails and doing the work every day here.”
In fact, national-monument designations are less restrictive
than wilderness, for one. Recent monuments have tended to
allow continued grazing, and the proclamation establishing
Bears Ears National Monument states that the designation
won’t have an impact on “emergency response activities within
the monument, including wildland fire response.”
Moreover, protected public lands are generally a boon to a
regional economy—whether in Bend or Malheur. Though every
place is unique, rural Western counties with more protected
federal lands generally outpace their peers in key economic
indicators, according to research from Headwaters Economics,
a nonpartisan institute.
Another Headwaters study found no evidence that 17
national monuments designated between 1982 and 2001—
including Grand Staircase-Escalante—impeded economic
growth in nearby communities. And, unlike in the case
of Grand Staircase-Escalante, the Obama administration
conducted lengthy public processes before issuing its decisions
But that’s kind of beside the point. Federal assurances and
economic data won’t sway someone from a deeply felt truth.
And in the case of monument opponents like Eiguren, it seems
the mistrust is profound.
“Whatever happens to be written into [a monument] designation
is what the land has to be managed for, and nobody knows what
that is going to be until the president makes a decree, basically,”
he says. “We don’t have an opportunity to have any say in that. It’s
really a shoot-first-ask-questions-later type of approach.”
Paul Cuno-Booth is a newspaper reporter and freelance writer
living in Keene, New Hampshire.
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 37

BY MIKE FOOTE
No
Free
Lunch
Are trail runners freeloading on public lands?
Take a second to think
about your last long trail
run. Instead of focusing
on the pace, the views or
that nagging injury you’ve
held at bay all spring,
picture the land under
your feet. For most of
you, I’m betting that land
was public land. If so, was
it a city open space, state
park, wilderness area
or even a national park?
Most trail runners utilize
public lands in some form
on a daily basis.
The author pauses to take in his
surroundings while on a long run in
Glacier National Park, Montana.
STEVEN GNAM
38 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

Focus On
CREDIT
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 39

“All of the trails we run
on are the product of
environmental stewards
before us who ensured these
lands were preserved for
recreational access.”
In 2016 and 2017, the future of our public
lands has been hotly debated due to numerous
bills introduced in federal and state legislation
that have been perceived by many as a direct
threat to the places we love to recreate. One
bill in particular, HB621, introduced by US
Representative Jason Chaffetz, called for the
selling off of 3.3 million acres of federal lands.
This raised the hackles of outdoor-recreation
groups across the country and prompted
public-lands rallies in various states of the
American West.
One such rally was held in my home state of
Montana. Over a thousand concerned citizens
gathered in January to storm the state capitol to
share their unease with the bill and underlying
sentiment they perceived could be the tip of
the iceberg in the jettisoning of public lands.
They chanted, “Public lands in public hands!”
bookending impassioned speeches by leaders in
the fly-fishing industry, mountaineering legend
Conrad Anker and even Montana Governor
Steve Bullock, who has positioned himself as a
fierce proponent of public-lands protection.
As an avid user of public lands in my trailrunning
endeavors I, too, attended that rally
and was blown away by the diversity of folks
who showed up to demonstrate their support.
Young college students in bright-colored
puffy coats stood next to old timers decked
out in camouflage and hunter’s orange. I saw
city-council members and local land-trust
representatives, as well as advocates from
hunting, fishing, kayaking and mountainbiking
groups. It was an inspiring spectacle of
democracy in action. However, as I wandered
through the crowds that day, I noticed an
absence of the outdoor group I identified with
most. Where were all the trail runners?
No Tension Leads
to Inattention
We trail runners are a fortunate bunch. As
a recreation group, we encounter few, if any,
regulations when it comes to enjoying and
accessing our public lands. The only public
The author explores the alpine ridge lines of Yellow Mountain in Glacier National Park, which have
been protected public lands since 1910.
FIVE WAYS
TO GET
INVOLVED
1. EDUCATE YOURSELF
Find reliable news
sources. Learn about the
history and the current
issues the public lands
and trails in your area
may face.
2. VOTE
Make your voice heard!
3. DONATE
Give, either financially
or with sweat equity,
to the organizations in
your area that maintain
and protect the public
lands and trails you love
and utilize.
4. WRITE YOUR
REPRESENTATIVES
Let them know the value
public lands have for you.
5. GO RUN
The more you get out and
develop a relationship
with a place, the more
you will be motivated to
fight for its protection.
spaces we can’t run through are the hallways of
our schools. State parks, national monuments,
wilderness areas, BLM land and national parks are
all fair game. Let’s be honest, the biggest threats to
limiting our access to public lands are our overuse
injuries.
Yes, we are light on the land, and leave
only footprints in the wild places we love, but
could this lack of conflict be lulling us into
complacency? While we blissfully tackle miles
of singletrack, are we ignorant to movements
currently working hard to sell off the trails from
under our feet?
I asked Governor Bullock about the issue, since
he hears regularly from all groups interested in
public-lands issues. The governor is also a trail
runner who gets out five days a week and has even
completed a 50K, earning ultrarunner status.
“The only trail runners that have ever spoken
to me about the importance of our trail systems
are typically the people I already know from
the running community,” he said. “I hear from
snowmobilers more than I hear from trail runners.
In a positive way [trail runners] are standing on
the shoulders of these other groups. The less
positive way to perceive it, though, is that they
are freeloading off of everybody that is actually
working on a daily basis to protect our public
lands and public spaces.”
Recreation Groups
to Learn From
If trail runners are lax in contacting their policy
makers, then which groups are ensuring their
voices are heard in issues surrounding public lands?
STEVEN GNAM
40 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

Mountain bikers and rock climbers are
two groups that, in recent decades, have
mobilized for public-lands access and
protection in a major way. In response to an
increase in participation and access issues,
rock climbers created the Access Fund, a
national organization focused on education,
conservation, stewardship and increasing
public-land access. Mountain bikers, too,
founded the International Mountain Biking
Association (IMBA), which is dedicated
to mountain-bike advocacy, education,
public-lands access and trail building. These
organizations have both succeeded in providing
powerful platforms for previously unorganized
groups of outdoor recreationalists.
Indisputably, though, the most wellorganized
groups of public-lands users are
hunters and anglers. Their alliances make
sense if you take a look at the history of
hunting and fishing in the United States. For
over a century these groups have encountered
public-access issues and increased regulation.
The result? There are now dozens of national
groups who work to inform public policy,
while other groups specialize in raising funds
to conserve large tracts of wildlife habitat.
The “hook-and-bullet” crowd is indeed a
behemoth in the public-lands conservation
and protection arenas. Due to the Federal
Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937,
they even pay an 11-percent excise tax on
arms, ammunition, archery and fishing
equipment. Since its inception, this program
has raised billions of dollars in funding, which
is diverted from the US Treasury and doled
ORGANIZING
FOR ACTION
INTERNATIONAL
MOUNTAIN BIKING
ASSOCIATION
Established: 1988
Number of Members: 40,000
Accomplishments: Mission
to maintain access for mountain
biking on public lands.
IMBA leverages over 200
organization chapters for
local trail-building programs
and to create a unified voice
for mountain-bike and publiclands
advocacy.
ACCESS FUND
Established: 1991
Number of Members: 15,705
Accomplishments:
Completed 112 conservation
projects in 2016, improving
trailheads, building trails and
placing signage at climbing
areas all over the country.
Access Fund also uses educational
events to instill a
conservation ethic within the
climbing community.
BACKCOUNTRY HUNTERS
& ANGLERS
Established: 2004
Number of Members: 13,000
Accomplishments: Highly
effective in educating and
mobilizing its membership to
stand up in support for publiclands
access and conservation.
BHA and other hunter and
angler organizations were
instrumental in stopping
H.B. 621.
RUN WILD
Year Established: 2017
Number of Members: Not a
membership-based organization.
Accomplishments: Run Wild
has utilized social media as
a tool to elevate a discussion
within the trail-running community
about public lands
and the issues
they face.
out to the states by the Secretary of Interior
to go toward wildlife management, research
projects and even the acquisition of land to
preserve wildlife habitat.
As users of public lands, and appreciators
of aesthetic and pristine open spaces (i.e.
good wildlife habitat), trail runners directly
benefit from this program yet we do not pay
into it. To discuss this lack of participation,
I contacted Land Tawney, the Executive
Director of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers,
a national advocacy organization dedicated to
the protection of public lands and public-lands
access. Not one to beat around the bush, he
bluntly stated, “Trail runners don’t pay to play.”
Growing Pains
According to a 2016 report published by
the Outdoor Foundation, trail-running
participation in the U.S. has nearly doubled
from 4.2 to 8.1 million people since 2006.
Just like mountain biking and climbing did
in the 1980s and 1990s, trail running is now
reaching a tipping point. As history has shown,
with growth inevitably comes conflict. As our
community expands, we should acknowledge the
effects we have on public lands and how other
groups who utilize public lands view us.
We have already seen conflict arise. Trail
runners in Grand Canyon National Park, for
example, have received significant criticism
in recent years. The hundreds of runners who
attempt the rim-to-rim crossing on a busy
weekend have been cited for lacking etiquette
on the trail, spooking mule trains, littering and
being inconsiderate to other users. In response,
the park now requires permits for organized
groups attempting the crossing.
Also, friction between trail runners and
other public-lands users has stemmed from the
meteoric rise of the FKT movement. The collateral
damage of our desire to move quickly through
these wild places is a building perception that
trail runners prioritize speed with little regard
to other users or the land itself. Additionally,
with an influx of money from outdoor brands
supporting some of these record attempts, such
as Scott Jurek’s Appalachian Trail FKT in 2015,
public debates have emerged arguing the place of
commercialism in wilderness.
Finally, with bills recently introduced into
the US House that would sell off federal lands,
and the Secretary of Interior’s recommendation
to reduce the size of the recently established
Bears Ears National Monument, the outdoor
community is facing a threat that directly
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 41

I have a dream. That one day, due to
our unified voice and engagement,
a politician who is championing a
public lands cause will post a photo of
themselves in short shorts and dusty
trail shoes claiming they are doing
it because they love long runs on
singletrack trails. It can happen.
Montana Governor Steve Bullock gives an impassioned speech to supporters
at a public-lands rally in the state-capitol building last January.
impacts not just hunters, anglers, climbers and mountain
bikers, but trail runners as well. Governor Bullock likened
the issue to running injuries. “I got plantar fasciitis,” he said.
“I had spent my whole life taking for granted the fact that I
can have my bit of sanity by going out and running. What
happens on that day when all of a sudden you can’t?”
Trail-Running Communities
Get Involved
Despite the reputation we may have earned as nihilists,
there are indeed examples of trail runners engaging in
stewarding our public lands.
One major example is the mandatory completion of a day
of trail work in order to compete in many 100-mile races.
This has instilled an investment and ownership in our trails
and has significantly impacted our trail systems for the
better through thousands of hours of volunteer work.
Runners are also putting up money for land conservation.
In Missoula, Montana, the running club Run Wild Missoula
made local headlines when it announced the donation of
$55,000 to a local land trust toward the conservation of a
4,000-acre parcel of land adjacent to town. The group will
work with the community to develop a multiple-use trail
network on the land.
Additionally, just this year, a national organization Run
Wild was founded to bring the trail-running community
together around public-lands issues and protection. When
I asked Run Wild co-founder, Hallie Fax, what spurred the
group to form, she said, “The trail-running community, to
date, has not been super involved or united around these
issues. Trail running, as a sport, is on the rise, and there’s
real potential to bring together people who already have an
inherent love and appreciation for public lands.”
When asked how our community can be more engaged
in the public process Governor Bullock emphasized that the
first step is simply showing up. Furthermore, he said that we
need to do a better job of sharing our story.
“I fundamentally believe that public policy is made through
anecdotes and personal relationships,” he said. “The way to get
in an elected representative’s mind is to make that connection.
If trail runners are not a part of telling their story and making
that connection, then they are missing a big element.”
Hallie Fax suggested better educating ourselves. “We
can all do more to learn about our own local areas,”
she said. “All of the trails we run on are the product of
environmental stewards before us who ensured these
lands were preserved for recreational access.”
Land Tawney of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers
shared that they found success in engaging their community
through multiple channels. “Social media is huge. We also use
podcasting, events and storytelling nights and publishing a
print magazine to educate and mobilize our membership
base.” By effectively using these tools, BHA has enjoyed
membership growth of over 400 percent in the last year alone.
What Now?
We trail runners take pride in the strength of our community
and the quality of the individuals that comprise it. As we
celebrate and utilize our public lands, it is also worth taking
pride in working together to protect the common ground under
our feet. Together we can be a force.
So, will we organize and fully leverage our 8.1-million
members to stand up for public-lands protection and access?
Or will we wait until we are forced to react to a threat that
limits our ability to explore the places we love like so many
others before us?
We have successes to inspire us. Congressman Chaffetz,
who introduced the controversial bill to sell off federal lands,
pulled it after major backlash from the outdoor-recreation
community, specifically hunters and anglers. He announced
the bill’s withdrawal on his instagram feed with a picture of
himself outdoors wearing camouflage and holding his dog with
a big smile on his face, saying, “I’m a proud gun owner, hunter
and I love our public lands.” He was speaking directly to the
constituency that had most engaged with him on this issue.
I have a dream. That one day, due to our unified voice and
engagement, a politician who is championing a public lands
cause will post a photo of themselves in short shorts and
dusty trail shoes claiming they are doing it because they love
long runs on singletrack trails. It can happen.
The North Face ultrarunner Mike Foote is the co-founder
of the popular Rut Mountain Runs. He is also a board
member of Five Valleys Land Trust, an organization
whose mission is to protect the open spaces near his
hometown of Missoula, Montana.
THOM BRIDGE, INDEPENDENT RECORD
42 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

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runs and the roughest surfaces a lot more comfortable.

44 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

Focus On
RUNNING
BEARS
EARS
Why the newest U.S.
national monument
is worth preserving
By Morgan Sjogren
ANDREW BURR
The author cruises past the House on Fire ruin, Mule Canyon,
Bears Ears National Monument, Utah.
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 45

“All of the trails we run on are
the product of environmental
stewards before us who ensured
these lands were preserved for
recreational access.”
Way back in 1943, western historian David Lavender
described the area in his book One Man’s West as “a million
and a quarter acres of staggering desolation between the San
Juan and Colorado rivers, a vast triangle of land that even
today is not completely mapped.”
Indeed, while the area has been mapped and roads have
been built, it remains one of the last truly wild areas in the
West, one that offers both a respite from civilization and a
lifetime’s worth of running in untrammeled backcountry.
On an eight-degree February morning,
as snow flurries began to fall, I loaded up my pack and
readied myself for a full day of mountain running and
exploring in Bears Ears National Monument. The general
forecast did not call for a storm that day, but then again,
the Cedar Mesa plateau, resting at 7,000-feet elevation, is
too remote to be included on any specific weather reports.
When I finally began my steep, winding climb toward
Bears Ears pass, up a Jeep road coated in feet of hardpacked
snow, a blizzard had developed and strong winds slapped
me in the face. While the pass sits smack between the actual
“Bears Ears”—the 8,929- and 9,058-foot peaks for which
the monument is named—I could no longer see the redsandstone-capped
buttes. My lungs burned, my toes froze
and my mood felt bleak as if as if the Bears Ears ceased to
exist at all—a dark thought that felt too close for comfort at
this moment in history.
I had set out for Bears Ears spurred by a sense of
urgency due to recent government threats to rescind or
shrink the protected status of 27 United States national
monuments. The newest monument in the line-up, Bears
Ears is a huge swath of public land 75 miles south of Moab,
Utah, and bordering the more-well-known Canyonlands
National Park, but without the amenities, mapped trails,
campgrounds and visitor’s centers.
For the next several months, living out of my Jeep, I was able
to readily access and run through the region’s remote desert
canyons, mountains, imposing sandstone towers and pristine
ancient artifacts, ranging in elevation from 3,700 to 11,300 feet.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
In December 2016, former President Barrack Obama
designated Bears Ears National Monument to be managed
jointly by the Bureau of Land Management and National Forest
Service. The move protected 1.35-million acres of wilderness.
“Rising from the center of the southeastern Utah
landscape and visible from every direction are twin buttes
so distinctive that in each of the native languages of the
region their name is the same ‘Bears Ears,’” said Obama
in his designation speech. “For hundreds of generations,
native peoples lived in the surrounding deep sandstone
canyons, desert mesas and meadow mountaintops, which
constitute one of the densest and most significant cultural
landscapes in the United States. Abundant rock art, ancient
cliff dwellings, ceremonial sites and countless other artifacts
provide an extraordinary archaeological and cultural record
that is important to us all, but most notably the land is
profoundly sacred to many Native American tribes.”
In fact Bears Ears continues to be used by over 20 regional
tribes, including the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Ute
Mountain Ute Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni and Ute Indian Tribe
(comprising the Bear’s Ears Tribal Coalition), for tribal rituals,
hunting and gathering of medicinal herbs and firewood.
In April 2017, President Donald Trump passed an
executive order for the Interior Department to review the
status of the Bears Ears for 45 days. As of June, the proposed
action looks to drastically shrink and alter the boundaries
within the area of protection. Interior Secretary Ryan
Zinke suggests that a final decision be reached once the
department reviews the status of 26 other monuments that
have been created since 1996, sometime in late August.
Public-lands advocates contend the ultimate objective
is to open up Bears Ears for the modern-day ritual of
gathering fossil fuels and other valuable minerals buried
beneath the soil. Trump’s actions have sparked a public
outcry especially amongst the outdoor industry, which
accounts for $887 billion in consumer spending annually
MORGAN SJOGREN
46 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

ANDREW BURR
and 7.6 million American jobs
(according to the 2017 Outdoor
Industry Association), and stands
to be drastically affected in reduced
public access to wilderness areas.
As a result, the Outdoor Retailer
tradeshow, the premier bi-annual
gathering for the entire outdoor
industry (bringing in over 20,000
people and $45 million in revenue
to Salt Lake City) has decided to
pull its event from the state to
protest the actions of the Utah
government, which leans heavily
toward rescinding or shrinking
the monument. The decision came
after several large brands, including
Patagonia and Arc’Teryx, announced
that they would boycott the event due
to the Utah government’s current
stance on Bears Ears, public lands
and the environment.
Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard,
shared in an op-ed for the brand,
“Governor Herbert (of Utah) ... should
show the outdoor industry he wants
our business—and that he supports
thousands of his constituents of all
political persuasions who work in jobs
supported by recreation on public
lands. We love Utah, but Patagonia’s
choice to return for future shows will
depend on the Governor’s actions.”
A DIFFERENT KIND OF
TRAIL RUNNING
While the Bears Ears area is not known
for its trail running (yet), Amanda
Podmore, the assistant director at
the non-profit Friends of Cedar Mesa
is excited about the potential. “Trail
running is a great fit for the Bears
Ears National Monument, because
you can experience a vast, diverse
terrain of canyons, mesa tops and
valleys with a low-impact activity,”
she says. “Like other visitors, you have
the opportunity to respectfully visit its
abundance of rock art, cliff dwellings
and other historic sites.”
Surprisingly, there are few established
trails, giving curious and adventurous
runners a blank canvas to chart new
territory. If you’re looking for Strava
stats, FKTs and easily marked routes
with signage, then Bears Ears may not
be for you—this is a wild place.
RECOMMENDED
RUNS
Bears Ears
To run the Bears Ears Pass
(and beyond), take County
Road 263 out of Blanding
to Highway 95 until you
see the sign to go right for
Bears Ears. Park at a pullout
and prepare to climb
and grind—the views will be
worth it!
North Six Shooter
The iconic North Sixth
Shooter Peak in the Indian
Creek region (known for its
world-class rock climbing)
is a delight to stare up at
as you log miles. For a flat,
easy eight-mile out-andback,
take State Route 211
to the Jeep road for Davis/
Lavender Canyon, which
leads to the base of the
tower. You may extend the
run to include the tower’s
climbing approach from the
south end of the feature,
which involves negotiating
talus and scree fields, for
dramatic views of the Indian
Creek and the Canyonlands
Needles District.
Mule Canyon
From County Road 263,
take Texas Flat Road past
the parking lot and look
for the small trailhead
sign on the left. The
House On Fire Ruin is
only one mile in from the
trailhead, but the Mule
Canyon’s singletrack trail
continues along the creek
for a possible nine-mile
out-and-back run. Keep
your eyes open for more
ancient sites. Get to The
House on Fire by midmorning
to experience the
ideal lighting for its roof
to truly look ablaze.
To create my running routes, I gleaned beta the oldfashioned
way, by word of mouth—with a Navajo jewelry
maker, the owner of a trading post in nearby Bluff, Utah,
a mountain-bike adventurer, an archaeologist and fellow
trail runner Luke Nelson (who completed a massive 150-
mile loop in Bears Ears this spring). While everyone gave me
incredible leads for locations to begin my runs, the magic
theme of Bears Ears seemed to be in the unique challenges
of being able to safely handle the area’s convoluted terrain
and often-extreme climate.
Danger and difficult access is the most limiting factor
for trail running in Bears Ears, according to archaeologist
R.E. Burillo, whom I met at a coffee shop. “The iconic cliff
dwellings of the Bears Ears area were intentionally built
high up in the deep narrow cliffs,” he says, “for difficult
access and defense to protect their food sources during a
period of climate change and overpopulation.”
How does this translate for runners looking to tour
Bears Ears on foot? Be prepared to encounter rock
scrambling, technical down climbs, dead ends and
harsh weather (including deadly flash flooding) on any
given visit. Says Nelson, “Do your homework before you
go. Look up well-known backpacking routes. There are
lifetimes of 25-mile day routes to explore.”
The variety of trails, climates, wildlife and elevation
ranges in Bears Ears is mind blowing. Cedar Mesa is
perhaps the most varied and intricate region of all, with
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 47

David Lavender described
the area in his book One
Man’s West as “a million
and a quarter acres of
staggering desolation
between the San Juan and
Colorado rivers, a vast
triangle of land that
even today is not
completely mapped.”
terrain ranging from deep canyons like Grand
Gulch, filled with ancient artifacts, to the
dramatic 80-mile-long, slickrock Comb Ridge
that juts along the edge of the mesa.
The Bears Ears are perched atop Cedar Mesa’s
high point and intersect with the mountainous
Elk Ridge, which contains the Dark Canyon
wilderness—a portal to Bears Ears’ most remote,
primitive and technical canyon landscapes. The
11,000-foot Abajo Mountains are visible from
nearly every vantage point and are lined with
aspen groves, and offer views of the sandstone
cliffs and desert towers of nearby Indian Creek.
DISCOVERING BEARS EARS
In early May, I headed into the rugged
backcountry of the Dark Canyon Wilderness.
The singletrack trail descended quickly
TRAILHEAD:
BEARS EARS
NATIONAL
MONUMENT,
UTAH
Bears Ears Beta:
For information, permits and
local beta, visit the Kane Gulch
Ranger Station (managed by
BLM) in southwestern Utah
along Highway 261, near
Natural Bridges National
Monument. Essential topomap
zones include the Cedar
Mesa/Grand Gulch, Manti-La
Sal Forest and Canyonlands-
Needles District.
Know Before You Go:
Bears Ears is primitive. There
are no services in the region,
no cell reception and water is
scarce. Check the weather and
know your game plan ahead
of time. Arrive prepared with
extra water, emergency gear
and a full gas tank. Stop in
Blanding, Utah, on the east
side of the monument, to
fuel up and carbo-load with
a smothered burrito at
Pop’s Burritos.
Respect the Land:
Amanda Podmore of Friends
of Cedar Mesa suggests
that trail runners consider
removing packs so they do
not accidently brush against
walls and sensitive areas when
approaching a cultural site, and
to not run or walk too close to
the base of structures to avoid
eroding the foundation. And
leave all artifacts in place.
When to Run:
Spring and fall are the ideal
seasons. Locals profess that
the high country (including
the Bears Ears) is notorious
for snow as late as May or June
(but summer temperatures
can be scorching). Flash floods
are always a serious concern,
especially in the canyons. Keep
an eye on weather, and with
any wilderness trail run be
prepared to adjust your plans
for the conditions.
from 8,000 to 5,000 feet along a flowing
stream shaded by pine and aspen trees
that hid the red-sandstone canyon walls
until I reached the canyon floor. Once in
Woodenshoe Canyon, the sun exposure
gave way to a dramatic temperature
rise—one of the more unique features
of Bears Ears are its plethora of microclimate
zones, which is a point of caution
for runners. I focused my gaze on dancing
over the rocky terrain and hopping over
washes flowing from a wet spring.
I only occasionally scanned the high
canyon walls, and through a small opening
in the trees, I spotted a cliff dwelling—walls
of artfully crafted sandstone bricks built
directly into the rock walls—with windows
and wooden beams still intact. I diverted
my route from the trail and scrambled up
slickrock ledges to pay homage to this portal
into the past. Looking through the home’s
ancient brick window, I soaked in the lush
canyon, blue skies, magnitude, sacredness
and beauty of Bears Ears.
Another day, I circumnavigated the
iconic North Six Shooter—a 350-foot
Wingate-Sandstone butte resembling an
upward-pointing revolver atop a huge talus
cone—in Indian Creek. On other runs, I
crossed barren dry washes on 90-degree
days, slogged over sand dunes that filled my
shoes with fine red silt, did steep hill repeats
up and down the slickrock ridges of Comb
Wash with Luke Nelson, ran through box
canyons lined with stunning arches, pranced
through the aspen groves at 10,000 feet in
the Abajo mountains and encountered deer
in lush green meadows still scattered with
late-spring snow.
Eventually, on a warm, sunny Easter
morning I returned to Bears Ears Pass for
a redemption run. The six-mile, 2000-foot
climb started in a canyon full of high-desert
shrubs before ascending through dense
piñon-juniper forests. Once between the
two buttes I was swept away in panoramic
views of deep and winding whitewashed
canyons in Natural Bridges National
Monument, Monument Valley’s iconic redrock
formations, Comb Ridge, the nearby
aspen-covered Abajo Mountains and the
more distant La Sal Mountains and La
Plata Mountains. Behind me laid the vast
pine-covered region of Elk Ridge and Dark
Canyon Wilderness. My mind dreamed up
endless new-route ideas and adventures,
before I turned around and ran back down
the mountain. TR
MORGAN SJOGREN
48 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

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With thanks as big as the mountains we run through
to everyone who made this year’s Hardrock special.

TRAIL TESTED
GEAR
BY
ARIELLA
GINTZLER
The
Lowdown
on Socks
MATT TRAPPE / TANDEM STOCK.COM
E
ven in a sport as
simple as running, it’s
easy to get carried
away with gear. Yet
one of the most vital pieces of
running gear is, likely, the
cheapest: socks.
Socks may be one of the leastvisible
pieces of your running kit,
and as a result they are often
overlooked. But anyone who has
ever had blistered or chafed feet
can attest that a good sock is a
necessity.
So, what exactly makes a good
sock? Here’s our breakdown.
Why Are Socks
So Important?
The main purpose of running socks
is to protect your feet against blisters,
which form because of friction
between your foot and your shoe (the
top layer of skin separates from deeper
layers, and the space in between fills
with fluid). Socks provide a cushioned
layer between your skin and the rough
interior of the shoe.
Just as important: socks wick
moisture to help keep your feet dry,
to further prevent blisters. A wet sock
is useless because a) wet skin is more
prone to blister formation, and b) wet
socks are more abrasive and create
more friction.
Blisters aside, socks can also add a
bit of extra support to fatigue-prone
areas of the feet, through compression
and cushion.
What to look for in a technical running sock
FIT / Think of socks like your
skin— you don’t want any
wrinkles or loose, saggy bits.
A loose-fitting sock will likely
breed blisters and discomfort.
CUSHION / Cushion can help
absorb impact forces. Most
good running socks lay the
cushioning out in specific,
high-impact areas like the
heel and the ball of the foot.
How much or little cushion
you prefer is entirely a personal
choice.
THICKNESS / You may prefer
a thicker sock in cold weather,
or for long runs that involve a
lot of pounding. A thinner sock
might work best in warmer
temps or on particularly wet
runs. Our advice: try out a few
different styles and figure out
what works best for you in
various conditions.
MATERIALS / Any running
sock worth its salt will be
made of some kind of wicking
material—either synthetic
fibers like nylon or polyester,
or natural fibers like merino
wool—that carries moisture
away from your skin as you
sweat, and dries quickly.
SEAMS / Before committing
to a pair of socks, try them on
to make sure they don’t have
any seams that will rub you the
wrong way.
SUPPORT / Do your arches get
tired? Do your ankles swell in
the heat? Foot-mapping and
compression materials, placed
strategically throughout some
socks, can help add support
and promote blood flow to
fatigued muscles.
ONE DIRTY MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2017 51

GEAR
TRAIL TESTED
• brought to you by Injinji and Drymax
INJINJI
TRAIL
MIDWEIGHT
MINI-CREW
$15
The Trail Midweight Mini-Crew is engineered for the uneven and unpredictable
terrain by allowing the entire foot to perform naturally. Toesocks are
anatomically designed to your foot, while the five-toe sleeve design allows
your toes to splay naturally and align properly, enabling greater stability and
more comfort. With each toe separated, all skin-on-skin contact between
the toes is eliminated, preventing blisters. The Trail Midweight Mini-Crew
features a double cuff providing a snug fit around the ankle to keep dirt
and debris out. The terry cushion on the foot bed provides durability and
protection for the heel and metatarsal.
DRYMAX
SPEEDGOAT LITE TRAIL
RUNNING MINI CREW SOCK
$14
Designed in collaboration with legendary Ultrarunner and All Time 100 Mile
winner Karl Meltzer to get him through his iconic 2,189 mile Appalachian
Trail FKT Through Hike in just 45 days 22 hours and 38 minutes. The
Drymax dual layer moisture management technology kept Karl’s feet
virtually unscathed while he averaged 47 miles per day. The Speedgoat
has a plush terry loop foot bed, mini crew leg height and colors which
compliment today’s most popular trail running shoes. Available only in
Royal/Anthracite/Sublime color combination.
www.drymaxsports.com/product/speedgoat-sock-mini-crew/
FREE PAIR OF DRYMAX SOCKS
WITH YOUR TRAIL RUNNER
SUBSCRIPTION
2 years! / 16 issues + socks
ONLY $32.95
Quarter Crew Trail
MSRP $13.95
• Two Layer Moisture
Management System
• High Density Padding
• Double Welt Increases Leg
Protection
• Turn Down Leg Converts From
1/4 Crew to Mini Crew
• Made in the USA
Order ONLINE
www.trailrunnermag.com/subscribe
OR CALL
877-762-5423 x118
Use These Codes:
Large Socks - ETSDMXL Medium Socks - ETSDMXM

TRAIL TESTED
GEAR
KARL MELTZER
SPEEDGOAT TM
Sock
DRYMAX
TRAIL RUNNING
QUARTER CREW
with Turn Down Leg
$14
Karl Meltzer, aka Speedgoat, is the winningest trail 100 miler of
all time, with 38 victories, including five at the iconic Hard Rock
100. Most recently, Karl set the iconic Thru Hike record of the
2,189 mile Appalachian Trail in a stunning time of 45 days 22
hours and 38 minutes and averaged approximately 47 miles
per day. Meltzer’s time beats the previous record by more than
10 hours, which was set by Scott Jurek in 2015. The 2017
Edition of the Speedgoat sock celebrates his achievement with
‘2189 MILES’ knit into the foot of the sock. Meltzer, who has
been wearing drymax socks since 2008, helped to design this
version of the Lite Trail Mini Crew Running sock to his exacting
standards and for your own adventure.
This rough and tumble sock is a heavy duty work horse for the most challenging
conditions the trail can dish out. The proprietary dual layer moisture
management system coupled with dense padding under foot and no vents to
let gravel and sand against the foot assure the best protection for the foot.
Drymax also created the exclusive Turn Down Leg which creating the flexibility
to convert the leg height from quarter crew to mini crew giving additional
padding at the ankle, diverting trail debris from entering the shoe and a
different look just by folding down the leg of the sock. Available in Black/Gray,
Sublime/Gray/Black and Pink/Gray/Black. www.drymaxsports.com/product/
trail-running-1-4-crew-turn-down/
Blisters
How to manage them
PREVENTION
The most important part of blister prevention is keeping
your feet cool and dry. Warm and/or wet skin is much more
susceptible to blistering. If you know you tend to get blisters
in a certain area, cover the area with medical tape or duct
tape to proactively protect against rubbing.
Trail Running
1/4 crew
TREATING HOT SPOTS
An area that is on its way to becoming a blister is called a
hot spot. These areas may look red or feel tender or irritated
to the touch. Apply lubricant to reduce the friction and
prevent the hot spot from worsening into a blister. Also
consider drying your feet and changing into fresh socks.
TREATING BLISTERS
Opinions range on whether or not to pop a blister. Often,
during a race or long run, it is best to pop the blister in a
clean and controlled way, rather than risking infection if
it pops in your shoe and gets dirty. Use an alcohol swab to
clean the blistered area. Poke a small hole in the blister with
a sterile needle and squeeze out the fluid. Leave the skin
flap of the drained blister intact, as it will help to protect the
area while new skin grows underneath. Bandage the blister
before putting your shoe back on, so dirt can’t get in. If you
don’t want to pop your blister, consider creating a raised
ring of Moleskin around it, to prevent more rubbing. TR
CONVERTIBLE TOP
The ¼ crew
Turn Down leg gives you the
choice of a ¼ crew or
mini crew height and
two different colors.
THE BEST SOCKS ARE
Drymax is the Official Sock of:
SEPTEMBER 2017 53
MADE IN USA
DRYMAXSPORTS.COM

PERFORM
TRAINING
Five OTS
Warning Signals
Jim Walmsley has become famous for running in excess of 130 miles per week.
BY
DAVID
ROCHE
The Weekly
Mileage Race
How can runners avoid going too far?
Right now, on the digital-training-tracker Strava, you can see what happens
when focus and hard work meet talent. Training for the 2017 Western
States 100 Miler, Kaci Lickteig averaged 116 miles per week with a long
run over 30 miles most weeks. Jim Walmsley, seeking to avenge his wrong
turn in 2016, averaged over 130 miles per week, generating GPS files that
defy imagination. To keep up with the Lickteigs and the Walmsleys of the
running world, others are deciding to go all-in, too.
In January 2017, 31-year old Chris Mocko left his tech job to pursue
running full time. Through 130-to 150-mile weeks, in 2017, Mocko has
already finished 2nd at the Way Too Cool 50K, 3rd at the Lake Sonoma 50
Mile and 1st at the Ultra Race of Champions.
But extreme high-mileage weeks can wreak havoc on the body, usually in
the form of Overtraining Syndrome (OTS). Anton Krupicka, who burst onto
the scene a decade ago by winning the Leadville 100, still suffers chronic
injuries after years of 200-mile weeks. Trail star Geoff Roes was beset by
overtraining shortly after winning the 2010 Western States 100. Anna
Frost, who won skyrunning championships all over the world, took more
than a year to come back from a bought of Overtraining Syndrome in 2014.
Sometimes, you
need to touch the
stove to realize that
it’s hot. In breaking
down conversations
with athletes training
at their limit, a few
“hot-stove” warning
signs jump out that
could be precursors
to OTS. Take heed if
any of these signals
lasts more than a
few days.
1. Abnormal
difficulty walking
up stairs or running
up hills.
OTS combines
deteriorating physical
and neurological
systems in a way that
can cause feelings of
weakness and pain.
If you find yourself
struggling unusually
on hills and stairs,
consider backing
off training.
2. Disrupted sleep
cycles, or legs that
involuntarily clench
at night.
Cortisol is a stress
hormone that is
usually high when an
athlete’s stress exceeds
his or her ability
to adapt. Because
cortisol plays a role
in sleep cycles, too
much of it can lead
to difficulty falling
asleep or waking up.
Anecdotal evidence
ties OTS with involuntary
leg spasm
at night.
3. “Puffy” cheeks.
Elevated cortisol
can cause changes in
body composition.
Athletes should be
on the lookout for
abnormal changes
in appearance,
like more rounded
cheeks, that could be
due to a surplus of
stress hormones.
4. Elevated resting
heart rate or noticeable
awareness
of heart beating.
When an athlete
trains hard, his/her
resting heart rate
can increase—that
is normal. But if the
elevated heart rate
persists for more than
a few days, it is likely
due to long-term
rebuilding processes
that need to be
given time.
Athletes who are
at risk for OTS may
also see their max
heart rates decrease,
so their heart-rate
ranges narrow on
both ends. Anecdotally,
athletes often
describe a “tell-tale
heart,” where they
are overly conscious
of their heart beating
in their temples at
rest, especially in bed.
5. Reduced libido
or changing sex
characteristics.
During OTS, the body
goes into “fightor-flight”
mode,
prioritizing some
functions (coping
with stress) over
others (reproduction).
Any abnormal change
in libido or menstrual
cycle concurring with
hard training could be
an early warning sign
for OTS.
MYKE HERMSMEYER
54 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

PERFORM
TRAINING
What Is OTS?
As described in a 2012 article in
the Journal of Sport Health, “OTS
appears to be a maladapted response
to excessive exercise without adequate
rest, resulting in perturbations of
multiple body systems (neurologic,
endocrinologic, immunologic) coupled
with mood changes.” So how can a trail
runner optimize his or her potential
without getting cut by the doubleedged
sword of hard training?
A joint 2013 statement by the
European College of Sport Science and
the American College of Sports Medicine
outlines three main avenues used to
treat overtraining: controlling intensity,
quantifying stress and proper fueling.
Control Intensity
Too much intensity is the culprit of
most overtraining-like symptoms. Trail
runners are especially vulnerable, because
it’s easy to let your heart rate tick up with
the elevation. It’s easy to get caught up on
beautiful, rolling singletrack, until the
body often decides it has had enough.
Intensity generally corresponds to
a moderate to hard effort that exceeds
aerobic threshold. Keep at least 80-percent
of training volume easy, at a
conversational pace.
“I would recommend that if you fall
into that trap [of too much intensity],
get off the social-GPS world, hire
a coach, or find someone you can
hold yourself accountable to,” says
Lickteig, who has managed consistent
progression with few setbacks, by
controlling her overall effort.
Quantify Stress
As described in the 2013 joint consensus
statement, overtraining can be caused
by “training and/or non-training stress.”
If your total stress—training, work,
personal life—exceeds your body’s
ability to adapt, overtraining results.
Are you a new parent waking up at 2
a.m. each night? Are you leading a big
project at work? Decrease your training
stress accordingly.
Mocko credits his recent success to
improved rest and recovery. “Are there
still stresses in my life [as a full time
runner]? Shockingly, yes! But now I have
all day, everyday to focus on reducing the
effects these stresses have on my life.”
Fuel Properly
In general, diets high in fat are best for
preventing overtraining, but don’t skimp
on the protein or carbs. When in doubt,
all food is good food. Mocko is famous
for courting Costco as a sponsor because
his grocery bills are so high.
Training hard is a risk. But it’s a risk that
many runners have mastered in the past.
You can too, whether you are running 100
miles a week or building mileage in scale
with your personal goals. TR
Editor’s Note: As this issue goes to
press, Western States has passed.
The conditions were among the most
difficult in the history of the race.
Walmsley, Lickteig and Mocko did not
perform as anticipated.
YOUR BRAIN
Where sensible and stupid collide
You don’t have one brain
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your ancient Chimp brain, your modern Professor
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PERFORM
NUTRITION
BY
REAGAN
COLYER
Sweat the Small Stuff
Rehydrating after a summer run is
only the beginning
Summer is here: time for dry trails, shorts and T-shirts ... and dehydration. Warm
running is great, but drink less water than you’ve sweated out and you can end up
not only dehydrated but also under-recovered.
But water consumption isn’t the only problem. You also sweat out vital
electrolytes that are essential for your body’s functioning. Plentiful in sports
drinks, supplements and gels, electrolytes are a group of minerals that serve a wide
variety of physiological functions, from maintaining blood volume and bloodnutrient
concentration to assisting with energy production and ensuring optimal
fuel levels for muscles.
What Are Electrolytes?
Sodium is one of the more finicky electrolytes, as it can be easy to go overboard
with. You can’t just get your sodium fill by adding extra salt to your diet. (Because
the sodium concentration in salt is very high, it’s easy to overdose).
The natural sodium in certain fruits and veggies helps avoid the adverse effects of
too much salt (see sidebar). Sodium helps maintain both blood volume and acidity.
Sodium deficiency—called hyponatremia—can cause headaches, fatigue and poor
recovery after hot-weather long runs.
Chloride is one of the electrolytes lost fastest through sweating. It regulates the
movement of fluid through the body, and is an essential element of stomach acid. Not
adequately replenishing your chloride stores may lead to gastrointestinal distress.
Potassium works within cell walls. It can help lower blood pressure by keeping
arteries flexible. The effects of potassium deficiency are more long-term, and include
Natural
Electrolyte
Sources
Since cooking
can damage
vegetable cells and
decrease nutrient
concentration, opt
for quick roasting or
stir-frying and avoid
boiling.
POTASSIUM:
Bananas, sweet
potatoes,
cantaloupe, yogurt,
raisins, pistachios.
SODIUM:
Strawberries, celery,
asparagus, kale.
CALCIUM: Dairy,
salmon, sardines,
leafy greens like
spinach and chard.
MAGNESIUM:
Almonds, Brazil
nuts, cashews (and
most other nuts),
yogurt, wholegrain
breads.
CHLORIDE: Found
in table salt and
the water you
drink, but can also
be eaten in celery,
tomatoes and
olives.
DOUBLE DUTY:
Several whole
foods double as
sources of multiple
electrolytes,
including tomatoes,
bananas, greens,
nuts and seeds.
> PRO TIP: Add
nuts and tomatoes
to a spinach salad
or whirl bananas,
strawberries, chia
seeds, yogurt and a
handful of spinach
in a smoothie to
make sure you’re
getting the full
electrolyte gamut
after warmweather
workouts.
Add to blender,
turn on. It’s that
simple.
rising blood pressure, and, in extreme
cases, bone and muscle weakness.
Calcium is most often found in bones,
but it also helps regulate blood pressure
and facilitate clotting. Plus, it’s essential
for breaking down glycogen, which fuels
muscle contractions. Calcium deficiency
can be hard to detect, so it’s important to
be proactive about keeping your calcium
intake high to keep your bones strong
and prevent injury.
Magnesium helps regulate blood
sugar, facilitate protein synthesis and
metabolize the calories in your food,
and works alongside calcium for effective
muscle contractions and blood clotting.
Low magnesium levels can exacerbate
hypertension and muscle inflammation,
so replacing it can help you recover
better after runs.
IAN SHIVE / TANDEMSTOCK.COM
56 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

NUTRITION
PERFORM
Daily Diet
Since most electrolytes are lost through
sweat, trying to “pre-load” before a
run won’t help much. As for that postrun
electrolyte depression: since most
whole foods contain at least one of the
“big-5” electrolytes, it’s not hard to get
optimal levels of them from a balanced
diet. The National Academy of Medicine
recommends Adequate Daily Intakes
(AIs) of:
• 1000mg of calcium
• 400mg of magnesium
• 4700mg of potassium
• 1500mg of sodium
• 2300mg of chloride.
One avocado, for example, contains
nearly 600mg of potassium. One cup
of bok choi (Chinese cabbage) has
over 150mg of natural calcium and an
ear of corn packs 227mg of sodium. A
quarter cup of roasted almonds has
nearly 100mg of magnesium. Chloride
is the trickiest one, as natural sources
are usually trace. But beneficial levels
are usually found in drinking water (no
more than 250mg per liter—a limit set
by the EPA, as excess chloride can result
in salty-tasting water).
Try to incorporate as many electrolyterich
ingredients into your diet as
possible, to ensure that you get enough
of all electrolytes.
Race Day
In runs or races that last more than
a few hours, the negative side effects
of electrolyte depletion kick in long
before you’re able to go home and eat
a full meal. So, you have to replenish
on the go.
The electrolyte balance in sweat can
vary widely from runner to runner, but
research shows that sodium should be
the primary focus for everyone, since it
is lost so fast via sweating.
For an easy electrolyte fix, many
athletes turn to supplemental tablets or
drink mixes, which typically contain a
mixture of the “big-5” electrolytes, in
different ratios. If you’re drinking your
electrolytes, aim to get a few ounces in
every 30 minutes or so, starting an hour
into your run.
But, what if you drop your only
electrolyte tablet, or forget to bring
enough drink mix? Get creative:
sub in high-electrolyte whole foods
from aid stations. Mashed sweet
potatoes (45mg sodium per half cup)
and honeydew melon (32mg per cup)
make easily digestible replacements,
although they aren’t as concentrated
as the tablets, which usually contain
around 200mg each. If you opt for
solid foods, break them up into
small bites and eat three or four ever
30 minutes.
But remember: your body needs
water to break down electrolytes. On
their own, they will do little good.
Reagan Colyer is currently pursuing her
Masters in Journalism at the University
of Montana.

2017
TROPHY
SERIES
GRAND PRIZES!
RUN THE MOST MILES
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Mont Blanc with Run The Alps.*
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187 TRAIL RACES
MARCH – SEPTEMBER 2017
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TROPHY
SERIES
SPONSORS
AND PRIZES
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Prize packages go to the top 6 ultrarunners and 12
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FIND A RACE NEAR YOU AND ENTER TODAY!
UPDATED REGULARLY AT WWW.TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM
LOCATIONS
PACIFIC/DESERT: WA, OR,
CA, NV, AZ, NM, AK, HI
ROCKIES: ID, MT, WY, CO, UT
HEARTLAND: ND, SD, NE,
KS, MN, IA, MO, WI, IL, MI,
IN, OH, OK
NORTHEAST: ME, VT, NH,
MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, DE, PA,
MD, WV, VA, D.C.
SOUTH: TX, AR, LA, MS, KY,
TN, AL, NC, SC, GA, FL, PR
CANADA: AB, BC, ON, MB
PACIFIC/DESERT
09/09 SLO Ultra at Wild Cherry Canyon 5M, 13.1M, 26.2M,
50M; Avila Beach, CA; david@bringbackthemile.
com; www.sloultra.com
09/09 Water Is Life Paatuwaqatsi Run 4M, 10M, 50K;
Polacca, AZ; dmeyer1724@gmail.com; www.
waterisliferun.org
09/16 Bull of the Woods Trail Race 8M, 13M;
Taos, NM; onlytze@hotmail.com; www.
bullofthewoodsrun.com
09/16 Pacifica Summit Run 10K, 13.1M, 30K, 50K;
Pacifica, CA; info@urbancoyoteracing.com; www.
urbancoyoteracing.com/pacifica-summit-run.html
09/17 Emerald Bay Trail Run 10K; Tahoma, CA; bryan@
bigblueadventure.com; www.tahoetrailrunning.
com/trail-runs/emerald-bay-trail-run
09/30 Cascade Super Series - Cascade Express Marathon
26.2M; Snoqualmie Pass, WA; sabrina@coachingbysuper.
com; www.cascadesuperseries.com
2017 TROPHY SERIES SPONSORS
PACIFIC/DESERT
ROCKIES
For regular updates to our 2017 TROPHY SERIES RESULTS,
visit trailrunnermag.com/trophyseries.
INTERNATIONAL
HEARTLAND
SOUTH
ROCKIES
NORTHEAST
08/26 Antelope Dash 4M, 8M; Cheyenne, WY; antelopedash@
gmail.com; www.antelopedash.org
09/09 Devil On The Divide 22K, 50K; Empire, CO;
stodd@clearcreekrecreation.com; www.
devildonthedivide.com
09/09 Riverside State Park 10K, 25K, 50K; Spokane, ID;
davedutro@gmail.com; www.trailmaniacs.com
09/16 Wolf Creek Wrangle 5K, 10K, 13.1M; Wolf, WY;
jeffway@eatonsranch.com; www.sheridanhabitat.
org/events-9/wolf-creek-wrangle-results
09/23 The North Face Endurance Challenge - Utah
5K, 10K, 13.1M, 26.2M, 50K, 50M; Park City, UT;
Endurancechallenge@publicishawkeye.com;
www.challenge.thenorthface.com
09/30 Bear Chase Trail Races 10K, 13.1M, 50K, 50M, 100K;
Lakewood, CO; coach@runnersedgeoftherockies.
com; www.BearChaseRaceSeries.com
HEARTLAND
08/19 Lean Horse Ultra 20M, 30M, 50M, 100M; Custer, SD;
track@rushmore.com; www.Leanhorse100.com
09/08 Rock Cut HOBO Coyote Howl Nite 10K 10K; Rockford,
IL; hoboruns@rockfordroadrunners.org; www.
rockfordroadrunners.org/hobo-runs.html
09/08 Run Woodstock - 3 Day Trail/Music Fest 5K, 13.1M,
26.2M, 50K, 50M, 100K, 100M; Pinckney, MI; info@
rfevents.com; www.runwoodstock.com
09/09 Hawk Hundred 26.2M, 50M, 100M; Lawrence,
KS; hawkhundredrd@gmail.com; www.
hawkhundred.com
09/09 Rock Cut HOBO Trail Race 25K 25K; Rockford,
IL; hoboruns@rockfordroadrunners.org; www.
rockfordroadrunners.org/hobo-runs.html
09/09 Wabash Trace Nature Trail Marathon and Half
13.1M, 26.2M, 48H; Shenandoah, IA; chamber@
shenandoahiowa.net; www.shenandoahiowa.net
09/10 Rock Cut HOBO Trail Race 50K 50K; Rockford,
IL; hoboruns@rockfordroadrunners.org; www.
rockfordroadrunners.org/hobo-runs.html
09/16 Mark Twain Endurance Races 50M, 100M;
Potosi, MO; fuerst1@sbcglobal.net; www.
stlouisultrarunnersgroup.net
09/16 The North Face Endurance Challenge - Wisconsin
5K, 10K, 13.1M, 26.2M, 50K, 50M; Eagle, WI;
Endurancechallenge@publicishawkeye.com;
www.challenge.thenorthface.com
09/16 Pleasant Creek Trail Run 15K, 30K, 45K;
Palo, IA; bpandresen@gmail.com; www.
pleasantcreektr.com
09/17 Conserve School Trail Run 5K, 13.1M; Land
O’Lakes, WI; info@greatlakesendurance.com;
www.greatlakesendurance.com
09/24 Fall Colors Run 5K, 5M, 13.1M; Rush City,
MN; run@treasuredhavenfarm.com; www.
treasuredhavenfarm.com
09/30 Cow Pie Trail Run 5K, 13.1M; Loup City, NE;
RebeccaAdamsGreenFoundation@gmail.com;
www.RebeccaAdamsGreenFoundation.com
NORTHEAST
08/19 River Valley Run Trail Festival 1M, 5K, 10K, 15K;
Manchester, MD; run@rivervalleyranch.com;
www.runrvr.com
08/20 Lucifer’s Crossing 6.66M; Ithaca, NY; Ian@
RedNewtRacing.com; www.rednewtracing.
com/LucifersCrossing
08/26 Hyner Half Trail Race 14M; Hyner, PA; patraildogs@
yahoo.com; www.hikerun.com
08/27 Race To The Top of Vermont 4.3M; Stowe, VT;
info@rtttovt.com; www.rtttovt.com
09/16 12-Hour Adventure Trail Run 12H; Triangle,
VA; alexp@athletic-equation.com; www.
athletic-equation.com
09/16 Rock ‘N The Knob: PA’s Highest Trail Race 10K,
20M; Claysburg, PA; bmazur@alleghenytrailrunners.
com; www.alleghenytrailrunners.com
09/17 Dam Half & Dam Full 13.1M, 26.2M;
Mifflingburg, PA; joelheasley@gmail.com;
www.midpenntrailblazers.com
09/23 Boulder Beast 25.5M; Lock Haven, PA; jeff@
boulderbeast.com; www.boulderbeast.com
09/24 Cumberland C&O Towpath Marathon and Half
Marathon 13.1M, 26.2M; Cumberland, MD; events@
altisendurance.com; www.altisendurance.com/
events/cumberland-co-towpath-marathon-andhalf-marathon
09/30 Water Gap 50K 50K; Milford, PA; Ian@RedNewtRacing.
com; www.RedNewtRacing.com
SOUTH
08/26 Ridge 2 Ridge Trail Race 10.5M, 21M; Birmingham, AL;
david@davidtosch.com; www.southeasterntrailruns.
com/Race5-Ridge-Ridge.html
09/10 Stanky Creek Trail Runs 13.1M, 25K, 26.2M,
50K; Bartlett, TN; events@altisendurance.
com; www.altisendurance.com/events/
stanky-creek-marathon-and-half-marathon
09/15 Piney Woods Ultra, Trails and Music Fest 6M,
12M, 50K; Hattiesburg, MS; walkerbhiggins@
gmail.com; www.facebook.com/whoaracingco
09/23 Bays Mountain Trail Race 15M; Kingsport,
TN; markskelton@markskelton.com; www.
RunTriCities.org
09/30 Children of the Cane Ultras 10M, 20M, 50K,
100K, 100M; Port Allen, LA; walkerbhiggins@
gmail.com; www.facebook.com/whoaracingco
CANADA
08/19 Black Spur Ultra 54K, 108K; Kimberley, BC,
Canada; brian@blackspurultra.com; www.
blackspurultra.com
09/08 Lost Soul Ultra 50K, 100K, 100M; Lethbridge,
AB, Canada; lostsoulultra@gmail.com; www.
lostsoulultra.com
09/09 Haliburton Forest 50K, 50M, 100M; Haliburton,
ON, Canada; hjmalmberg@gmail.com; www.
haliburtonforest.org
09/09 The North Face Dirty Feet Trail Series Mountain
Runs 5K, 10K, 13.1M, 50K; Sun Peaks Resort, BC,
Canada; info@dirtyfeet.ca; www.dirtyfeet.ca
09/24 The North Face Dirty Feet Trail Run #4 5K, 10K,
21K; Kamloops, BC, Canada; info@dirtyfeet.ca;
www.dirtyfeet.ca

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PEOPLE
LAST GASP
BY
CLAIRE
WALLA
What the
Sweeper Knows
Tales from the back of
the back of the pack
Behind the elites, in back of the mid-pack,
past the back-of-the-packers and beyond
the cut-off fighters …
There’s the sweeper.
The broom of the trails, the Zamboni of the ultra world,
this is the person who follows behind all the runners,
collecting confidence ribbons and Gu wrappers, erasing all
evidence of the race.
It’s all simple, in theory: pick up trash, log some miles,
call it a day. But as with all things ultra, it’s never as simple
as it seems. This became clear to me two miles into a ninemile
sweep.
The pink sky turned deep blue as I started up a big climb.
I soon found myself alone in the dark above Malibu Creek
State Park with a 30-gallon trash bag, hobbling along like
Santa without a sleigh. Pairs of glowing green eyes emerged
from the shadows and stared, silently mocking my aloneness
and ineptitude.
Then a horrific sound pierced the night sky.
Hooooaaaahhhhggg!!
Not having been on the course long enough to consider
“banshee” a real possibility, I assumed it was the last runner.
And I got worried. We were three miles, all uphill, from the
next aid station, and a man was exorcising demons from the
depths of his soul. I wondered how I would convince him to
keep moving.
As a sweeper, I’m the person nobody wants to see on
the course.
Baltasar Estrada, one of my fellow SoCal sweepers, was once
sweeping a section of Angeles Crest 100 when he came upon
two runners asleep on the trail. It was 3 a.m. at mile 70, one of
them was injured and they were both past the cut-off time.
The delirious dozers shooed him away.
He stood up with all the strength he could
muster and started plodding up the trail, like
Frankenstein with a hydration pack.
“We’ve done this before!” they protested.
His heartfelt pleas to keep moving met indignation:
“Who are you, the police?!”
Ultimately, it took him seven hours to sweep six miles.
My friend Gretchen Walla (no relation) once swept 30
miles in the Salmon River Mountains of Idaho. By the time
she hit the trail—around 1:30 a.m.— temperatures had
dropped to near-freezing, fog had thickened around her and
wind whipped across the trail. She eventually made it to an
aid station under an old army tent on an exposed ridgeline,
and found, she said, “carnage.”
Runners were cold, hungry and dropping from the race like
flies. As they waited for rides back to the start line, Gretchen—
who was unable to feel her own fingertips—watched enviously
as they sat, covered in warm blankets, sipping hot soup. She
lamented the 20 miles she had left to go. But, as a sweeper, she
had no option to drop.
Now, under the inky shadows of Malibu Creek, I asked
cautiously, “Do you need anything?”
“I’m so sorry,” he said, now somewhat composed after his bout
of dry heaving. “I didn’t want anyone to see me like this.”
I smiled and told him I’d seen it all. Dry heaves, salt-crusted
faces, gooey snot rags, cascading projectile vomit. I was happy
to help.
He stood up with all the strength he could muster and started
plodding up the trail, like Frankenstein with a hydration pack.
“At least it’s a beautiful night!” I added in an attempt to lighten
the mood.
It was true. The air was cool, and we could see the lights of Los
Angeles in the distance.
People often assume running is inherently individualistic.
And it can be—but not on the trail. The trail demands that
you put your own wants and desires behind the needs of the
environment around you. Sweeping brings this aspect of
running into sharp focus.
Matt Stebbins, avid sweeper and co-founder of the
conservation group Endless Trails, remembers a time he
was sweeping a race through the Colville National Forest in
Washington. It was late, shadows were thick and wind screeched
through the trees as he caught up to the last runner:
“At one point [she] turned to me and said something along the
lines of, ‘You can’t tell anyone, but I’m scared, and I know I’m not
going very fast, and I don’t want to let my team down, so would
you hold my hand?’”
He held her hand for two miles.
I didn’t hold my runner’s hand, but for three miles we talked
about running, family, life in L.A. and how lucky we were to
be on that trail, hiking through the dark. Dry heaves, garbage
bags and all.
Claire Walla runs, writes and sweeps in Los Angeles.
LAUREN PETERSON
62 SEPTEMBER 2017 TRAILRUNNERMAG.COM

Brian Tinder
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