Running

I used to race a lot, but that has somewhat lost its appeal. I’m keeping this page mostly for history.

What is Ultra Running?

The common definition of ultra running is running any distance longer than a marathon (26.2 miles/42.2km). Most ultra marathons are run on trails. The International Trail Running Association (ITRA) has a definition of what “trail running” means.

Ultrarunning: just like running, but slower, longer, and more sad and lonely.

Race Results

See also results page on Ultra Signup, ITRA ranking, and the DUV Ultra Marathon Statistics.

2024

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
SwissPeaks 660 Aug 26, 20234 660km 11:10:19:33 38 Results
Cocodona 250 May 6, 2024 250mi 99:46:21 75 Results
Capitol Peak 50mi Apr 20, 2024 50mi 9:53:41 8 Results
Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) Feb 25, 2024 1,000mi 25d 3h 16min 2 Results | Photos
Capitol Peak Mega Fat Ass 50k Jan 20, 2024 50k 5:49:02 18 Results
Fat Pursuit 200k Jan 12-14, 2024 200k 53:55:47.4 1st in foot category, 4th overall Results

2023

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
Mt. Tabor Tar’n’Trail 10k Oct 29, 2023 10k 49:11 6 Results
Tor des Glaciers Sep 8-16, 2023 450km 183:04:17 70 Results
Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic Jul 2, 2023 190mi 5d 11h 24min 3 Report | Movie
Capitol Peak 50mi Apr 22, 2023 50mi 9:29:08 10 Results
Orcas 100 Feb 3-5, 2023 100mi 30:26:12.0 8 Results
Capitol Peak Mega Fat Ass 50k Jan 21, 2023 50k 5:02:17 9 Results

2022

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
McDonald Forest 50k May 7, 2022 50k 6:11:17 27 Results
Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) Feb 28, 2022 1,000mi 24d 45min 2 Results | Report

Enjoying a cold sunset in the middle of Alaska on the Iditarod trail. ITI 2022. See report.

2021

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
Tor des Glaciers Sep 10, 2021 450km 183:01 20 Results

2020

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
Elkhorn Crest 50 Jul 25, 2020 50mi 13:13:13,22 22 Results
Iditarod Trail Invitational (ITI) Mar 1, 2020 350mi 7d10h15min 2 Results
Orcas 100 Feb 7, 2020 100mi 26:17:22,10 10 Results
Capitol Peak Mega Fat Ass Jan 18, 2020 50k 4:56:12 8 Results

2020 stats:

  • Total race distance: 531mi (11.9%)
  • Total distance: 4,463.6mi
  • Total elevation gain: 814,531 ft
  • Number of runs: 245
  • Time: 654h 15m

Orcas 100, 2020. Mile 50. Photo by Matt Cecill.

Orcas 100, 2020. Mile 95.5. Photo by Glenn Tachiyama.

2019

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
Tuscobia 160 Dec 27, 2019 160mi 49:18 2 Results
Run the Rock 50mi Nov 9, 2019 50mi 8:35:18 7 Results
Run the Rock 50k Nov 10, 2019 50k 5:15:09 15 Results
Needles 50k Jul 6, 2019 50k 6:29:00 2 Results
Old Cascadia 100 Jun 22, 2019 100mi 25:35:15 5 Results
Wild Outback Jun 8, 2019 50k 5:21:05 13 Results
Jemez 50 May 25, 2019 50mi 11:18:11 11 Results
Sun Mountain 50 May 11, 2019 50mi 8:54:45 13 Results
Tillamook 50k Apr 28, 2019 50k 5:25:06 13 Results
Tillamook 50mi Apr 27, 2019 50mi 8:33:47 8 Results
Northburn 100 Mar 23, 2019 100mi 28:17:59 6 Results
Yukon Arctic Ultra 430 Feb 3, 2019 430mi 234:55 2 Results
Capitol Peak Mega Fat Ass Jan 19, 2019 50k 4:17:38 5 Results
Perpetua Fat Ass Jan 12, 2019 50k 5:52:46 1? Strava

2019 stats:

  • Total race distance: 1,148mi (27.5%)
  • Total distance: 4,181mi
  • Total elevation gain: 768,130ft
  • Number of runs: 233
  • Time: 587h 58m

Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra, 430mi, 2019, 2nd place. Photo by Mark Kelly.

2018

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
John Cappis 50k Jul 7 50k 14:10:00 1 Results
Summer SolstAss 50k Jun 23 50k 6:30:31 1 Strava
Bighorn 100 Jun 15 100mi 28:44:42 54 Perhaps one of my worst races.
Baldy Marathons Apr 28 100k 34:22 2 Results
White Mountains 100 Mar 24 100mi 27:12 2 Results
RUFA Feb 10 8 climbs 24h
The Spine Race Jan 14 268mi 137:51:24 11 Results

2018 stats:

  • Total race distance: 592mi (14%)
  • Total FKT distance: 1,040mi (25%)
  • Total distance: 4,169.4mi
  • Total elevation gain: 944,955ft
  • Number of runs: 261
  • Time: 688h 22m

The Spine Race, 2018. Somewhere along Hadrian’s wall. Nothing too crazy.

2017

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
Run the Rock Nov 11, 2017 50mi 8:05:59 6 Results
Tor des Geants Sep 10, 2017 210mi 109:57:04 70 Results
UTMB Sep 1, 2017 100mi 32:03:55 213 (65th in V1H) Results
Ouray 100 Aug 8, 2017 100mi 7 Results
John Cappis 50k Fat Ass Jul 29, 2017 50k 17:52:00 2 Results
Lavaredo Ultra Trail Jun 23, 2017 100k 19:26:12 167 Results
Sun Mountain 100k May 20, 2017 100k 10:58:28 4 Results
Smith Rock 50k May 13, 2017 50k 4:33:57 14 Results
Tillamook Burn 50k Apr 30, 2017 50k 5:20:20 16 Results
Tillamook Burn 50mi Apr 29, 2017 50mi 8:45:35 11 Results
White Mountains 100 Mar 26, 2017 100mi 24:47 2 Results
Orcas 100 Feb 24, 2017 100mi 25:32:48 8 Results
Capitol Peak Mega Fat Ass Jan 21, 2017 50k 4:44:20 4 Results

2017 stats (according to my Strava):

  • Total race distance: 966mi (27%)
  • Total distance: 3,591.1mi
  • Total elevation gain: 764,186ft
  • Number of runs: 280
  • Time: 650h 16m

Run the Rock (50mi). Photo by Trevor Lyden.

UTMB 2017.

2016

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
Silver Falls 50k Nov 4, 2016 50k 4:52:08 13 Results
Elk-Kings 50k Oct 23, 2016 50k 5:00:53 7 Results
Bigfoot 120 Oct 7, 2016 120mi 39:18:31 8 Results
Plain 100 Sep 17, 2016 100mi 32:12:00 6 Results
Steens Rim Run Aug 6, 2016 10k 56:09 4 Results
Cruel Jewel 100 May 13, 2016 100mi 30:56:41 18 Results
Smith Rock 50k May 7, 2016 50k 4:36:28 9 Results
Zane Grey 50 Apr 23, 2016 50mi 11:02:22 9 Results
White Mountains 100 Mar 27, 2016 100mi 24:16:00 1 Results
Orcas 100 Feb 19, 2016 100mi 26:06:38 7 Results
Capitol Peak Mega Fat Ass Jan 23, 2016 34mi 5:33:00 3 Results

2016 stats:

  • Total race distance: 700mi (19%)
  • Total distance: 3,740mi
  • Total elevation gain: 607,569ft
  • Number of runs: 266
  • Time: 619h 2m

2015

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Dec 5 50mi 8:14:41 74/482 6th in age group
Elk/Kings 50k Oct 17 50k 4:59:08 3 UltraSignup
Mt. Tabor Tar’n’Trail 10k Oct 11 10k 00:42:49 1 Results
Swiss Iron Trail Aug 13 124mi/200km 40:27:27 5 Results
Hood 50 Jul 11 50mi 7:31:36 7 Ultra Signup
Hood 50k Jul 12 50k 4:28:35 18 Ultra Signup
The Nut 100k Jun 13 100k 12:10:53 4 Ultra Signup
Smith Rock Ascend 50k May 9 50k 4:18:53 7 Ultra Signup
Zane Grey 50 Apr 25 50mi 10:52:48 26 Results
Zion 100 Apr 10 100mi 21:13:31 11 Ultra Signup
Gorge Waterfalls 100k Mar 28 100k 11:48:31 36 Ultra Signup
Hagg Lake 50k Feb 14 50k 4:17:42 9 Ultra Signup | Double ranking
Hagg Lake 25k Feb 15 25k 1:59:16 20 Ultra Signup
Orcas Island 50k Feb 7 50k 5:26:31 20 Ultra Signup
Capitol Peak Mega Fat Ass Jan 17 50k 5:07:59 5 Strava
Tillamook BURN Fat Ass & Bonfire: 50k Jan 3 50k 6:13:46 No ranking Strava

2015 stats:

swiss_irontrail

Crossing the finish line at the Swiss Iron Trail 2015. 124mi, 40:27:27. 5th.

2014

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
The North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Dec 6 50mi 8:39:32 93/537 Results | Blog post
Silver Falls 50k Nov 1 50k 4:38:26 10
Elk-Kings Mountain Traverse 50k Oct 18 50k 5:28:51 2
Pine to Palm 100 Sep 13 100mi 24:37:15 24
Volcanic 50 Sep 6 50mi 7:05:25 14 Blog post
Fat Dog 120 Aug 15 120mi 35:43:00 25 Blog post
Crater Lake Marathon Aug 9 26.2mi 3:22:00 5 Age category winner
Steens Rim Run Aug 4 10k 53:49 2 Movie clip
Hood 50 Jul 12 50mi 8:16:15 18
Smith Rock Ascent 50k Jun 14 50k 4:51:16 9
Jemez 50mi May 24 50mi Race was halted Movie clip
Salt Flats 100 Apr 25 100mi 22:37:54 Movie clip
Hagg Lake 50k Feb 15 50k 5:02:52 40

2014 stats:

2013

Race Date Distance Time Place Comment
McDowell Mountain Frenzy Dec 7 50mi 9:05:04 5
Portland Marathon Oct 6 26.2mi 3:19:13 301
Burning Man 50k Aug 28 50k 4:33:10 7
Crater Lake Marathon Aug 10 26.2mi 4:03:05 22
Steens Rim Run Aug 2 10k 1:02:24 11

2013 stats:

  • Total race distance: 139mi (13%)
  • Total distance: 1,050mi

How it all Started

On May 4, 2013, I bought running shoes and started running. I hadn’t run for over 20 years. Thanks Josie Twigg for persuading me to do a 50k ultra marathon, you started the whole madness! 15 weeks later I ran my first marathon, 3 weeks later the first 50km, 14 weeks later a 50-miler, and 38 weeks later a 100-miler. In my first year I ran 1,957 miles (3,149km) with a total elevation gain of 228,536ft (8x Mt. Everest). Of course I made all the beginner’s mistakes and went through all the common injuries. During the first year, this endeavor cost me 6 pairs of shoes, hundreds of energy gels, gallons of sweat, and one foam roller. Yet, while running across extreme distances that most people would groan about driving, I’ve also experienced the lowest of my lows and the highest of my highs I didn’t even know existed. Many people inspired me to keep going and to train harder despite significant setbacks. I’m very grateful to the many who inspired me and keep inspiring me to go beyond my limits.

How will it End?

As abruptly as it started.