The North Face

Apr 15 | Lizzy Hawker in the New York Times

By The North Face

Ultrarunner Lizzy Hawker had a great article today in the New York Times which showcases her ability to run and succeed at the world's toughest races.  From April 15th:

Ultrarunner Competes on Far Side of Extreme

Lizzy Hawker had just finished running a nine-stage race through some of Nepal’s wildest trails when she learned that her flight back to Katmandu, about 200 miles away, was canceled because of bad weather.

In August, Hawker won the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, a 104-kilometer race that included 6,000 meters of climbing.

So instead of waiting for the next flight, she ran there.

There were no cheering fans, other competitors or prizes. Instead, Hawker, a 36-year-old British ultrarunner, was intent on beating her time over the same route from 2007, which was 74 hours 36 minutes nonstop. Few cared if she broke her record or abandoned her effort. The competition was with herself.

“I try to focus on running the very best that I can, literally moment by moment,” Hawker said. “If I’m in pain or tired, I don’t have to fight it. I can be in myself, in the environment. It’s amazing what you can do running moment to moment.”

About halfway through the run, where her route turned from trail to road, Hawker met her friend Roger Henke from Katmandu and three other Nepalese runners. Their van held food, water and a back seat for napping. Late in the second day, Hawker was nauseous and having problems with coordination, Henke said.

He recalled, “Having retched out the last bit of liquid from the previous stop, she’d say, ‘Would it be O.K. if I lay down just a bit? Hope you don’t mind,’ with this very British teatime politeness.”The van followed Hawker through the last leg of the run, with Henke and the runners taking turns running alongside her.

“Throughout the three days, she slept maybe four and a half hours, never more than 50 minutes at a time,” Henke said.

She set a personal record to Katmandu from Everest Base Camp of 71 hours 25 minutes.

...To read the rest of this article please go to The New York Times website.

Feb 05 | The North Face Endurance Challenge Series Registration Opens Today

By The North Face

 

Ready. Set. Go. Registration for the seventh annual The North Face Endurance Challenge Series, presented by GORE-TEX, is now open for all six events in different locations across the US throughout 2013.

The North Face athlete Stephanie Howe placed 2nd in the GORE-TEX 50 Mile 2013

From May through December 2013, six events will be held across the country as part of the Endurance Challenge Series, hosted by world renowned ultrarunner and The North Face athlete Dean Karnazes.The first race of the year kicks off in New York, then to Washington, DC, Wisconsin, Georgia and a road event in Missouri in downtown Kansas City. The Endurance Challenge Series will culminate at the Championship event in California where men’s and women’s top finishes are recognized and rewarded including the coveted grand prize of $10,000 for the GORE-TEX 50 mile finishers.

• Endurance Challenge New York – May 4-5 (Trail)
• Endurance Challenge Washington, D.C. – June 1-2 (Trail)
• Endurance Challenge Wisconsin – September 14-15 (Trail)
• Endurance Challenge Georgia – September 28-29 (Trail)
• Endurance Challenge Missouri – November 16 (Road)
• Endurance Challenge California – December 7-8 (Trail)

Trail events will be held over two days, with the GORE-TEX 50 Mile, 50K, Marathon, Marathon Relay and Kid’s 1K race held on Saturday, and the Half Marathon, 10K, 5K races and Kid’s 1K race held on Sunday. Missouri will be a one-day road event in downtown Kansas City, with the 50K, Marathon, Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K and Kid’s Race all held on Saturday.

Get in on the fun, pick your distance and register by visiting http://www.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge. Then pick out some new training and race day gear, like our athlete-tested Better Than Naked shorts and crews. 

 

Feb 04 | Jez Bragg:: Te Araroa Expedition - "The Finish Line"

By The North Face

Start: Riverton (2,988km)
Finish: Bluff (3,054km)
Distance for the day: 68km
Cumulative distance: 3,054km
Distance to Bluff: 0km

At 1601hrs on Saturday February 2nd 2013 after, 53 days 9 hours and 1 minute setting from Cape Reigna, I finally completed my long journey down the Te Araroa trail, arriving in Bluff – lands end on the southern tip of New Zealand’s South Island. Gathered there waiting were my crew, Mark & James, my wife Gemma, my mum and my mother-in-law, Hilary.

Damiano from the Storyteller Collective was there capturing the moment on photo and video, just has he done so magnificently throughout the expedition. They sprayed me with champagne and we danced around the landmark yellow finger post like we’d just won the lottery. There were bystanders around too, probably wondering what the heck was going on, but none of us gave a hoot. It was raw emotion for me; all my heart and soul, sweat and tears, had been put into realizing this moment, and it almost happened too suddenly to take it all in. I’ve been a robotic state for most of the time since I started – in my own little bubble – and I think it’s going to take several days to snap out of it. My body is also going to want to know what the heck is going on when I don’t run tomorrow; so I think some wind down jogging/ walking is going to be important.

So how did the day unfold? Well in the usual manner really. A 5am alarm call felt a wee bit harsh as we had all been up late last night – I only got in from the trail at 9.30pm – but there was a nice buzz in the air from the thought of the finish. It was exciting to think about the day ahead, but that doesn’t make it any easier to get out the campervan door with so much cumulative fatigue in my legs, not to mention the mental tiredness. But once out, and 10 minutes or so up the road, everything started to warm up and then we were away. The sky this morning was incredible, the colors rich and colorful, before the sun eventually rose from the sea and brought the day to life. Once through Riveton, the route was straight on to the beach for 25km around a nicely curved, sandy bay, and it was a lovely spell for solitude and reflection which was exactly what I needed after many weeks of relentless and intense running. The running was far from easy with a mixture of sand and shingle, but I felt strong from thoughts of the finish and kept moving on at decent pace.

From the end of the beach it was on to the road all the way through to the outskirts of Bluff, skirting to the west of Invercargill, most of it on the shoulder of Highway 1. It wasn’t all that much fun and the tarmac was unforgiving underfoot, causing further soreness in my feet and ankles. But the soreness wasn’t really occupying my thoughts, it was more occupied with thoughts about finishing. I had music on the go to help switch off, but it seemed to bring on regular emotional streaks where I was breaking into tears. I’ve said before that this run has worn me down and exposed my inner emotions, and there were so many examples of that today.

By lunchtime at 1.15pm I had 50km under my belt, and thoughts of a mid-afternoon finish were starting to get muted. I didn’t really stop long for lunch, I just wanted to get the job done, so it was straight back on the road through to the outskirts of Bluff. So all that was left was a 7km stretch of trail around the Bluff peninsula to the Stirling Point fingerpost, the official finish to the trail. The first 3km of this section was rough running through long grass from marker post to marker post, but then I hit the millennium trail, and nicely graded gravel track leading all the way to the finish. It was a real blast. No tomorrow to save myself for, nothing to lose, no reason to hold back. But no time to really prepare myself for stopping; that’s the bit which is going to feel very strange.

We’re now sitting in the communal room of Bluff campsite, sharing photos, drinking cider and beer, and starting to reflect and share the memories. Where do you start? I’ve spent 53 days reflecting, and now I need time to reflect. Work that one out – very strange. But one thing I know I will be doing for sure is taking a week’s holiday with my wonderfully supportive wife. I feel like the luckiest man alive….

It’s hardly suffice, but just initially I want to say a massive thank you to my incredible support guys, James and Mark. They have given up nine weeks of their life to support me with this expedition and words can’t express how grateful I am to them both for what they have done. It is with great sadness that this team will split up from tomorrow – it really has been an incredible team effort – I have just been fronting it.

I hope to share some of my reflections about the expedition as a whole over the coming days. I too don’t want it to stop, so I will get a few more posts out.

And finally a big thank you to everyone who has followed my journey and provided so many supportive comments and feedback. I hope you have enjoyed it all as much as I have.

Jan 28 | Jez Bragg - Update from Te Araroa

By The North Face

Days 46-47: Hawea River to Queenstown

It’s been a great couple of days traversing across to the buzzing south island hotspot town of Queenstown. We’re now just north, in the lakeside suburb of Frankton from our pleasant spot next to the Hawea River, I finished the Hawea River and Outlet Tracks to takeme through to Wanaka. All the running was on gently meandering and undulating waterside trails, and being close to built up areas as well as a Saturday morning, busy with local joggers, dog walkers and cyclists. It was really strange having to share the trail with anyone! I’ve spent so many days withseeing a sole, it really felt weird. The trails took me through to Wanaka, next to the popular watersports lake. It was a scorching summer’s day so Wanaka itself was also heaving with boaters, families and people generally getting in my way (scrooge, booooo….). Wanaka was bustling, but Tango Café had yet to get busy, so it presented a great opportunity to launch a raid for ice cream andchips, which came in generous quantities when they heard what I was up to. With the camera guys hovering around me, the conversation went along the lines of; waitress “are you famous or are doing something crazy?”. Jez replies “does running the full length of New Zealand off road count as crazy?”.The poor girl couldn’t take it all in, and was then looking rather flustered!

I was in town for less than hour, most of that time in the café, and by that time I was definitely ready to move on. The Glendhu Bay Track took me round Lake Wanaka on a deceptively challenging trail,and then I was at the trailhead for the impressive Motatapu Alpine Track, a recently formed route traversing across to Macetown. It was classified as ‘hard tramping’ and it was, but definitely more pleasant that other hard tramping sections which I have felt to be somewhat on the cruel side! I set off with my fast pack at about 4pm after a good feed up from James, the plan being to simply see howfar I could go before feeling like crashing, at one of the three huts en route. Well the first, Fern Burn,was too early, but also full of a large family with kids so probably not that suitable anyway. I continued, and soon made the decision to sleep at Highland Creak.

The climb over Jack Hall’s Saddle to get there was memorable. The hills felt special and unique,almost folded and rippling with many spurs. Highland Creek is a brand new twelve bed hut, and I wasmore than excited on the approach, as it’s the first newer hut I’ve been fortunate enough to stay at. I noticed footprints en route, so I suspected someone else would be there (shock horror, a fellow tramper). I had also been left a ‘Trail Magic’ gift at Fern Burn Hut – a snickers bar. Someone knew Iwas on the way…. It was a fellow brit and through hiker – Kyle – a really great guy. We had a great evening chatting and sharing trail stories before crashing for an early night. Unfortunately it wasn’t agreat night’s sleep; the local mob of possums decided they would raid the outside of the hit. They were charging up and down the roof and verandah causing a right old racket, so Kyle did the honor sand went outside and chased the blighters off!

We both got an early start; a 4.30am alarm for 5.30am on the trail. I was hoping to get plenty of distance behind me before it got really hot, and they strategy worked well. There were five 500m(vertical) climbs to negotiate, every one of them testing me significantly given the steepness. I’m finding that whilst I can still climb, the built up fatigue in my legs is slowing me down, so a bit more patience than usual is required. It was an impressive, albeit rather intense route, with the final section being down the bed of the Arrow River. Given how hot it was that was my preferred place to be, and when I found some deep pools I took a full on swim. Heaven. The end of the track was Macetown. I don’t know what I was expecting because I knew it was an un-inhabited ex-mining town, but there really was no one there apart from some speculative weekend gold hunters! For some reason I set my heart on a museum, or a random shop, or anything, please! All I needed was a cold can of coke and an ice cream. No, it was inaccessible by all but 4x4s, and eerily quiet. I stopped for a quick sandwich, but decided not to delay the inevitable final stretch of super-hot hill climbing on the aptly named Big Hilltrack, to finally get me back to civilization in Arrowtown.

It was the hottest of the lot, a battle of the mind to get up there, with my body just wanting to rest in the shade. But a lovely reward at the end,with a stunning contouring section of singletrack before a final descent to Arrowtown.It was a relief to get back to the van, but everyone was baking hot, not least me. I had a good feedand a rest for a while, catching up with the team, and telling them all about my 24hours of excitementin the hills. I wanted to get some more kilometers in before the close of the day, despite it already being late afternoon, and my body not being particularly enthused. But it wasn’t as bad as feared (itnever is), and once I got going I successfully knocked out 17 more kilometers to help the totals.

Tomorrow I will run a mega-long lakeside section from our overnight location at Frankton, to Glenorchy, where we will launch for our final paddle of the trip, a crossing of Lake Wakatipu. Another big day lies ahead…..

 

Jan 08 | Timothy Olson Joins The North Face Global Athlete Team

By The North Face

Today The North Face officially announced the news that world-renowned ultrarunner Timothy Olson, 29, of Ashland, Ore. has joined its global athlete team of more than 75 professional athletes, which includes runners, snowboarders, skiers, rock climbers and mountaineers.

“Timothy has the passion exploration that we all share at The North Face, “ said Aaron Carpenter, vice president of marketing for The North Face. “The joy he gets from running in the outdoors, and pushing his mental and physical limits is inspiring to the entire The North Face family. We are excited to work with him in accomplishing his goals.”

Oslon racing to victory at Western States 100 in June

Relatively new to ultra-running, Timothy started racing competitively in 2009 and has made his mark on the sport in just a few short years. In June 2012, he earned an impressive course record at the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run finishing with the first ever sub-15 hour time on the course at 14:46. He will be making his debut as a global team athlete for The North Face this coming weekend, Jan.12, at the Bandera 50k in Bandera, Tex. He won the 100k in 2012, which also serves as the USA Track & Field Trail 100k Championship, with a time of 8:28:40. He has a big has a big race schedule lined up for 2013 and he thinks Bandera will be a nice way to introduce his legs back to racing and be a good speed session to prepare for longer distance races in the spring. 

“The North Face has played a huge role in propelling the sport of ultra-running over the last decade. They’re not afraid to experiment to develop the highest quality of gear so I can travel light and efficiently through technical mountain terrain,” Timothy said. “I'm looking forward to the opportunity to see the world. There are many places I would like to explore and The North Face is making these dreams come true. “

Timothy runnnig the course ahead of The North Face Endurance Challenge Championships in December

Timothy, a licensed Massage Therapist, will be working closely with The North Face Research, Design and Development team, on performance apparel and footwear. His expertise and experience will add to the rapidly developing collection. When he’s not running or working, Timothy loves to relax with his wife Krista and their young son Tristan. 

“The North Face is all about encouraging people of all ages to enjoy and explore the great outdoors, respecting and protecting the land while nourishing their bodies with fresh air and exercise,” he said. “This is very important to me as I hope to inspire others including my newborn son to spend more and more time outdoors, remembering that the wilderness is our playground with endless possibilities to discover and for the imagination to run wild. “

The North Face ultra-running Team includes Jez Bragg, Sébastien Chaigneau, Lizzy Hawker, Tsuyoshi Kaburaki, Dean Karnazes, Nikki Kimball, Hall Koerner, Kami Semick, Diane Van Deren, Michael Wardian and Mike Wolfe. 

Welcome to the family!

Jan 07 | Mike Foote:: Death Valley to Mount Whitney

By The North Face

Adam Peterman and Mike Foote on the summit of Mt. Whitney (14,505 ft elevation)

On December 21st I had the honor of sharing the cold and wind swept summit of Mt. Whitney in the southern Sierras with high school senior Adam Peterman. Grinning into the sun I snapped photos of the cross country runner I have coached for four years as he raised both arms in triumph while trying not to let his skinny frame be knocked over by the 50 MPH gusts we had battled all morning. Adam had just realized one of the biggest goals he had set for himself in his 17 years on this earth and I had front row seats to witness his achievement.

It was 12:15 PM and only 31 hrs prior we had set out on road bikes from Badwater, Death Valley 155 Miles away with the ambition of standing on this rocky perch.  This moment was the apex of months of planning, preparation and hard work for Adam’s high school senior project: To go from the lowest point in the contiguous United States to the highest under his own power while raising money for Outdoor Nation, a nonprofit dedicated to getting youth outdoors.

Only a couple of months ago Adam asked me after practice one day to be his mentor for his senior project, an assignment which all Hellgate High seniors must complete. After getting to know Adam over the last four years I was well aware of his drive and ambition to do extraordinary things.  He is an incredible athlete, and at one point in the XC season was ranked 5^th in the country while maintaining his honor roll status. I knew he would bring this dedication to whatever project we chose, and it came as no surprise to me that he responded with a wide eyed smile when I asked him what he thought of Death Valley to Mt. Whitney.

Shortly thereafter Adam decided that he wanted to raise money for Outdoor Nation.  It is not lost on him that he lives within a five-minute bike ride of a wilderness area with a dozen trailheads a stones throw from his home in Missoula, MT.  Adam has taken full advantage of these open spaces for years and knows how fortunate he is to have these resources at his fingertips, and therefore wants other youth to have the opportunities he has grown up with. 

With the goal of raising $5,000 we worked towards promoting our trip as well as we could. We drafted press releases and developed social media pages, blogs and websites.  Adam did local TV interviews before school and wrote articles for online media all over the country. Book ended by tight schedules and 17 hrs. of driving there and back we had literally a two day window to make this trip work.  With all the prep and planning we had done, we were left with only the hope that the weather would hold for us. We checked the forecast obsessively and crossed our fingers as the dates approached. And on a cold and cloudy mid-December afternoon, we drove away from Missoula in a packed Subaru with the compass pointing south.

As they say, the rest is history. The weather held and we set off from Badwater, Death Valley under a blue-black starry sky. We biked all day long. Adam bonked early on the first climb, then recovered, then bonked again. We pushed our bikes in the dark the last two miles up the icy switchbacks of the road to the Mt. Whitney Trailhead.  Adam crumpled into his sleeping bag without an appetite and questioned his ability to push to the summit the following morning. Accompanied with a little tough love, I focused on getting calories in him and let him go to sleep with the plan that we would just wake up and see how he felt after he got a little rest. 

The following morning I handed Adam a bowl of steaming oatmeal around 3 AM.  He had his appetite back and I could see a fresh flicker of resolve in his eyes as he wriggled out of his sleeping bag.  We passed two groups along our route to the summit who stated quite matter of factly that no one would be able to reach the top on that day, citing strong winds. Yes the winds were strong, but the skies were clear and we were buoyed by confidence with each foot gained in elevation and the subsequent and rewarding views of the stunning Sierras. With the mantra, “everything came together, so that everything could come together” we came closer and closer to our objective until we were standing right on it.

Crouching on top of Whitney trying to catch my breath in the thin air through a tired smile and watching Adam do the same I couldn’t help but think of the day we met four years ago my rookie season of coaching. Adam was a short and scrawny incoming freshman who showed promise, but lacked confidence in himself at times.  I’ve seen Adam progress and grow since that day so much, but nothing was as stark as our brief time together on the highest point in the lower 48. Watching Adams grit and determination while fighting altitude, fatigue and wind that day I saw not a scrawny kid, but a well poised young man with the world at his fingertips.  And I couldn’t have been more proud to be a part of his moment.

Adam triumphant

As a competitive ultrarunner, I have had the fortune of standing on the podium of some of the biggest Mountain Races in the world. Pushing my body to its limits in the mountains is what I live for.  But my trip with Adam two weeks ago reminded me that my life as an athlete is not what defines me. It turns out that being a supporting actor in the journey of a good kid and helping him realize the things that he is capable of feels just as good as any finish line I have ever crossed.

Help us reach our goal of $5,000 dollars for Outdoor Nation. We are Halfway there!

  Mike showing his Montana Pride

Dec 14 | Infographic: Te Araroa Expedition

By The North Face

Dec 12 | Jez Bragg Embarks on the run of a Lifetime on New Zealand's Te Araroa Trail

By The North Face

Renowned British ultra runner and The North Face athlete Jez Bragg began an expedition that will take all of his mental and physical energy for the next 50 days: a nearly 2,000-mile run the length of New Zealand’s Te Araroa Trail.

The Te Araroa Trail (1898 miles/3054km) opened in December 2011 and runs the full length of New Zealand from the top of the North Island in Cape Reinga to the bottom of the South Island in Bluff. It rivals some of the world’s greatest long distance trails such as the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail in the US. The majority of the route is off-road, through challenging and remote terrain presenting all sorts of different challenges. There are also some short road sections and several estuary crossings as well as a long down-stream paddle on the Whanganui River. 

Jez will, for the majority of the expedition, run solo with a ‘fast and light’ strategy. Since he is used to running ultra-races such as the 104 miles/168km The North Face® Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc®, he plans to complete the route north-to-south in a period of less than 50 days, averaging between 37-50 miles (60-80km) per day for the full duration. Supported by a support crew of two, medic Dr Mark Taylor and expedition coordinator James Ashwell, the team will follow him in a motor home providing logistical support where possible. Jez expects to encounter long stretches of trail where support won’t be possible, and during those periods he will carry a fast-pack setup to provide complete self-sufficiency. On the South Island, where the terrain is particularly challenging and accumulative fatigue becomes more of a factor, Jez will be joined for intermittent running support from his US teammate, Mike Wolfe. 

Jez will wear products from the Spring '13 collection including the Better Than Naked short sleve, short and jacket; the Stormy Trail jacket and Hyper-Track Guide shoes, along with customized products provided by the product department to his exact specifications. 

Before heading out, Jez said: “Running this trail has been a dream of mine for several years and I have followed its progress with great interest. For me, ultra running is all about this type of adventure; the opportunity to explore remote and challenging landscapes in a very raw and pure way. There is no better way to explore a country like New Zealand with such outstanding natural beauty than to do it by foot. The work that has gone into getting this trail together to its eventual opening is simply mind-boggling. It will be a great honor to be one of the first to run it and hopefully showcase everything the country and the trail, has to offer. It will truly be an adventure of a lifetime.” 

Get up-to-the-minute updates on the Te Araroa Expedition on thenorthfacejournal.com  or follow Jez on Twitter @JezBragg

Dec 11 | High School Student Embarks on Expedition to Support Outdoor Nation

By The North Face

Mike Foote (Left) and Adam Peterman (Right) training for their expedition by climbing Stuart Peak in Montana

Next week, high school senior Adam Peterman of Missoula, Mont. will attempt to bike, hike and scramble his way from the lowest point in the contigious US to the highest in an effort to inspire more youth to get outside. As part of his senior project, Adam will travel from Badwater in Death Valley, Calif., to the 14,505-foot summit of Mount Whitney beginning December 20 and attempt to reach California’s highest peak in less than 48 hours entirely under his own steam.

Our very own Mike Foote, who won The North Face Endurance Challenge Chile in October and came in third overall at the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc earlier this year, is Adam's cross-country coach and project mentor and will act as the support crew during the expedition.

The goal of the expedition is to raise money and awareness to benefit Outdoor Nation, which is dedicated to reconnecting millennials with the outdoors. Outdoor Nation host summits around the country, awards grants for outstanding project ideas, leads outdoor activities and works with youth in an effort to mobilize a movement to get the next generation of outdoor leaders. Peterman’s goal is to raise $5,000 through his Outdoor Nation Crowdrise page.

The inspiring and active Adam wanted this senior project to combine his passion for exploration, while also helping other kids his age connect with nature – particularly those who don’t have easy access to front-country recreation. 

Adam and Mike setting up the Mountain 25, which they'll use when camping at Whitney Portal

“Living in a city as accessible to the outdoors as Missoula, Montana makes it easy to forget how fortunate I am to live in a place as so connected to wilderness,” says Peterman, “this is a very rare opportunity to have, and above all other factors in my life, I feel like developing a passion for the outdoors has benefited me the most.  I would like other people my age to be able to experience the same, and the nonprofit Outdoor Nation does just that.” 

The attempt will be split into two days, the first day consisting of the 135-mile biking section, made famous by the Badwater Ultra Marathon, and the second spent hiking the 22-mile round trip to Mount Whitney’s summit. Peterman hopes to accomplish this 135-mile ride in 15 hours, where he will finish at the trailhead to Mount Whitney and make ascent to the mountain’s peak.

Donations to Peterman’s expedition to support the next generation of outdoor leaders can be made through Crowdrise for a chance to win gear from The North Face. Follow Peterman’s expedition on Facebook, the expedition official website and The North Face Never Stop Exploring Blog.

Dec 06 | Stephanie Howe - The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship GORE-TEX 50 Mile Race Report

By The North Face

Wow, what a day! I cannot express in words how unbelievably happy I was with my race. To finish the season with such a high despite the set back I had this fall was amazing! I could not have been more excited!

Photo Credit: Ken Schuh, Ultra Race Photos

The race was epic in so many ways. It was pouring rain, muddy, foggy, and windy theentire race. In a way it took a little edge off racing and more focus on just trying to stay upright in the mud. I actually had a blast racing and found myself smiling during most of the race. I think attitude is really important in a race like this. I would have been really easy to get upset because the conditions were so bad, but it would have negatively affected my race. I tend to do well in races with adverse conditions because I keep a good attitude. I kept thinking to myself while I was racing "how cool is it that I'm outside, running right now?" 

Photo Credit: The North Face

Early Blur | Photo Credit: The North Face

The starting line, as always at a North Face Endurance Challenge, was full of energy and excitement. Despite the conditions, runners were laughing and smiling; excited to take on this challenge.

The first few miles were a nice easy warm up. It was really hard to see much with all the rain and fog, so it was easy to start conservatively. I felt really good as I settled in to the first long climb at a steady, rhythmic pace. It was so quiet and zen like and things were going really well. I had a good feeling about my race.

Photo Credit: Ken Schuh, Ultra Race Photos

After a few hours the sun came up it started to get light out and I found finally see what was around me. I had no idea what place I was in, and I didn't really care. I was determined to run my own race and have fun while doing it. I just focused on taking care of myself and trying to fuel every 20 minutes or so. In the past I've waited too long to start taking gels and ended up paying for it later. This race I made a point to start early and to keep it up throughout the race. I tried to get at least 2 gels down each hour.

After passing through Muir beach aid station (mile 13 ) I got a split that I was in third place. I knew that I was feeling good, but I had no idea I was doing that well. Although I was excited, I didn't change anything. There was a lot of running left to do, and I didn't want to get overzealous.

Photo Credit: Ken Schuh, Ultra Race Photo

Near the end of the first lap and I caught and passed Emelie [Forsberg], and moved into 2nd place. As we lapped through, I picked up my pacer and (slowly) started chasing down Maud [Gobert], who was leading. Emelie and I caught Maud at about the same point, and the three of us jockeyed for position over the next couple miles. Near the top of a climb, Emelie took the lead and started to gap the two of us a bit. Still, I kept my steady pace. I was more interested in feeling good toward the end than busting my butt mid-race to maintain contact with Emelie.

Somehow in the mix of chaos at one of the aid stations I lost my pacer. It was actually a good thing because I was able to pick her up again later in the race. This allowed me to really focus on what I was doing. I tried to make some small talk with Maud and her pacer, but quickly found out they spoke French (I had no idea).

The last 5 miles of the race were tough. I was starting to fatigue and really wanted to finish. I had closed the gap to less than a minute from the lead. As I passed through the aid station before the last 5 miles, I picked up my pacer again. Also, one of my teammates Jordan McDougal, was near me and slowed down to help pull me along. I could see Emelie and her pacer, Anna Frost, on the climb and tried my best to chase them down.

Photo Credit: Ken Schuh, Ultra Race Photo

As we approached the road at the last mile I knew I wasn't going to catch the lead. But I didn't care. I was so STOKED that I was in second. As we neared the finish line I could hear the energy of the crowd gathered despite the rain! It was so cool to see so many people out supporting the race.

As I rounded the corner and entered the finish shoot I had a big grin on my face. I was SO happy!!!

I crossed the finish line, totally spent and totally happy. The first person to congratulate me was Emelie, and I gave her a big hug. I was so impressed with her strength near the end of the race. She is one tough girl!

Congratulating Emelie at the finish |Photo Credit: Brett Rivers, San Francisco Running Company

I really have to thank my pacer for helping me endure the last few miles and remind Jordan that although I really appreciated his help, next race he had better not run with me :) I also really have to thank The North Face crew, they worked so hard to pull this race off. Lots of hard work and long hours went into making this event happen. I was so impressed with how they handled the situation when the weather threatened to cancel the race. It takes quite a team effort to pull off such a great event. THANK YOU!

Wow. I'm still blown away by my race. It was such a great day! I look forward to more races in the future…….AFTER a much needed break to ski, relax, and drink some hot cocoa.

For more details of Stephanie's podium-earning performance, check out the post-race interview with iRunFar, or the full  TNF 50 miler iRunFar recap.