The North Face

Nov 28 | The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship Preview

By The North Face

The North Face Endurance Challenge Championship weekend is just around the corner and with rain expected to pummel the San Francisco Bay Area through Sunday, it should be a particularly exciting race. Both the men's and women's elite fields are deep with competition, and The North Face endurance team will be out in full force. 

Some of the The North Face endurance team that will be making a play for the first place finish in the Gore-Tex 50-miler and the $10,000 prize: Five-time Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc winner and 2013 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Nominee Lizzy Hawker, 2012 ECS Champ Mike Wolfe, 2012 UTMB 3rd Place Finisher Mike Foote, 2012 Hardrock 100 Winner Hal Koerner, 2012 Western States 100 2nd Place Finisher Rory Bosio, Mountains-to-Sea Trail Record Holder Diane Van Deren, 2010 USATF Ultrarunner of the Year Kami Semick and 2012 San Francisco Marathon Winner Devon Yanko (formerly Crosby-Helms).

Be sure to check out the full race preview and up-to-the-minute updates from our good friends Bryon Powell and Meghan Hicks at iRunFar.com.

Jul 24 | Hal Koerner Wins the Hardrock 100

By The North Face

Race morning began with all the usual hectic runaround with an hour to go.  Walking into the gym one minute from not making the official starting list only heightened things.  If you aren’t there to check in 15 minutes before the race they give your spot to the next person on the waiting list and I ended up cutting it the closest.  Things for me were going to be a stepping razor all day. 

Out of Silverton we climbed in the post dawn light, our legs and voices filled with jittery excitement.  There was a pack of 7 usual suspects that took the nice ascent out of town to KT with what I would call reserved optimism.  Dakota had a great pace and began to work the sticks while Joe proved that he was up for the challenge of leading the group all day if he had to.  I eased in and checked the lungs trying to maintain a nice pace by breathing solely through my nose.  

By KT we started to spread out a bit on the climb to Grants Swamp Pass.  The steepness of the course reared apparent and Timmy Parr took off over the ridge and down the talus field like he was riding a wave, a 150 foot wave.  I hesitated behind Joe and Dakota as they bounded down the course trying not to crap my pants even though it looked like it from sliding down on my backside the whole way.  Carly reminded of how at the Death Race in Grand Cache they carry cardboard to quicken the steep descents and although it probably would have helped, cardboard was no match for this section.   We immediately regrouped like a slinky and headed into Chapman for the next assault on Oscar’s Pass.  It would be a recurring theme.  

At the top of Oscars I was pretty happy with my climbing and the ease with which my lungs were taking the effort.  My legs didn’t feel anaerobic and Joe and Dakota were only pulling away slightly.  Scott Jaime  helped push me up and over the pass and then we sailed away to T-Ride.   

Once again, Joe, Dakota and I found ourselves in a train going up to Viginius.  Rain enveloped our efforts on the climb but kept things cool and sent the black flys fleeing for cover.   At the aid station we huddled for cover from the driving wind and precip but my head was pounding and I knew I needed to get down.  Joe bombed down the scree once more but this time everything felt a little more dire.  As I scaled down, I’m sure I looked like a novice road runner hitting the trails for the first time, but I didn’t want to do anything herky jerky this early into the race and put my chances of survival in jeopardy.  Dakota flew by me and bounced off the wet rock down the narrow chasm out of sight faster than the camera shutters clicking around us.  Once in the basin I could hear him directing me onto the correct path that lead to the rocky road down to Governors.   I was relieved to get out of there alive. 

Once on Camp Bird Road I began to feel at home and started to reel in Joe.  I didn’t stop at the AS and powered on down to Ouray catching Dakota about four miles from the bottom.  I was flying, had my headphones in and told him I was going to get down off this road.  By the time I made it to Ouray the suffocating swell of oxygen greeted me along with my family and the throngs of cheering onlookers.  I was psyched to see my friends Tony K and Mike Wolfe but I remembered they were there to help get Joe and Dakota over these mountains faster than me and it jolted me out of town and onward to Engineers.  I had run this section so much lately that I knew where to push and where to hike.  All of it came to me pretty quickly and before long I was at the pass looking back into the basin for any moving speck of life.  I could see Dakota and surmised I had about 15 minutes.  Luckily another 6 miles of downhill dirt road awaited me and I took off.   

Out of Grouse I felt good, my main goal was to summit Handies, a fourteener and the highest point on the course, before nightfall.  So I pressed on.  Seeing the mountain from the pass brought back many memories of why I loved living in Colorado.  The large mountains are so majestic.  They loom and feel ominous at times just standing there.  I hastily made my approach in the quickening darkness, watching the pass for runners but it wasn’t until I had descended almost 3,000 feet that I saw headlamps on the summit of the mountain.  I still had 20 or so minutes. 

I am not a night runner and one of the most welcome moments was running into Sherman and grabbing my pacer, Chris.   With a little burst of enthusiasm we stormed up Cataract Creek boasting of our pace but also that of the two fellas giving chase.  No sooner than a few switchbacks up the trail we heard cheers from below,  bellowing  to ourselves we picked up the pace.  Luckily Dakota would sit at that aid station for a while allowing us to struggle and stammer over the high alpine course over the next miles with little consequence.  

I ran the Colorado Trail for the speed record in 2003 and would have liked to consider myself familiar the next chunk of terrain but everything was grey, figuratively and literally, for the next 20 miles and it clearly showed not only in time but also momentum.  Chris and I became human searchlights scanning the hills for the elusive Hardrock markers that dangled and dimmed with our pursuits. 

As we eased in to Cunningham thoughts of winning began to creep into my sleepy, cloudy, oxygen starved brain.    As Carly and I marched up Little Giant the pains of the effort really boiled to the surface.  I was a little upset with myself for feeling so down for the first pacing job she had ever come on with me but that vanished as quick as she did up into the morning light as Joe came screaming in to the valley below.  I measured it at 25 minutes, with 7.5 miles to go.  I had to keep that relentless forward motion going.   

Cresting the summit we bailed over to the Silverton side and began the rocky descent into town.  I had Carly stop every 5 minutes or so to look for any stealth silhouettes on the road above.  As we eased down to the path into town I mustered the last bits of energy I had to crank on in. I have to thank Carly for her encouragement as well as James Bonnet for believing in me all day.  

Striding into the finish was just as I imagined it and will forever be burned into my mind.  Friends old and new, family from far and wide as well as that animated rock standing proud below the hanging clock that read 24:50:13.                

There are things you know you are capable of but sometimes it takes special people, places, and circumstances for that to happen.  This year's HR100 encompassed all of that for me and more. I would like to say I surprised myself, which I did, but I was also out to surprise others as well.  I thought I built off of some lessons learned from running the race in 2005 and that seemed to make all the difference.  Going in well rested, making concessions for the altitude, staying patient in the race, and making myself stay focused for 100 miles made the day come to me.  

Dec 05 | The North Face Endurance Challenge Championships Recap

By The North Face

Mike Wolfe after finishing first in the Endurance Challenge. He endured 50 miles, even after hitting his head on a tree early in the race Photo:Tim Kemple

Race bibs for The North Face Endurance Challenge Gore-Tex 50 Mile Championships this weeked north of San Francisco read like a veritable “Who’s Who?” of the endurance running world. In its fifth year, the race boasts a $10,000 prize purse for first place, magnificent views of the Bay Area and serious bragging rights, which attracts an elite field of ultrarunners from all over the world. Check out iRunFar's full coverage of the event for more behind-the-scenes details.

The North Face global endurance runner Mike Wolfe of Helena, MT battled it out for 50 miles to come in first place with a time 6:18:57, edging out his steepest competition and earning a course record by a full 15 minutes. Dakota Jones of Durango, CO, who trailed Wolfe by mere minutes through the last 20 miles, came in a close second with a time of 6:21:43 and was followed by Adam Campbell of Vancouver, British Columbia with a time of 6:34:28.

Mike Wolfe is all smiles after his first place finish

“It was really close the entire race,” an exhausted, but elated Wolfe said at the finish line. “We were really well-matched, [Jones] was killing me on the downhills, but I was just a stronger climber. It really came down to climbing that last hill, and I was able to pull away.”

New Zealand’s Anna Frost was the first female finisher with a time of 6:56:00, followed by Ellie Greenwood of Banff, British Columbia with a time of 7:07:16, and Mary Beth Cadwell of San Anselmo, CA with a time of 7:28:29.

Anna Frost after taking first place in the women's race and earning her $10,000 prize

Other top athletes who participated in The North Face Endurance Challenge Championships, included: 2011 San Francisco Marathon winner and USATF 100K Champion Michael Wardian, two-time Western States winner Hal Koerner, winner of the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France Lizzy Hawker, and Western States Champion Geoff Roes.

An additional three races were held Sunday, including a Half Marathon, 5K and 10K. The weekend’s events end The North Face Endurance Challenge Series, which held events in Bear Mountain, NY, Washington, DC, Kansas City, MO, Madison, WI and Atlanta, GA earlier this year.  However, The North Face Endurance Challenge will return next year with at least one new race addition, beginning in May 2012. For information on The North Face Endurance Team and where they’ll be next, head to www.thenorthface.com or www2.thenorthface.com/endurance.

Aug 24 | UTMB: Pre-Race Interviews (Cont.)

By The North Face

The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is right around the corner.  Today we're featuring IRunFar.com's pre-race interview with two of the men of The North Face Endurance Athlete Team, 2010 UTMB Champion Jez Bragg and Mike Wolfe. Check out the full post here. You can also read interviews with two of The North Face women competing in the 103-mile race here.

 

As this article goes up, the iRunFar team is on its way to cover the 2011 The North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc. (Well, I’m running it, too.) I know it’s overused, but this very well might be the most competitive 100 mile race in history.

Let’s start with one hell of a rematch – everyone the top five at this year’s Western States will toe the line in Chamonix on Friday. That includes, Kilian Jornet, Mike Wolfe, Nick Clark, Jez Bragg, and Tsuyoshi Kaburaki. To that you can add 2010 Western States champ Geoff Roes, 2010 The North Face Endurance Challenge champ Miguel Heras, 2011 Hardrock 100 second place finisher Dakota Jones, two-time Western States champ and The North Face runner Hal Koerner, SEVEN-time Western States champ Scott Jurek, as well as a slew of top Europeans and Asians.

As with all races, not all who entered with be out there on race day. On the American side, the no shows include Anton Krupicka (recovering from a broken leg), Karl Meltzer (back injury), and Dave Mackey (scheduling conflict). I’m sure there are similar withdrawals from the overseas crowd.

 JEZ BRAGG

iRunFar: We last saw you at the Western States 100 in June, where you ran to 4th place and a blazing sub-16 hour finish. How has your summer of recovery and then training been since then? Did you bounce back pretty quickly or take a nice break?

Jez Bragg: The recovery – train – taper phase between Western States and UTMB has been a bit blurred to say the least. I recovered pretty quickly from Western States so I really just threw myself straight into UTMB-specific stuff without too much of a break. I did quite a bit of road cycling and swimming to supplement the running early in the summer, which I always find works well to spin the muscle soreness away. With only 9 weeks between the two races it’s not a lot of time, but I’ve done all I can and I’m definitely feeling ready to go. My real focus has been on building leg strength. I know I can run 100 miles pretty quick, but there are obviously a few lumps and blumps along the way at UTMB, so plenty of long days going up and down the mountains has been top of the agenda.

iRF: It looks like you spent some time training in the Alps during July. Did you train on the course or on similar terrain? How did that go for you? Are you feeling like you’ve been able to train to your potential?

Bragg: I’ve spent quite a bit of time in the mountains over the summer – several days in the Lake District (North West England), a couple of weeks in the Alps and a few days in Snowdonia (North Wales) too. The Alps training was brilliant. I fastpacked the ‘Walkers’ Haute Route’, a high level route between Chamonix and Zermatt, then did a 3-day training weekend with The North Face Team covering the full UTMB route, as well a load of other single training days. As a whole, it’s all gone really well and should pay dividends in the race. It’s a difficult balance to strike with UTMB training. It’s obviously a super hard race so it follows that the training needs to be pretty hardcore too, but it’s so easy to over step the mark and completely trash your legs before you even start. With a bit of luck I’ve got it about right. We’ll soon find out….

iRF: You’re UTMB’s defending champion. What’s it like returning to the race in this way? Are you going back this year to defend your title or to run your own race? Or, do those two goal equate to each other for you?

Bragg: A bit different! Last year was a strange one. It was a great experience which gave me a taste of winning a big race, but it wasn’t the real UTMB race. I’m looking forward to running the full distance and seeing what happens. I will always run my own race and that definitely won’t change just because I’m wearing race number one. I know how to bring out the best in myself and that’s not necessarily battling it out at the front from mile one. It’s a long race and a lot can (and will happen). It’s gonna be very, very interesting.

iRF: One thing we’ve noticed about you is the joy you seem to derive from running in wild places. Is the scenery of the UTMB course at all motivating to you?

Bragg: I love nothing more than running solo in a super remote places. The UTMB course is very inspiring for me. Every time I go round, and I think it’s over ten times now, I’m just in awe of the incredible views – it certainly never gets boring. UTMB is very special race and the biggest reason for that is the beauty of the course and surroundings. When you’re feeling super tired and overwhelmed by the challenge, you just need to catch a glimpse of Mont Blanc or one of the other mountains to draw some extra strength to keep you going.

iRF: The UTMB men’s roster has some serious talent on it. With whom are you looking forward to spending some time out on the course? Who are your top five picks for the men?

Bragg: It’s certainly going to be a great race for the spectator. I enjoyed running with Mike Wolfe last year. We’re very similar in ability and we seemed to spur each other on a lot, so hopefully we will be get chance to run together again. Other than that, any english speaker will do! We all know how friendly the ultra community is, even amongst the elites, so it would be great to get to know some new people through running together out on the course – what better way to get to know someone that going through hell and back out on the UTMB course?! I’m going dodge that top 5 question. I think we know there is a young spaniard who will take some beating…..

MIKE WOLFE

iRunFar: You placed second at the Western States 100, just four minutes back of Kilian Jornet. That must have been a performance you were proud of. How did recovery go for you? And, in the two or so months between WS100 and UTMB, what kind of training have you been up to?

Mike Wolfe: I was definitely happy with my performance at WS this year.  I felt great afterwards.  I think it was the fastest I’ve recovered after a 100.  I was generally fatigued for a bit, but that’s it.  Since WS, I have just been focusing on lots of vertical, in terms of training.  I was able to get in a good hard block of training late July through first couple weeks of August…. we’ll see whether that pays off in a few days, I suppose.

iRF: It looks like you might have raced and won a 50k in Montana earlier this month, the HURL Elkhorn 50K. We imagine it was a UTMB tune-up race. How did you feel during it? Did you experience the results you wanted for the day?

Wolfe: I decided to run the Elkhorn 50km two days prior.  It was during my big block of training, and I did it solely as a “beat myself up” training run.  Elkhorn was right at the tailend of a BIG 12-day block for me.  My legs were fatigued, but I got out of it what I wanted, then put in 11k of vert in 20+ miles the next day.

iRF: You’re obviously quite fit. And, you’ve been to UTMB before, having placed second there last year, so you know all about the Euro-racing scene. Signs point toward this being a pretty spectacular race for you. What do you think?

Wolfe: I try not to ever speculate or go into races with any significant expectations on myself.  I want to run my heart out, and I am excited for the depth of competition. Ultimately, for me, it’s about pushing my personal limits and relishing the love of the mountain environment (and, at UTMB, enjoying the amazing spirit/culture for this race).  The competition always pushes me to explore my limits and that’s what its all about.

iRF: You put up a good fight against Kilian at WS100. What will it be like to compete against him and other top Euros on their home turf?

Wolfe: Tough, and tougher. No doubt about that. In addition to Kilian, there are a bunch of top Euros that will certainly be pushing up front.  They have the advantage of training over here and course knowledge.  But, no excuses.  We are all equal when the race gun goes off.

Jun 27 | The North Face Endurance Running Team Dominates Western States

By The North Face

The North Face global athlete team dominated the winner’s podium following the 100-Mile Western States Endurance Run 2011, which took place June 25 – 26. Although, the athletes crossed the finished line after first place finishers, The North Face team earned six of the top 10 podiums spots in one of the world’s most prestigious ultramarathons.

The North Face endurance runner Mike Wolfe of Bozeman, MT was the first American finisher and took second place (15:38) in the men’s field in his Western States debut, finishing just four minutes behind winner Killian Jornet of Spain. Wolfe was followed by his fellow team members Jez Bragg of the UK in fourth (15:55) and Tsuyoshi Kaburaki of Japan in fifth (16:04).

 
Kami Semick of Bend, OR (18:17), who finished third at the historic Comrades Marathon in South Africa earlier this month, finished in second place in the women’s field, just seconds before The North Face team member and three-time Western States champion Nikki Kimball (18:17). Western States 2010 Champion Tracy Garneau of Canada (11:22) finished fourth, running 45 minutes faster than her winning time just one year ago. Rory Bosio of Soda Springs, CA (18:37) finished fifth, rounding out the top finishers.

 
The North Face field team members Ian Sharman (16:40) and Helen Cospolich (20:44) also had notable races, finishing tenth and eleventh respectively.

The notoriously rugged course traversing the Sierra Nevada mountains was adjusted this year because of late snowfall, which forced runners to contend with 12 miles on hard packed snow, climb 2,250 vertical feet, battle temperatures in the 80s and 90s through sierra canyons, and face down the local wildlife.  Several runners, including Semick and Kimball, were held up for as much as seven minutes due to safety concerns over a bear and her cub that runners spotted on the course about two miles from the finish.

 
In addition to The North Face global endurance events such as The North Face Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc and Ultra Maratón de Los Andes, several members of The North Face Endurance Team will be running in The North Face Endurance Challenge in Kansas City, MO, Madison, WI, Atlanta, GA, and San Francisco, CA. For information on The North Face Endurance Team and where they’ll be next, head to www.thenorthface.com or www2.thenorthface.com/endurance.

Jun 17 | Hal Koerner on the Upcoming Western States 100

By The North Face

The Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run is next weekend. The North Face athlete Hal Koerner is aiming for his third consecutive win of this grueling race. Our good friend Bryon Powell of iRunFar.com caught up with Hal.

(Reposted with permission from iRunFar.com.)

Bryon Powell of iRunFar (iRF): Hal, what was you last big training week for Western States and what did it look like?

Hal Koerner: I’ve been bringing a bad ankle back to life, but I hit 120 miles this week and will stay there until next week. [That's] probably more than I would like [to run] at this stage of the game, but since I got a late start after Miwok I needed to gain back a little confidence.

I ran our Lithia Loop Marathon course twice and then threw in a few 10-15 milers with 3,000 ft of sustained climb. It’s all trail and it’s steep just like the canyons.

I’ve had to hit the sauna as the temps here have been less than ideal, but 1-1.5 hours at a time begins to get the mind ready for the onslaught.

iRF: How has you approached change to this final large week over the past few years, if at all?

Koerner: As I mentioned earlier, my taper has usually begun the first week in June, so I have probably stretched that out 7 to 10 days, but I still feel good and I know I can be rested in time.

I usually run pretty big or large aggregate miles over Memorial Day weekend and that seems to be a nice “last push.” This year I couldn’t risk injuring my ankle any more and decided to break up the mileage and rest after a long spring season of running. For the most part, June is a couple hours on the trails with 2,000 ft of climb. It’s mixed up and down for the most part, but I can throw in some sustained stuff, as well. I find it’s just good to be on trail to mix up the foot falls and to try and build up the quads on the uneven, steep down hills.

iRF: You ran very well at Miwok. Nearly 40 minutes faster than you’ve ever run it, if I’m correct. Do you think your Western States training season has gone better than the previous two years? How has it been different?

Koerner: I have had a pretty stellar year all things considered. Miwok went well and, yes, a huge PR. I have usually raced Miwok as part of a successive build-up in late April and early May, ergo I am pretty beat up by that point. Other times, I have run too hard and blown up, so to have completed such an all around effort this year was pretty special. I was on top of my pace, nutrition, and course knowledge and, with the fast field, we were able to push all day.

I imagine that will bode well for WS, too. I think it’s too easy to get caught up in all the miles and forget how fresh one needs to be for the big day. Recovering from a tough spring takes time and I think getting that dialed and listening to my body has been able to get me over the hump. If you are going to have anything left at mile 60, you better be well rested.

I didn’t enjoy being behind Tony for most of the day [at Miwok] and that helps with the mental aspect should that happen at States. I feel there will be a small pack up from, but that there will be some shuffling of the leaders. All that experience [WS] should be helpful.

For iRunFar's full Western States preview, visit http://bit.ly/ct4q36

Jan 12 | Kami Semick Named Runner of the Year, TNF Ultrarunning Team Takes Top Honors

By The North Face

Kami Semick has been named Runner of the Year by UltraRunning magazine.

Semick won all six races she ran in 2009, including two world championship events, the IAU 100km World Championships in Belgium and the IAU 50km World Championships in Gibraltar. She was also the winner of three of North America’s most competitive events, the Miwok 100km race and the American River 50 Mile, both in northern California, and the White River 50 Mile near Mt. Rainier in Washington. Semick, who also won the award in 2008, received first place votes from all 20 of the voters, the first unanimous selection since Ann Trason in 1998. Semick’s win at the 100km World Championship was voted  Outstanding Performance of the year and her IAU World Championship 50k was named fifth.

Michael Wardian and Hal Koerner took third and fifth place, men, respectively, in the Men's poll for Runner of the Year. Koerner's Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run win was named fourth best Performance of the Year - Men.

     
Kami Semick Hal Koerner Michael Wardian