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.

Mar 20 | Michael Wardian :: USATF 50k Update

By The North Face

Michael Wardian had a great race at the USATF 50k National Championships. Here are his thoughts about the 50k:

March 3, 2013-USATF 50K National Championships

My mind is focused as I step to the line on the course I know so well.  I have run this race ever year since 2008, won it a few times and hold the course record.

10 laps of 5K (3.1 miles), can I do it? 

Will my body allow me the ability to do what I love?

I think so, but don't know.

I am nervous, the butterflies are in the pit of my stomach but so is the excitement, the thrill that I am finally at the point to try.

I had not run an Ultra since June of 2012 and just started running semi regularly again at the end of January 2013. 

I am coming of a huge bout of injury:

5 hernias
5 stress fractures of my pelvis,
1 foot with a plantar issue
1 bike crash for good measure which at first appeared to be have fractured my left shoulder(turns out just was a wicked bruise)

There were days that were tough but I kept believing that I could run again and I worked hard cross-training, hours in the pool, mega blocks of walking/hiking on the treadmill, doing physical therapy, drills, weights, anything I could do that would not delay the healing but maintain some of my fitness and I waited and today was the big test.

Did I win, no, I didn't win the race, I got fourth overall (20 mins off the pace) and I ran slower that I ever had for 50k but each lap I won.

Each lap, I worried less about my injuries and I just ran, I hadn't run more than 15 miles in training leading up to the 50k so I knew that after 25k I was in uncharted waters but that was ok, I wanted to be there and I was blissfully enjoying the fatigue creeping in, and it was the good exhaustion that comes when you are working to your maximum potential.

I definitely have lots of work to do to keep improving and regain my fitness but I love the training and doing the work and I am so happy to have the opportunity to run again and I plan to keep pushing the bounds of what is possible and look forward to competing again soon.

Mar 18 | Rory Bosio: Way Too Cool Race Report

By The North Face

Rory Bosio had a great race at Way Too Cool 50km and sent us this race report.

I started the Way Too Cool 50km race on saturday not knowing what to expect. It was my first race of the season and my longest run by far for 2013. I use this race more as a long training run since it's too early to expect much in terms of running fitness. After a few months of mostly cross country and backcountry skiing, I wondered how my legs would do. Turns out not too bad, until the last mile, but I'm jumping ahead.

The race starts out on a really fun rolling single track. It was a spectacular day. Sunny and warm. It rained just enough the night before to pack down the trails but not leave them muddy. I cruised with friends for the first 10 miles, not really paying attention to the pace. I figure as long as I can talk easily I didn't start out too hard! And I was a chatterbox (probably annoyingly so to the other runners). I do the majority of my training alone. Races are a great time to meet other runners and catch up with friends. I knew I was running relaxed.

The middle section parallels the American River and is kind of flat. Not my cup of tea. I lack leg speed and really had to push myself to keep a decent turnover going. The beautiful spring scenery helped distract my mind from the pain my legs were starting to feel and eventually I settled into an easier rhythm. For a couple of hours I was in my happy spot. This is when the running feels effortless, my mind is free to wander and I can just appreciate how lucky I am to be out on the trails. This doesn't always happen, so when it does I make sure to revel in it.

Eventually I started to slow down. Unfortunately this happened one mile from the finish, proving that timing really is everything! I knew my friend (and one of my running idols) Meghan Arbogast was not too far behind me all day. I figured she was going to catch me sooner so when she blazed past me within sight of the finish all I could do was laugh. She was running like it was a 200 meter race! Sprinting has never been my strength and today proved no different. My mind told my legs to pick it up. But my legs were having none of it. Yet I crossed the finish line in my fastest time for a 50 km! It was the icing on an already great cake. I couldn't think of a better way to spend a day. Running with friends on beautiful day never gets old! Can't wait to do it again soon.

Feb 21 | Michael Wardian :: USATF 50K National Championships, Huntington, NY

By The North Face

Michael Wardian is racing the USATF 50k National Championship this weekend in Huntington NY and we checked in with him for an update.

This is a nice low-key, hometown race put on by the terrific people of the Greater Long Island Running Club.  I have been a bit of a fixture at the race since 2008, when I won the event for the first time.

I feel like each year there are so many events that I would like to try and experiences that I would like to have but the good people of Long Island always ask for me to come back and give it another go and I can't let them down so each year, I mark the first weekend in March on my calendar and each time I get to enjoy their cheers as I race around the park battling wind, weather and the competition.
 
I have been fortunate and have since won the race four times: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, I ended up 2nd in 2012 to a very solid athlete and I hope we get to race each other again in 2013.

During those years, I established the current course record of 2:55:05 and have been hoping to break that record since but each year I am just a little short.
 
I am also hoping if I can post a nice time and finish well, I might be considered for the USATF 50K World Team for Team USA of which I was a member in 2009, 2010.
 
All that said, 2012 was a tough year for me and my family, we have some issues with one of our children and also I suffered a number of injuries (stress fractures, hernias, plantar factious, bike crash) that left me sidelined from running.  It was a tough time but also a time when I made some changes and did a lot of cross training that I think will allow me to keep running for years.
 
I am still testing the running legs, lungs and heart as I have just be able to start training again in early 2013 and I am unsure just how the 2013 USATF 50K Championships will go but I am going to give it my all and see just how it shakes out.
 
I am so thankful for every run I do and I will be sure to let you know how it goes. 

Feb 04 | Jez Bragg - Completes the Te Araroa Trail

By The North Face

After 53 days of running Jez Bragg completed his historic journey down the Te Araroa trail!  He sent us these reports from his last two days.

Days 52: Merrivale Road (Longwood Forest) to Riverton

Start: Merrivale Road (Longwood Forest) (2,924km)

Finish: Riverton (2,988km)

Distance for the day: 64km

Cumulative distance: 2,988km

Distance to Bluff: 66km

I guess in golfing or football terms, today was the chip on to the green, or the cross into the box. I completed the tough Longwood Forest section, hit the coast, and started the final part of my journey east/ south east towards Bluff. In doing so I have set myself up for a potential finish tomorrow – yippee!

We started the day just inside Longwood Forest, a dense and mature forest of mainly beech, and it wasn’t until 5pm this afternoon that I finally got out. It did make me feel rather trapped, but I coped reasonably well.

The forest runs north to south in a long thin strip, covering a rolling set of hills and (of course) the Te Araroa route follows the ridge and the high ground. The tops of the hills are mostly exposed which is great for the views, but not so great for moving at any kind of decent pace because they’re covered in tussocks and spiky cactus type plants. My ankles were sore all day, and the unevenness of the ground was one of the greatest challenges.

 I guess I set about the forest task in a rather business-like fashion, focusing on getting the job done, or perhaps I’m just turning into a running robot – that was another thought I had out on the trail! But I was pretty chilled out and moved at a brisk, but not ground braking, pace to make the crossing. 

The guys had very helpfully recced accessed points yesterday, so we had a couple of meeting points for food and drink re-supply planned, to help break up the 50km section. However the sections were still long, and it was another warm one, so I probably wasn’t eating and drinking as much as I should have been. The first in the series of peaks on the route was Bald Hill, and I was up there for about 8am, rewarded with some wonderful views of the South Island’s south coast and my first glimpse of the end point, Bluff. When I caught that view I paused and the emotions started coming, so I quickly started running again! 

The last section of Longwood was both bizarre and amazing. Constructed by the Chinese gold miners in the late 19^th Century, the perfectly benched track follows a precise contour, and in doing so snakes in and out of all spurs, river cut outs and re-entrants in a quite incredible fashion. Talk about a convoluted way to get from A to B, however I’m sure they had their reasons for constructing it in that manner. Now somewhat dilapidated and overgrown, it offers a great walking route and is a fascinating part of Te Araroa.

I eventually popped out at the Round Hill car park around 5pm, with the crossing having taken 11 hours – a long day already. But to set up a potential finish tomorrow I really wanted to get close to 65km as a total, so I quickly decided to run the 18km leg around Colac Bay and over the headland to Riverton, to achieve that total. After a few glitches navigating the final section I arrived at the overnight stop about 9.30pm, some 15.5 hours after I set off this morning. Another big day with some seriously tough terrain – that’s the ‘hard tramping for you…..

I’m not going to lie, I was seriously tempted to run all through the night in an attempt to finish the trail at the earliest opportunity, but I came to the conclusion that my swollen feet and ankles are just not up to that, and they need a proper rest before finishing the job tomorrow. So it will be up at 5am for a 6am start with 66km to go until I reach Bluff.

Tomorrow is going to be one seriously special - and I suspect emotional – day. I can’t wait.

 

 

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