What a day at the Zane Grey Highline Trail 50 Mile Endurance Run.  Starting out knowing of an impending storm is an interesting way to go into one of the toughest races in the country.  Sure enough the horrible weather came and without disappointment.  

It wasn't 10 miles into the race the rain came in hard and sideways (My first trip the the Manzanita Mud Pen).  By 11 miles it was all mud and weighing your every step down.

That misery was fortunately limited by the time I hit mile 14 and the sky opened up and dropped a white blanket of hail which provided some much needed traction.  The temperature dropped and wet gloves became a liability.  I passed a couple runners already freezing and unable to eat a gel because their hands weren't working in the cold.  I opened their gels and in some cases were just giving them mine since it was easier than them pulling them out of their packs.  
I gave one runner my only head cover since he had nothing with him (???) and prayed for the next 4 hours I didn't just sabotage my own race.  I pulled a couple runners out of the woods off course (dude...you just ran through blue ribbons...) and then came into the 2nd aid station...only 3 hours into the race and people were falling apart.  This is going to be an interesting race...

The runners thinned out quickly from that point and the trail just got worse.  Wetter, muddier, colder and slicker.  It was immediately apparent that the back of the pack runners were the ones that were far worse off than the front of the pack.  The trail was turning into a mushy mess in some spots and after it got wetter and another 200 footsteps...it was going to be terrible for them.  Worse yet were the inconveniently hidden rocks mixed within the icy mush.  The hail had turned to sleet and then full on snow, on and off blown into your face with a blustery force you could only just appreciate and laugh at up to that point.  Trees were whipping around you sounding like they were ready to snap at the top while you fumbled around trying to pull out another gel and then for the 23th time...drop your earbud that has once again fallen out in the mess that is your gear.  

Not knowing if still after 20 something miles if we were running a 50K or 50M race it was challenging to know when to push and when to just maintain in the elements.  Not that I particularly cared at that point one way or another. I'd already concocted 20+ variations of excuses on why I would need to quit at Fish Hatchery.  All of which shamelessly used my toddler and family at foolproof scapegoats providing me an early trip home.  And all of which I never end up using in a race anyway, but it helps pass the time when you are wondering if when you stop next to take a leak on the side of the trail how much it's going to hurt if a piece of hail sneaks past your barrier and nails you in that one vulnerable place still exposed.  These are real concerns of a trail runner in a hail storm.  

Washington Park to Fish Hatchery is my favorite section of the course, and least favorite for most.  Yet despite my strengths in that section I still fell in behind others going slower and couldn't bring myself to pass and push harder.  It didn't feel like a race any longer and the point of pushing hard had long since been lost.  Or so I told myself until I had effectively convinced myself.  So instead, head down, soaking wet, feet weighed down with mud and water, unable to talk to anyone because of the wind and everyone wearing hats and hoods, we just plodded along.  

Fortunately it was with two strong runners, Scott Bajer and a great guy from Virginia, Derrick Carr, who we ran with for most of the final miles.  Up and down each ridge and through Hell's Gate we went together until we finally caught up to Justin Lutick.  He was in a similar state as most of us but hands were not working for him.  He was in a rare spot of quiet, unusual for a man of his personality.  He was a welcome sight in the midst of the mess outdoors and we clipped off some miles together before he had to stop and fix his foot. 

I'd lost Scott and the other group after my 3rd trip into the frozen forest for more corrections to a badly revolting stomach.  Not too many things more satisfying than a freezing wind on your bare ass in the forest.  Except cramping in your left leg while handling said correction which leads to a tip backwards and straight into the mud and snow. With your bare ass exposed. Really puts you in the mood to hammer out the rest of the race.  
Fortunately I'm easily amused by such things and wanted to catch back up with Justin and got in some really fun miles bouncing off the few exposed rocks poking above the mud, sliding this way and that in the mud and climbing every hill at a strong pace like it was the first miles of the race.  I was finally feeling good, 26 or so miles later.  I pushed on, climb after climb thinking the race was maybe salvageable.  I wasn't terribly far off my pace of last year and was running stronger as we got close to Fish Hatchery.  

The snow was coming down strong enough to cover up the runners tracks in front of me.  It got to the point that I'd start to get excited based on how fresh the tracks were in front of me.  I knew I was gaining on someone the fresher they looked.  And sure enough within a couple minutes I'd pass someone else.  Eventually after going back and forth with a tall, long haired runner from Oregon (David Henry) settled in and passed a runner and started talking about the course and I learned through him the course was officially over at 33. The wind was howling, snow blowing a different direction every few seconds, hands frozen and tucked under my armpits in alternating arms.  The charm of the weather had been lost long ago, occasionally returned here and there as caffeine allowed, but the mud continued to be the main deterrent.  

Snow is one thing.  Rain another.  Mud is an entirely different beast in an ultra, and your worst enemy on the Highline trail with that many rocks.  Ankles biting in every direction, slowing your every step, forcing you to run in the grass pods, rocks, or other ankle biting areas to avoid more muddy steps.  

Finally we pushed on through the final muddy sections and broke out to find another runner out in the wind and blowing snow running alone.  It was a familiar gait, and one owning to a frozen beard, one that could only be Sean Meissner's.  Or some lost miner from the back country.  

It turned out to be Sean's and that could only mean he was cruising in and not racing if I had caught up to him.  It was good to see another familiar face and after just finding out the race was officially being stopped at Fish Hatchery. Now just a few miles away, I decided to just run the last bit and make the most of it.  Finally putting something of a race environment into this slogfest made it a heck of a lot of fun towards the end.  I pushed hard through the plateau, down into the ravine and back up to the final slickrock, passing friends with the HAM crew rucking out to the 3 mile mark.  Their smiles helped propel me up the final climb and down the rocky descent to the cattle gate.  Knowing there were likely runners trotting into the finish as with every ultra I finally felt like running harder.  The hoods on everyone's jackets made it really hard to tell who was who, both from the back and for the runners looking back to see who was chasing them down.  I ran through the red rocks, always a fun section of the race and no exception today with the rocks wet around the snow red dirt of the area. I approached the final descent sprinting down the final switchback and into the crowd at the new 2014 finish line.  

This was the 25th anniversary of the race, it has a lot of history here in Arizona but also a well known race across the ultra community.  Its always so fun to see so many friends everywhere you go in this race.  

Dallas & Renee Stevens are always some of my favorite people to see at a race and they were a welcome sight at Washington Park.  They looked like they had that aid station rocking and well run!  Wish I could have spent more time with them!  

Chris Stores, one of the Black Hills 100 RD's, got to run in conditions he's probably quite used to and was great to meet and get to see him on the trail. Wish he got to see the course in its full length.  Guess we'll have to talk the BH100 crew into a September trip??

Andrew Miller out of Oregon and 18 years old pulled in a 3rd place finish and was genuinely disappointed that the race was ended as he was feeling strong and gunning for the next guys.  Not sure Chris Price or Ryan Smith would have let that fly but would really love to see what that top 5 group would have done at the full course.  The first 33 only set the stage for the race, a lot changes those last 18.  

Jerome Jourdon finished in 9:02 this year.  He's a 6 time (?) Zane Grey finisher and averages about 11:30 each year.  He also was our 3rd place finisher in our inaugural year of the Monster.  What's significant about this year?  

He started at 1pm on Friday from Trailhead 260 and started running west on the Highline with another friend in an attempt to run a "Zane Grey Double."  His friend was throwing up towards the end and they had to bail at 43 miles.  Jerome got to the start line before 5am and started the race with all of us, then finished, in those conditions.  Very tough runner, super impressive.

We had a lot of Monster friends out on the course, either volunteering or running. LindaVan and Kate Hansen, both captains of the Pinchot Cabin aid station each of the first two years were out there, Kate running and LindaVan volunteering at Hell's Gate.  Smiling as always in the middle of the storm.  Chris Cantrell, a friend of both Noah and I for years, woke up in Phoenix before 3am to drive up to the start to see the race off.  Then followed us along and helped out at aid stations waiting for us to come in.  So nice to see him at each station!

My brother Noah finished only 20 minutes after me making what likely would have been a huge time improvement over his last year.  He just keeps getting stronger and stronger and still isn't putting in 100 miles a month in training...

There are a ton of others out there, wives, husbands, girlfriends, crews, families.  Its one giant family and its one of the best parts about the Zane Grey race.  It sells out the same day but hasn't ever lost it's small town, small race feel.

A lot of people were talking about Zane Grey as their "trial race" to see how it went there before signing up for the Monster.  I'm not sure where most people are going to be after this one.  Some will feel like me, ready to sign up for another race right away because I don't feel like I ran a race, just a long training run...others will not want any of that trail again for a long time.  I can certainly understand that.  

I was at the finish line this morning, playing with my son in the playground behind the ramada where we host the finish line of the Monster in the center of the town of Pine. Milk Ranch Point hovers over the town, the trees and top of the Rim covered in snow and the start of the Monster, the Pine Canyon Trail, tucked half way up that cliff overlooking this very spot I stood.  I was pushing Dean in the swing, staring up at that cliff wishing I was there right then. The air is so clean and fresh.  It was sunny and a crisp feel to the air, perfect weather.  I stood there and...

BAM!!!

Dean swings back towards me and catches me right in the chin.  Totally and utterly day dreaming and he got me.  He thought it was hilarious.  After a few pride bruised moments I started to see his point.

If nothing else the shortened Zane Grey only motivates me more for the Mogollon Monster 2014.  (The year, not the new mileage...)  We're slowly improving the trail conditions (they'll still be generally speaking the most technical you'll ever run, just less bloody) and with each run the enthusiasm of fellow runners grows.  More volunteers, more runners, more pacers, all in the sense of maintaining the same feel as Zane Grey manages to embody every year I've been a part of it.  Small town, small great race.  

Zane Grey 2014 will go down in many people's minds as one to remember.  I know the RD Joe Galope and his wife Megan won't forget it any time soon.  Or our mutual HAM Operator and Head Honcho of all the HAM crews that keep everyone safe and informed, Jim Pierce.  It was a tough call to re-route the course a day early and then a tougher one to cut it for everyone.  The reasons are understandable but undoubtedly someone will be upset and send him some long winded email on what else he could have done.  It won't be coming from me or anyone else with a sense in their head.  Joe and Jim made a great decision in the preparation of the storm, many, many adjustments I'm sure they had to make throughout and in tracking down runners off course or in hypothermia.  Directing an ultra in that inaccessible terrain, in those conditions, is a nightmare for a RD.  Yet Joe pulled it off with confidence and instilled a sense of safety in the runners minds that we all appreciate and will remember for a long time.  

Many, many thanks to the volunteers that stayed out in that cold, wet and rainy situation just to keep us all moving through the trail.  
The HAM radio operators were out there with everyone else, and deserve a hell of a lot of credit for keeping everyone safe.  Those guys are some of the best in the entire ultra world.  We're lucky to have them support Zane Grey and the Mogollon Monster every year. Everyone was always smiling, always helpful and I always appreciate that kind of selflessness.  Wrapped up in a plastic bag with 40mph sideways winds ripping the cold through every layer as you sit and write down people's names as the pass a checkpoint in the middle of nowhere?  Yeah, that's a pretty incredible level of selflessness.   

Tomorrow at work people will undoubtably give me crap for running these kinds of races (non-runners).  Why would you WANT to do something like this?!  And the other 200 canned questions that we've all heard so many times before. I tell every one of them that if they just came out and stood at an aid station for 2 hours they would understand everything they need to know. 

It has nothing to do with running.  

Four days away from the 25th annual Zane Grey 50 Mile race and I'm 92% sure I tore something in my knee lifting my ipad off the ground at work today.  Yesterday I broke my left arm in a tragic arm raising exercise in a meeting.  I'm very much concerned that tomorrow I'm going to get hit by a runaway bus.

Of course, I've had these injuries before.  Usually right around the 20th of April...

It's how I know I'm running a great race, a rugged, tough, beat you down race.  Zane Grey certainly is all of that and then some.  These last few years of running has been dedicated to 90% Mogollon Monster prep work and training runs and the rest dedicated to Zane Grey. I don't run any races outside of Phoenix if it's not Zane Grey.  This is it.  This is my "A" race every year.  And I'm 100% ok with that. 

Because to me, its the single greatest race out there.  I love it.  Every rock, every obnoxiously steep and rocky ravine, the turns, meadows, pastures, trees, views, heat, and friends.  I love it all.  I have driven from Phoenix up to Payson so many times now, and yet, the drive has never gotten stale, never boring and I never dread it.  I always feel like the Highline (and above the Rim) is a true adventure.  It's a rarity to see another human out on the trails there.  Sure, you'll see some people camping here and there at trail heads (not Washington Park though, NFS banned camping there...more on that later) but on the trail itself?  It's generally yours for the day.  Its so rugged, devoid of human destruction, and downright beautiful from so many vantage points you constantly find yourself bewildered at where you are right then.  

A few things will be different going into this years race however. 

1)  Weather - The high temperature is typically 72-82 degrees with lows 35-45.  Its currently forecast'd at 54/30.  That would be the lowest high temp in at least 5 years, (likely much longer if I cared enough to check the almanac further).  This is going to be absolutely perfect weather for the race, optimal for most and takes away the advantage all Phoenix/Tucson runners had in heat training this time of year.  It's an advantage that has always helped level the playing field with Flagstaff and Colorado/Utah runners coming from higher elevations but colder weather.  It's generally been hot in Phoenix for a month now and the hotter it is on the Highline the better I tend to do versus others.  Advantage #1 now gone.  Bright side is, it'll be at least a bit more pleasant out there for everyone.

2)  The Highline Trail - Over the last two years Volunteer AZ - VOZ - has done some great trail work after they received a grant to improve the Highline trail and return it to a more sustainable state after years (or decades) of neglect.  Prior to the 2013 ZG race they had already re-routed a section of about 2 miles after Geronimo that removed a rather rough climb through a riverbed of erosion and replaced it with winding singletrack high above the erosion path.  This year they've completed several miles late in the race that does the same thing.  Removes very rough and rocky terrain for higher erosion controls on smoother single track.  There has also been two weekends in April of trail work that has cleared out some very rough sections from Washington Park through the Myrtle Trail turnoff.  That section alone is cleared out to the point that navigation alone is improved because you can detect the trail so much better now than previously when manzanita bushes covered cairns and misled you into following elk trails.  

Those two factors, the weather and the improved trail conditions, could make for some of the fastest times at Zane Grey ever.  Dave Mackey's 7:51 Course Record could finally fall. Hal Koerner, Andrew Miller, Chris Price, Erik Schulte, Brian Peterson, Catlow Shipek, Sion Lupowitz, Nick Coury, Evan Hone and several others are going create a big enough front pack to possibly push the few to continue on at that pace. Kerrie Bruxvort, Michelle Barton both could push for the women's course record.  Kerrie won last year and with better trail conditions and someone to push her it could play into a time for that record to fall as well.

OR...it'll stick around again for another year.  Zane Grey has a way of doing that to people and no matter the conditions...it still chews people up.  

For those that may find this useful here are each of the segments of the race, aid station to aid station, broken out on Strava Run. It's an easy way to interface the route and show various times throughout the race by multiple runners to give newcomers an idea of each individual section. 

Start to Geronimo: 
http://www.strava.com/segments/3221205

Geronimo to Washington Park:http://www.strava.com/segments/2374952

Washington Park to Hell's Gate:http://www.strava.com/segments/4996589

Hell's Gate to Fish Hatchery:http://www.strava.com/segments/6866953

Fish Hatchery to Christopher Creek (Pacer Option)http://www.strava.com/segments/6866956

Christopher Creek to Finish (Pacer Option) 
http://www.strava.com/segments/6866961

And for shits and giggles, here is the first 50K to Fish Hatchery:
http://www.strava.com/segments/3221221

And the entire pacer section from Fish Hatchery (33) to Finish (51)
http://www.strava.com/segments/6866979

And....the entire course:
http://www.strava.com/segments/6582057

Watches are not exact so don't get too excited about the 49.6 miles. It's 51, it just can't always pick up all the million zigs and zags along the way so is usually short on GPS (for me anyway) but a welcome surprise when you get to the finish. (Although the total may be a little different this year after the re-routes.)
 

This is my fourth year running Zane Grey.  Last year I knocked off almost 2 hours from my previous best time and finished in 10:37.  It was by far my hardest effort in a race and my best run race.  I started in the very back of the pack and slowly passed people on a race plan based on attrition not speed.  I wanted to go out at and average the same pace the entire race.  It turned out to work really well in keeping me from getting out of control on the downhills or hanging with people that were going faster than my desired pace.  I was never passed in the entire race where I didn't finish in front of the person and passed all but 12 people by the time I came in.  Even at the final mile I was dreading seeing any other people for the sheer fear and agony of having to push one last time to pass someone.  I simply didn't care at that point what my place was and my goal was to break 10 hours, long gone by then.  Yet my pacer Jay Danek looked back and we took off at the "1 Mile to Go" Ragnar sign (yup...it's a stolen Ragnar sign) and tried to catch this guy and his pacer.  All I wanted to do was just cruise on it, take my 10:40 time and be happy with it. Yet there we were, picking up the pace in an attempt to close a quarter mile gap in the last mile of a 50 miler.  Sheer genius.  

Yet we were closing in on them as we weaved in and out of sight, hoping with each step we got closer and closer before they realized we were behind them.  We got within 200 feet before the woman pacing him turned back and saw us and I knew it was then going to be time to hammer it.  I looked down at my watch and saw there was still at least .3 of a mile left.

It might as well have been 10 miles.  It felt like it was so far away.

I pushed on and we pushed the pace faster and faster until Jay finally pulled off the trail and yelled to get him.  It was like a scene from a movie, not a good one, like one of those shitty Netflix ones that they call a "New Release" but you've never heard of it...ever, but still a movie.  As soon as Jay yelled to hammer it the guys wife/girfriend/pacer yelled to the guy to run.  

So it became a sprint.  A full, unintended sprint to the finish of a race that I'm sure neither of us wanted to sprint at.  Yet here we were, putting the pedal to the absolute floor.  I knew where the finish line was...wait...no I didn't. Nobody does.  The damn thing feels like it's at mile 47 and every turn looks the same, every dip in the trail is the one that pops you out of the woods and to the two rocks that make the finish line.

I had to rely on my memory.  My tank was flashing on "E" and I couldn't possibly hammer this any more without literally passing out.  Or my heart exploding through my shirt.  That is was also a possibility.

With each step I was gaining on him, calculating how much longer I could hold this pace, would I catch him in time, I'm running out of real estate...can I get around him and pass him at the very last turn???

I was within 5 feet. I had closed this massive gap in a short distance and the finish line had to be right around the corner.  I had to make my move and on the very next corner I pushed it even harder, I was going to push past him like a NASCAR driver on the inside corner, just slingshot past him, through the rocks and into the glorious media onslaught that was surely awaiting my long anticipated and utterly dramatic finish.  

Except it wasn't the finish line. 

It was another hill.

And it destroyed me.

I simply could not sprint any longer. I was cashed.  Wasted.  Spent. Ruined.

I slumped over and stumbled through the rocks to the finish, 20 some seconds after my new nemesis.  He came over and we had a great laugh about it, and then I fell to the ground in sheer exhaustion.  

So here I am again, a year later, and going for the sub ten hours once again.  I've run 25% less miles a month this year versus last year but all my race times are the same or faster than last years same training races.  I've got another year of racing Zane under my belt and hopefully can keep towards the back of the pack long enough to pace properly to the end.  If not, I guess I can just sprint the last couple miles to make up time...

My brother Noah is back again this year, healthier and with more miles under his belt (I think he broke 100 miles for March!  New PR for him...only did like 30 last year...:))  He's going to do great again this year!

If you're running the race this year come say hello at registration on Friday! I'll be there for most/all of it helping Joe sign everyone in.  Would love to say hello, Noah and I will be in Mogollon Monster 100 shirts so say hi!  And if not, we'll see you out on the trail soon!  Training runs starting in May!

We set out to clear a big section of the Highline Trail and we finished it.  One manzanita at a time.  

We started out at Hell's Gate and split the two groups up.  Justin Lutick and I went east on the Highline towards Myrtle Trail and Chris Thornley and the rest of our volunteers (Jon Roig, John, Kevin, Kristin, Kelly and Chris) all headed back west to Washington Park.  They had two chainsaws to clear downed trees and we had a pair of loppers.  We cut through swaths of confusing manzanita that now present the Highline Trail as it should be, a trail.  It's still very rough, rocky as hell and the elevation profile hasn't changed at all.  But at least now it's little less confusing which what you need to go.  Those that have done this race in past years will appreciate it.  First timers will think, "This is an improvement...???"

A HUGE thank you to Chris Thornley and guy Chris from Agassiz Cutting out of Flagstaff. Chris has been one of the main reasons the trail is even remotely usable in past years. He's blazed the trail back year after year with his chainsaw's, lugging that thing so far into the backcountry and doesn't get nearly enough credit for all the work he does.  Justin Lutick is basically a Highline Hobo at this point he spends so much time up there lopping away at manzanita.  There isn't a person alive that is more dedicated and passionate about the Highline Trail.  He sacrifices a lot of his time to get the trail in shape and still goes out and kills it on race day.  

It's rare to get so many people out for trail work on the Highline and even more challenging to find a group as hard working as the ones we had.  They had an unbelievable work ethic and helped us get a huge amount of work down in only two days.  I can't thank them all enough and really appreciate Chris and Justin for continually getting out there and knocking it back.

They are going back up again THIS weekend the 12th/13th to tackle Fish Hatchery west to Myrtle and vice versa.  If you are interested let me know and I can connect you with Justin directly or you can sign up through the Zane Grey website, www.zanegrey50.com.  

I uploaded some pictures from the trail work below.  I apologize the verticals are showing as horizontal.  I can't get it to rotate and starting over is not in the cards tonight...

For the Monster these pictures are of what is Hell's Gate to Myrtle Trail.  Mile 57-60 or so.  This work we did will make a HUGE impact on runners navigating this section during the night.  It also makes marking the course and following the course so much easier as we've eliminated a great deal of the "which one of these five elk trails is actually...THE trail??" feeling.  It's pretty evident now which way to go and we've returned the trail back to the original course in several places where overgrowth has naturally forced animals and hikers/runners around large manzanita.  

Good talk.  See you out there! 

https://ultrasignup.com/entrants_event.aspx?did=26358
As of March 6th the above link is the current entrants list.  36 runners total at this point.  We've got an exciting mix of runners and I'm excited to see how it turns out.  Lots of returning runners in Jim Crosson, Honey Albrecht, Geoffrey Foote, Morgan Goff, Rod Sinclair, and Angel Vega.  All with their own stories and only Morgan having previously finished the race.  I'm sure each are coming back for their own reasons and excited to see them come through the finish line in Pine this year.  

There are a fast group of runners this year as well with local speedster Christian Rios taking his chances against the Monster.  Jeremy Bradford is joining us, winner of the Black Hills 100 the last couple years, a course that plays well for the Highline trail, and winner of a number of other hundreds over the years.  Angela Shartel recently entered and last year broke the course record at Angeles Crest 100 in 21 hours and change.  Liza Howard can break 20 hours at a hundred breast feeding her way through the course and locals like Erin Phelps help with a great field to see if the woman's time from last year (only year with female finishers) goes down and by how much.  Brandon Worthington won the tortoise race at Run Rabbit run last year which would have beaten a lot of the hares and will be out there.  Lorenzo Sanchez is fast and from Texas.  That worked out well for Steven Moore last year...

Brian Hopton-Jones has done well at Zane Grey in the past. Michael Miller of Scottsdale is one of the toughest runners on the circuit and I know will do well on the course.  Even if he tries to tell you he's slow, old and sweaty, he'll probably pass you somewhere around 75 miles...and he'll probably offer you his last gel and water as he goes by.  Be sure to thank him.  

Andy Pearson finished 2nd place in the first year in a strong 28 hours and has since gone on to crush a lot of races against some great competition.  Assuming his wedding doesn't get in the way of him coming back he's a smart runner and handled the rocks in his slippers better than I could have imagined.  I hope he makes it back to Pine this fall.

Part of what's great about ultrarunning is ten "elite" runners can show up to a race half of them get beat by people you otherwise haven't heard of buy maybe are speedy local runners or a specific course or conditions played to their strengths and the killed it. Marius Toma is one of those guys.  He lives here in Arizona, doesn't run a lot of races but has finished the Monster the only two years we've had it, the only person to have done so, and finshed third this year passing three guys on the final descent.  Gabriel Szerda finished 2nd last year and lives in NYC.  He lives at sea level and it was his first 100...of course I later found out he wrested in the Sydney Olympics for Australia so he's obviously a competitor but it just goes to show you, anyone can win any race.  Especially one so technical and with so many unknowns as the Monster with weather, heat and cold affecting runners throughout the race.  It's a lot of fun to see it all unfold come race day.  

I get emails asking what organization or charity the race supports with portions of the entry fee's.  For anyone that has started a race from scratch before...the first few years are not exactly revenue generators and therefore allocating funds to a charity or cause is challenging.  In 2013 I started my involvement with Team RWB and that involvement continues into 2014 and now the Mogollon Monster 100.  

Team RWB is a foundation built around the need and drive to enrich the lives of America's veterans by connecting them to the community through physical and social activity.  It's an organization I choose to be involved with an support because the people behind it are real, honest and passionate about making a difference in our veteran's lives.  And its working.  

This year we have several Team RWB members running the Monster and we're donating a portion of entrants fee's to Team RWB at the end of the registration period in hopes our small contribution can continue to help both our local chapter as well as those across the country.  Having runners wearing the RWB "Eagle" shirts along the course is something special to see and I hope more and more sign up throughout the year to fill the trails with Red, White and Blue come September.  If you are interested in learning more about Team RWB visit their website at www.teamrwb.org.  You don't have to be a veteran to join.  There are chapters all over the country now and if there's not, then maybe you can start one for your community.  It's all on the website and this video gives you a great overview of the cause Team RWB supports.  We are fortunate to have Liza Howard, Bill Egan, John Markham, Rainer Schulz running the race (and I think I'm missing someone...) as well as Jay & Traci Danek and others volunteering on race day.  

We'll be running the Mountain 2 Fountain 15K road race as the Team RWB team this Sunday! More exciting news on the Team RWB front as we get closer to race day!

Mudder races have never really interested me.  Yet last year the Town of Payson, Arizona added one to their annual Mountain High Games they have each spring and called it...

"The Mogollon Monster Mudder 5K"

I was admittedly annoyed at the name as I knew I would start getting emails mixing up the two races.  It was unavoidable and sure enough...still happens.  

So I signed up last year the same day and was thrown into one of the last heats.  Some local kid, tall Varsity Blues 6'3" 18 year old star QB was in my heat and everyone was talking about how he was going to win the entire race, out of all 300+ people.  Having never done an obstacle course except for those in the Army years ago, I wasn't quite sure how to pace an event like that.  So I just fell in behind this kid who went out like a rocket.  After the first two walls and 1/4 mile we were carrying 50lb bags of sand through thick (and rocky) mud.  He walked, I ran.  As I went by him I gave him a little encouragement to pick up the pace and we took off.  I hammered the rest of the course and beat him despite being stuck behind the last people in the heat in front of me on the ladder obstacles and unable to pass. We finished a few minutes apart but ended up 4th and 5th place overall respectively.  I left the race completely battered, bruised and bleeding. 

It may have been a 5k but even the 5k's in the Mogollon Rim country are rocky, rough and brutal.  

And I can't wait to go back! http://paysonrimcountry.com/Portals/0/2014_Mud%20Run_Information_Registration_packet.pdf

It continues to amaze me how much is available on the internet regarding the Mogollon Monster and search to find him/her.  Click on the photo above and you'll see...it's out there.  

Apparently.

Trail work is a constant effort on the Mogollon Rim.  Manzanita grows annually over the trail and needs to be cut back or it cuts you.  Many trails of the Mogollon Monster are clear, many need work.  The winter and heavy snow and runoff wreck havoc on erosion bars or cutting away new sections of trail and creating misleading turnoff's on the trail.  It requires a lot of work and the reason that we require 8 hours of volunteer work along with the registration.  Because this isn't the only race that needs this kind of help, it's required all over the country with simply different degrees of need.  

So April 5th and 6th we will be basing out of Washington Park Aid Station (Mile 26,51 and 86 of the race) and working along the Highline Trail to clear brush, manzanita and areas of need before the upcoming Zane Grey 50M race.  We'll start at 8am on Saturday and 8am on Sunday and will work sections throughout the day.  We'll be camping overnight and will provide food and drink for anyone that wants to stick around or camp.  Any amount of help is appreciated, either one day or two or partial days.  We'll take whatever you can provide.  Please bring gloves, a chainsaw if you happen to have one and you obviously can safely use one.  We'll provide the rest assuming you have a pack to carry your own water and trail food while out working.  

The Highline Trail is beautiful in the early spring with occassional snowfall on the Rim above the trail.  It's an opportunity to fulfill 8 hours of trail work needed for not only Mogollon (we also accept volunteer hours at ultras) but also for other 100's you may be running this summer with the same requirements.  We can sign off on that for you and happy to do so with your assistance.  If you are interested in joining us for one or both of the days please email me at azadventures@getoutgetlost.com so I know how many will be joining us.  

And just to keep things interesting...we're adding to the family on July 22nd this year.  Jen and I are welcoming our second child, a baby girl, into the Monster family this summer and Dean will be almost 2 and a half come race day.  First an infant at the race the first year, then running around this past year.  I think I can get him to carry 5 gallon water jugs by 2015. :)

Safe training and we'll see you out on the trail soon!  Monthly training runs to be detailed soon with dates and routes after Zane Grey concludes in late April.  

Have you seen this video yet?  Seriously, it's incredible.  http://zanegrey50.com/