RockOn said:

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Any tips on acclimating to elevation? I'm struggling over 10,000 ft. In addition to moving real slow, my stomach will knot up, won't digest anything, and then I'll puke. Pure water is about the only thing I can take down when above 10k.

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I don't have any particular tips, but I guess I've never been really sick from altitude before. I just remember it took me a long time to get used to running at elevation. Specifically, it took a while before I could run a mile without panting like a dog.

What elevation do you live at now? I'm at 6,700 feet, and most of my running is between 5,000 and 10,000 feet. It's not very often I get much above 10,000 feet.

I'm now at 2 months in living at about 4,500 feet Most of my runs are between 4,500 and 7,000 ft and I'm not having any issues there. It takes a good 45 minute drive to get to a trailhead that can take you above 10k ft. I suppose I'm just going to have to keep at it at least once week until it gets better.


What are you eating or drinking when above 10k?

I don't change anything about my nutrition for high altitude. I guess just keep working at it, and make sure to take it easy once you get up high. Altitude is funny, it can affect different people in lots of different ways, or not at all.

Sorry to hear about your run Coop, but I know you'll bounce back.

Not running related but definitely trail-worthy. The wife and I, along with 2 friends just completed the Maroon Bells four pass loop. We backpacked it over 3 nights. It's definitely on my shortlist of courses to run in Colorado once I'm able. It's ~27 miles with about 8K ft of elevation gain, the four passes are all over 12K.

Four pass loop is on my list.

Thanks, Pilot. I've seen a few good videos of running the four pass loop and it looks incredible. I'm sure that was an amazing trip.

Have you made it out to the San Juans yet? I did some hiking out there about 8 years ago, and every time I see clips from Hardrock it makes me want to go back.

We've done a few hikes around Pagosa springs. We like the area but it's a bit of a drive from Denver.

Yeah, but think how much shorter the drive is from Denver compared to Dallas!

That's true. and much more scenic.

been watching a bunch of trail running videos on youtube lately. I really miss trail running.

Been spending a lot of time on the mountain bike, and I love it...but there's just something about running.

Candice just ran 60:47 for the new unsupported TRT record.

Phenomenal run by Candice. The TRT is getting a lot of attention right now.

1 day after I took off for my attempt, former Tahoe 200 champ and CR holder Kyle Curtin took off for an attempt of his own. I caught wind of his attempt a few days prior and sent him a good luck message. We chatted for a bit about our plans and strategies. He was going unsupported, but was aiming for Kilian's supported time. He came up just short of that, but demolished the unsupported time by over 10 hours. This is EXACTLY why I attempted my run when I did; I was sure that with all the race cancellations someone of his caliber would come out and post a new time that would be completely out of my reach, and he did.

Anyway, here's a good write-up of his run.

https://durangoherald.com/articles/331012-durangos-kyle-curtin-conquers-another-record-time-for-tahoe

Was above 11,000 ft for about 2 hours last night running to Mt Superior then over to Mt Monte Cristo and back. No issues, so no idea. I only had water in my hydration bladder. So i'll stick with that plus the occasional gel and maybe a salt pill if things get hot.

Nice. Any snow up at those elevations where you're at?

We had a big snow year but was early season, very little late season. So little snow left, only patches in northern exposures. All ridges and peaks are clear.

coop-aero-06 said:

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Nice. Any snow up at those elevations where you're at?

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There are still some small patches in the shade.

For Mt Timp we crossed about 7 snow patches of about 10 yards each. And then on Thursday's Mt Superior there was only 1 snow patch of about 10 ft to cross.

In late May to early June there was still a lot of snow and people were still skiing stuff if they could hike up to it.

I'm glad to hear that you are back at it and hope that the progress keeps up.

Good stuff, keep it up!

My biggest COVID fear has become a reality for Tommy (Rivers) Puzey. Despite a life of trail & ultra fitness, he's hospitalized in ICU due to COVID. Just crazy.

Awesome man! I'm right there with you on this journey back. I'm only at 4 min segments right now though.

Congrats man!

I have questions. Will ask later.

Jim is well under Kilian's CR pace. He's going to flirt with 20 hours on that course.

Sounds like he's dropped with stomach issues.

Glad I'm not the only one

RockOn said:

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My biggest COVID fear has become a reality for Tommy (Rivers) Puzey. Despite a life of trail & ultra fitness, he's hospitalized in ICU due to COVID. Just crazy.

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i'm sure you've seen by now, but its not Covid. Its a rare form of cancer.

Yes, saw the update. Pretty heartbreaking.

Nice summary of Jim's Hardrock FKT attempt:

I'm still working my way through my TRT report. Will try to post something soon.

listened to that this morning. Looking forward to Walmsley's recap/video that he said he was going to be posting.


still looking forward to be able to do some real running again, hopefully early next year. Not sure if I mentioned it, but i switched PTs a couple months ago (started seeing aggiederelict), and when I did, I requested my imaging from the lab. Turns out, I have labral tears on both sides. No one told me about the left side. Interestingly, the pain is mostly gone on the right side, but now i'm having issues on the left. Very frustrating.

Realizing that you likely have the same questions, how does that even happen? They just didn't look at the left side? Have you talked to the doctor about it? Seems like an easily avoidable thing that is now a setback in recovery. I think I'd lose it on someone if I were in your shoes.

its frustrating, but it is what it is...to be cliche.

doc ordered the MRI on the right side. Imagining center ended up doing both sides. Not sure if they only sent results for the side ordered or if the full results went and the left was not relayed to me. Haven't been back to the original doc....Longish story, but that doc works in a clinic my wife use to be in. She got furloughed, and when she went back to work, they sent her to a different office. To me, it doesn't really matter, as rehab has been the same. We concentrated a little more on the right side, but rehab exercises have been done on both sides, as to not create an imbalance. As I mentioned to aggiederelict, some, if not all, of the pain on the left side has been there since the "original" injury. I was attributing some of it to the right side, but now that the right has mostly subsided, I can definitely tell it is coming from the left side. Overall, the discomfort in the left pales in comparison to what has going on with my right side. My timeline wouldn't have been shortened knowing I had two tears, as the right side has just recently gotten drastically better. Only reason I changed PTs is that I had plateaued (after some significant progress) with the PT I had been seeing for 6 months and wanted to see if a "different angle" would produce more progress. So far, so good.

Now, will i go back to that same sports doc that did the original exam? not sure.

I guess it makes a bit more sense if the original order was only for the right. I made the assumption that both were MRI'd (intentionally), and they missed the tears in the left. Either way, I can see how it falls in the category of not being able to change it and no point in getting mad about it, so just do the work to get past it. Frustrating for sure, but hopefully your progress will keep up.

So at Saturday's Speedgoat I saw a guy and thought "LOL dude looks like Jim Walmsley" and didn't think much more of it. Turns out it was him. He came from his Hardrock attempt over to support his girlfriend that raced (and won) the 28k.

Nice. I can't remember, did you race Speedgoat?

I used to train a little bit with the girl you're talking about. She was a local out here when I got into trail running, then moved to AZ when she and Jim got together. Super nice, and a very strong runner.

Can't say I "raced" it but I finished It was my first true mountain race/event of my life. I've done a lot of trail races in TX and Arkansas, but nothing like Speedgoat. It made my Ouachita 50 seem like a casual stroll through the woods.

It was a really strong year for the female 28k. Jessica was 2 min off from breaking the course record, and the Top 10 All Time now includes 4 from this years race. Also the short course was about a mile longer than years past (coming in at 18.5 mi or so).

So really impressive all around for the womens short course field.