Scott’s Blog

Before I write my race report, I have many people I want to publicly thank for their generosity and support. It took the help of many friends, old and new, to get me to that Hardrock Hundred starting line, and ultimately the finish line in 26:08. This race provided plenty of challenges, before and during, but with the great energy of friends and support of so many I was able to perform as I had planned.

I am grateful for the following individuals, as well as to many others who may have been left out as the list could go on and on. Kyle Skaggs provided companionship on the trails during my peak training and during my month in Silverton. Truly a great young and talented runner with all the right stuff to make a champion, he’s one to watch for in upcoming years, including his first 100 mile attempt in this year’s Wasatch 100. Beyond all our training runs, I enjoyed spending time in the kitchen with him at Mountain Studies Institute (MSI) where Kyle’s working as a research assistant.

A big thank you to the folks at MSI for their graciousness as hosts and for use of this kitchen, where I also met Imtiaz, an Indian graduate student from Rutgers. Imtiaz and I had a great time whipping up tasty vegan meals, including some delicious Indian fare. He played a large role as Ayurvedic healer during my four day stomach virus followed by an ankle sprain (there will be a future post on details of the ankle rehab). Imtiaz’s friendly face and upbeat personality helped me stay positive through the challenges leading up to the race.

Also deserving thanks in ankle rehab is Emily Baer (she and Imtiaz also get some credit for getting me on the soccer field in the first place). Emily was very kind to repeatedly let me into her home to use her ultrasound machine amidst her own busy pre-race preparations. She also did the research to hook me up with two Durango physical therapists and coordinated transport of bracing equipment provided by them. The products from John McAward of McAward Physical Therapy and from David Rakita were crucial to my race.

My wife, Leah, and friend, Jeff Crisope, were flawless in their crewing duties, patiently spending 26 hours to make sure I had what I wanted when arriving in the aid stations, as well as making sure I got it quickly. Nate McDowell did a stellar job pacing me from Grouse Gulch (mile 42) to Telluride (mile 72), making sure I didn’t let up on the long dirt road climbs to Engineer Pass and Governor Basin. My trusty pacer and long time friend, Dusty Olson, paced me from Telluride in, keeping me entertained with his wit and humor while working me to the bone up some of the gnarly climbs.

Dale Garland and the Hardrock Hundred committee held an incredible and professional event. They have a spectacularly beautiful course and do a superb job organizing this quality race. I’d like to thank all the other competitors, including Karl Meltzer, Mark Hartell, and Ricky Denesik for the great run and competition throughout the race. Congrats to all who took part in this challenging run.

Lastly, because they deserve a lot of thanks and becuase people are always asking me what gear I use, a special thanks to my sponsors for their continued support of my training and racing. Brooks Sports provided some very key products for the rugged terrain and mountain climate, including the Cascadia III (this new model is available to the public in January), HVAC Glycerin Socks, HVAC Shorts, HVAC Seamless Boxer, and LSD Jacket, among others. Green Foods provides me with my daily dose of barley grass with their Green Magma and Magma Plus. For years people have been asking me what the green stuff is that I drink at aid stations- yes, I use this during the race as well for the digestive enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. And Pro-Tec for their Ankle Wrap and Ice-Up which got plenty of use before and after this race! The support and products from these companies help me get to the finish line fast and strong every time.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 21st, 2007 at 3:36 pm and is filed under Gear, Racing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.