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Pacific Coast Trail Runs (PCTR), known for hosting over 25 ultra distance events annually on the US West coast such as the Headlands 100 and the Skyline to the Sea 50k, announced they will be sponsoring a race team for 2011. This is the first year for Team PCTR, but given who is on their roster, you're going to see a lot of them!

The 2011 Team PCTR includes:

When Kermit Cuff isn't helping inner city kids through a 500-mile relay, you can find him at the closest super-long ultramarathon such as the Angeles Crest 100, Headlands 100, Bishop 100k, Moab 100, or crewing at Badwater. He's starting off 2011 with a bang at the 24-hour New Year's Eve run.
Zachary Landman is a fast-rising star in the California ultra community, after being drawn to the sport to raise money for a 4th grade science class and orphanage he had taught prior to coming to medical school in San Francisco. After clawing and scraping his way to a sub-24hr finish at Tahoe Rim Trail 100m, he vowed never to run ultras again upon crossing the finish line. Well, a couple marathons later, he was back on the trails eventually winning Avalon 50 Mile (6:30), Quicksilver 50 Mile (6:50), and setting the course record at Big Basin 50K (4:39), all good preparation for his first Western States in June (which he was able to finish w/ a fast final 20 miles in 16th overall - 18:48.)
 
Originally from Washington, DC, Charles Lantz began trail running out east and took it to a whole new level once I moved to the Bay Area. Accolades include being a regional champion and attending the National Championships for the XTERRA Trail Run Series in 2009, finishing 3rd overall for his age group in the PCTR Trail Run Series of 2008, and placing at the top of his age group (21-29) in all of his PCTR events.
Joel Lanz specializes in the 50k and 50-mile distances, and is looking forward to upping the ante at Miwok this year. He's pictured here at The North Face 50.







Marla Moresi-Valdes races 50k's most, and has been going even farther this year to feed a passion for fitness that knows no bounds. Don't let the professional mug shot throw you off (it's the only one I could find online) - she's not afraid to tackle the dirt at races like Miwok, Lake Sonoma 50m, The North Face Challenge, and the Headlands.

Larissa Polischuk jumped head first into distance runnning, having logged over 30 races at the marathon distance or further in just three short years.  She has lived in California for five years and has been a trail runner ever since her first Dipsea practice run in early 2006.  2010 highlights include: 2nd place HURT 100K, 2nd place Quicksilver 50 miler, 1st place Angel Island 50K and in 2009 was 1st in her age group and 2nd in overall female PCTR standings.

Brett Rivers lives in San Francisco, CA and trains with a crew of trail ninjas that lurk throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.  He completed three 100 milers in 2010 (HURT 24:40/4th, Tahoe Rim 18:53/2nd, Pine2Palm 22:24/5th).  2011 will bring the Boston Marathon, Western States 100, numerous PCTR races, and weekend adventures in the Sierras for backcountry runs, climbing, and backpacking with friends.
Ian Sharman has yet to meet an ultra or marathon he doesn't like. He posted numerous top ultra finishes in 2010, including a spectacular double at Western States (8th) and Comrades (6:01). winning the Tahoe Triple Marathon, and 26 other distance runs. He has another crazy schedule for 2011, including returning to both States and Comrades, Rocky Raccoon 100, and representing Great Britain at the 100k World Championships.

Caren Spore has been one of the top female ultrarunners in the US for years, having multiple top finishes at Western States, and recently setting the course record at the Quad Dipsea. You will likely find her running anything and everything that is steep, hot, or fast. Reach the peak of a mountain with her (like I did at the Diablo 50m), and you will hear her lion roar!

On Saturday, I had the great pleasure of joining 120 runners for the Woodside Trail Marathon in Woodside, CA, put on by Coastal Trail Runs. This 5k/11 mile/22 mile/marathon race was a great way to share my stomping grounds with some new trail runners and enjoy a day of perfect winter running before a weeklong storm.

Coastal Trail Runs is the sister organization of Pacific Coast Trail Runs, focusing on marathon-and-under distances to attract new recruits to the wonderful world of trails. Based on the number of hands that shot up in the air when RD’s Brian Wyatt and Marissa Walker asked “how many are running their first trail run?”, they are certainly succeeding. But what could be more attractive than a crystal clear winter day in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a perfectly marked course, and buffet aid stations? They will all be hooked for sure.

At 9am, they sent us off into early morning shadows of the redwood canopy of Huddart Park. The 5k runners blazed down the single track, slowing only when Richards Road (mile 2) started to climb. I was about 10 people back, running along with Daryl Hultquist, who had taken advantage of a business trip to run some trails far from his home in Maryland. “Our hills are about 200 feet tall”, he said, pacing himself up the first 2,000 foot climb. He was certainly going to enjoy this marathon! After this climb, we would run 5.5 miles of the Skyline Trail to Wunderlich Park and do a down-and-up loop before returning.



Being my home turf, my feet fit the grooves of the trail like a comfortable pair of slippers. Honestly, it was a bit unfair to the others to know every nook and cranny, and I quickly picked my way through all but the first three 5k runners. I sang along with my steps (Kelly Clarkson…I know, pretty corny) and absorbed the sun-sprinkled warmth through the swaying tree branches. Winter running in California is truly marvelous! I hit the first aid station (mile 6) in 50 minutes, and Sarah Spelt and Aaron Doman let me know that I was the first of the marathon/22-milers to arrive. Probably a bit too fast this early in the season, but I was having a blast so I took the refill and ran.


 I couldn’t see anyone behind me, so I cranked Wolfmother on the iPod and made my way down the Skyline Trail. It’s funny how a trail you have run 100+ times can look so different if you just slap on a number and have some ribbons to follow. I ran fartlek style, staying in my aerobic zone until just the right hill or guitar solo demanded a surge. I reached aid station #2 (mile 11) in 1:30, finding the brave volunteers manning the “high altitude” aid station and staying warm against the growing breeze. They filled me up with a smile and sent me down into Wunderlich Park.



No matter how many times I do the loop through Wunderlich, the climb out just messes with my head with all the false summits and long fire roads. I figured some comedy could assist and switched the tunes to They Might Be Giants “Science is Real”, a hilarious kids album to learn about cells, gravity, and the Kelvin scale. I giggled my way back up the summit, much to the delight of the many hikers out enjoying the morning.



Back at the aid station (mile 16), the 22-milers were getting their grub on. I was still just on water (thank you, Vespa) so I did a quick refill before joining them on the return trip. It was great to have some company! There were lots of smiling faces still working their way towards us, and each graciously made room for passing while shouting words of encouragement. The PCTR/Coastal Trail Runs community overflows with optimism!



I flew through the next section, my legs on autopilot and (falsely) thinking we were almost done since our driveway was near. The consolation prize was seeing my family waiting for me at the last aid station (mile 21), dogs and all! Martha (the Bernese Mountain Dog) tackled me while Rocky (the Pug) got to work on the salt in my knee pits. Sophie was all smiles, and Christi was packing her .44 Magnum Canon camera. I didn’t want to stay too long since this was a race after all, but Sarah let me know I was well ahead of the rest and gaining on the first few folks in the 22-miler. I guess the home field has its advantages! We snapped a few pics, and I was on my way to the last long descent..



A light rain kicked in, hinting at storms to come (prediction was 20” of rain in 6 days), but for now it was blissful. I am one lucky soul to call this my backyard. With one quick huff up to the Crystal Springs Trail (that part is always hard), I eased up and enjoyed the final two miles of single track and fire road.



I breezed into the finish in 3:36:04, good enough for 1st place and an awesome coffee mug trophy. The 22-mile winners had arrived about 10 minutes ahead of me, and Daryl (4:01:54) took second in the marathon with Rachel Rodriguez (4:05:08) just a few minutes behind to win the Women's division. Finland's Mikko Valimaki (1:17:52) and local Caitlin Roake (1:30:37) took honors in the 11 mile, and Michael Popov (32:32) and Lisa Penzel (37:35) won the 5-miler (all results). We relaxed in the winter sun, eating snacks and sharing stories of our favorite sections of the race. It was so fulfilling to hear their perspective and experience the trails through fresh eyes. My hike home found me seeing once-familiar trails brighter and more vivid, noticing details with a childlike curiosity. First time trail runners, you are welcome any time, my friends!



My thanks to the RD’s and volunteers of Coastal Trail Runs for a great race, and congratulations to all the runners (especially you first timers!). I hope to see you all again soon, and look forward to seeing more smiling faces in my backyard. For those interested, Pacific Coast Trail Runs will be back in Woodside on February 6th – come check it out!
- SD

Wendell, Sarah, Aaron and the Pacific Coast Trail Runs (PCTR) crew did a marvelous job at their first annual Awards Ceremony for the 2008 Trail Run Series. Winners and their families convened at Heather Park in Walnut Creek, CA, for t-shirts, coasters (a PCTR signature award), raffle prizes, food, and an optional fun run.

Will Gotthardt and I were able to surprise them with some gifts in appreciation. One was a book of photos and quotes from the year (this was my "special project" that you all helped with - thank you, everyone!), which you can take a look at here. After the ceremony, everyone came up and signed the book to share their thanks!


I know some of you asked about how to get a copy, and thanks to the generosity of those who sent photos, you can click above and order one. I would recommend the "premium paper" and "Imagewrap" options, since that was the layout I designed it for. I put the book together using blurb.com. Here's the dedication from the first page:

This collection of photos and quotes is a gift of appreciation to Wendell, Sarah, and Aaron for their passion and dedication to Pacific Coast Trail Runs, and the amazing season we had in 2008. Thank you for giving us all the opportunity to easily add fun and adventure to our lives.

- The runners, hikers, and walkers of PCTR

Will also presented Wendell and Sarah with a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant (thanks to many contributions), a "100-Mile Man" sweatshirt for Aaron (who completed 100 miles at Across the Years), and Starbucks gift certificates to some of the regular volunteers. The best part of the surprise gift was the generous, and well-deserved, standing ovation from the crowd in appreciation of the hard work and passion they put into every race.



It was a lot of fun to see everyone in their "street clothes". Thanks again, PCTR!

- SD

On Saturday, I had the great pleasure of joining 350 trail runners for the Woodside 50k/35k/17k/10k in my hometown of Woodside, CA. We had a perfect day of sun and 55 degree weather, which was more than enough to put smiles on faces all around as we enjoyed the romp in the redwoods. Another fantastic race put on by Pacific Coast Trail Runs!

I was pleased just to make it to the starting line thanks to a nasty cold bug that Sophie brought home from school a week ago. I’ve been hacking up enough green oysters over the last week to stock a fishbowl. But I was on the final stretch of my recovery, so I just loaded up on cold medicine, planned to drink plenty of fluids, and lined up at the start of the 50k with no intentions other than enjoying the Fall colors and crisp air. The weather was unusually clear at the starting line, and we squinted into the sun as RD’s Wendell and Sarah (and Aaron) Doman gave us last minute instructions. At 8:30am, we were off!


The front runners set a brutal pace from the beginning, with speed demon Leor Pantilat, collegiate track star (28:50 for the 10k) and Stanford graduate student Keith Bechtol, perennial top finisher and PC Trail Runs Series top contender Will Gotthardt, and Redding, CA’s Trevor Nelson taking off like they were being chased. I was impressed that Leor and Will had any legs at all, since both of them had run the Quad Dipsea last weekend. Given the perfect conditions and newly groomed trails, the 3:52 course record was definitely going to get some pressure. I paced along with Jason Reed and Jamie Olsen as we launched into the big climb to the top of Huddart Park.

I recognized the back of Jason’s head and his efficient stride, and we quickly figured out that I had run along with him at a couple of races this year. He was tackling the full 50k this time which was, and I’m dead serious, his 87th race this year. Yowza! He also did the Quad Dipsea last weekend, but you would never know from his effortless climbing and friendly banter.

Jamie, a swimming and wrestling coach from Sacramento, CA, was a road racer (marathon and ultra) who was giving this “trail thing” a try. He and Jason really hit it off, talking about the best marathons and races in Northern California and their various experiences. Jason and I were familiar with this course, so we had plenty of tips to share. My big one for this race was “don’t go anaerobic until you hit the first aid station, then make up ground by charging the downhills on the way to Wunderlich”. I had figured this out at the Woodside 50k earlier this year, where I clocked my best 4:14.


The trails were fast, much in thanks to most of the Crystal Springs Trail being smoothed and paved with some base asphalt. I missed the roots and rocks, but this was definitely faster. We made the first aid station (5 miles) in 50 minutes, with a chorus of coyotes bringing us in. The awesome aid station volunteers said we were already 10 minutes behind the leaders. Wow! One of the volunteers handed me a note from Christi and Sophie which they left on their way out a few minutes earlier (the aid station is next to our driveway). Go, Daddy, Go!


Jason, Jamie and I kept a comfortable pace on the Skyline Trail towards Wunderlich. I kept telling them what was ahead and when to sprint, and Jamie asked, “how many times have you run on these trails?”. I shocked myself when I did the math – it was nearly 1000 times! Guess I don’t have to pre-run this course. ;-)


About halfway in, I took the lead to show the other guys how to bomb the little downhill stretches. My feet found the right footing like only a local could, and I quickly gapped them by two minutes before reaching the second aid station (mile 11). The crisp Fall air cleared up my throat and sinuses, allowing my lungs to soak in the oxygen. It felt great! I made a quick stop for refills and headed down into Wunderlich.

The next stretch of downhill was just gorgeous, and the trees were full of birds singing the praises of a beautiful Fall day. I couldn’t see a soul in front or behind me, and for a moment it felt like I was just out on my weekly long run. There was no need to turn on the iPod – my senses were alive with the sights and sounds of the lush and leafy canyons. Is there any better place to be on a nice sunny Fall day? My heart filled with joy knowing hundreds of people were out today enjoying the trails I am so lucky to frequent.




About half way down, I caught a glimpse of Will and Trevor about a ½ mile ahead. Maybe I wasn’t that far back! I did my best to pick up the speed but went miles without seeing them again. I reached the climb back up and knew that Will was probably mountain goating up and trying to break Trevor. Ten minutes later, I caught up to Trevor walking and regrouping with some tunes. I should have warned him about Will and those climbs!


The climb back became an out-and-back, and the smiles of other runners powered me up to the top. I reached the aid station (mile 18) and Will had definitely put 7-8 additional minutes on me. Even scarier, Keith and Leor were 30 MINUTES ahead of me. And we’re only half way! The course record would fall for sure. I chugged a Vespa, grabbed some jelly beans for the road, and joined the 35k runners to head back home. Trevor entered the aid station as I left, so he was rallying!






I ran the whole stretch back, chatting with runners along the way. All of them were smiling ear to ear and enjoying how the sun was breaking through the redwood canopy. The temperature remained ideal – mid-50’s with a slight breeze, just enough that you couldn’t overheat if you tried. I came into the last aid station (mile 26) and got one last refill before taking on the final downhill descent. They mentioned that Bechtol and Pantilat were well on course record pace, with Bechtol a few minutes in the lead.

My pace was good down the last hill, but not good enough to hold off Harry Walter who was having a PR kind of day. He looked great! He quickly put 30 seconds on me, so I picked up the pace to keep him in sight. I knew some fire roads were up ahead, and suspected I had the leg speed to catch him again. I hit the roads and turned up the pace to 5:45 min/miles, and caught him with a mile to go. I offered to run in together with him, but he said, “nope, we should race to the end”. You gotta respect that! So I turned up the speed and charged and Harry stuck right on me. The last 800 meters were flat out, and I crossed the finish in 4:22:30, narrowly beating Harry by less than a second. We both staggered to the rest area and held off dry heaves, patting each other on the back for a well-earned finish. Harry did PR by a large margin, and was quite pleased. I was so proud of him!

Keith Bechtol did bring home the win in a smokin’ 3:35:15, taking nearly 20 minutes off the course record. Leor Pantilat was second, just three minutes behind and also well below the course record. Look out Krupicka and Skaggs – we got some new California young guns to give you a run for your money! Will Gotthardt finished third in a respectable 4:08, bringing him within a few points to win the PC Trail Run Series. Heather Burcar from Golden, CO, won the Women’s division in 4:53:19.



In the short course races, Elliot Wright (2:45:37) and Jennifer Dolson (2:58:28) won the 35k, Gary Gellin (1:10:39, new course record) and Bonnie Niesen (1:28:32) won the 17k, and Michael Skaff (48:36) and Christy Haddad (53:37) brought home gold in the 10k. (All results here)



As we ate chili and snacks in the sun, more smiling runners came flying down the home stretch. Sarah Doman was surprised with a birthday cake, and hopefully got a slice before the hungry trail runners devoured what was left. I smiled into the sun, listening to the laughter and camaraderie around me as friends new and old wished each other a happy holiday. Another epic day in the mountains!

- SD