Sunday, December 12, 2010

TNF Endurance Challenge 50 Follow-Up, Photos


Beware the future.. here comes 20 year old Dakota Jones.


Here are some pics I pirated from a few sources, most notably Rick Gaston, and from Andy Skurka and Justin Mock. There isnt too much original on this post that you can't find elsewhere on Running Times, irunfar, or facebook.

With Jonathan Wyatt, the best ever to run mountains (in my opinion), 2x Olympian, many timesWorld Mt Running Champ, etc. I gather that next year will be more competitive than this year's TNF Champs, as he will be running it.

Steep Ravine ladder. Previous to this year, the race descended this, which is harder than going up at race pace. Headlands 50K uses this ladder on it's course too. (Headlands 50K is back this year in August with Tim and Diana Fitzpatrick as RDs)


Young Michael Owen; fast collegiate runner.


Lizzy Hawker (2nd Place)


Uli.. this guy will be hungry next year.


Vive la France et Nouveau Zealand!


Chris Lundstrom.. 3rd last year, hungry next year


Erik Skaggs.. thought this guy was going to hunt us down later in the race.


Brit Jez Bragg; glad he made the trip


New Marin denizen, schoolteacher, father Leigh Schmidt


Joelle Vaught.. she and I and Travis Macy raced adventure races together, most recently in Mexico. She is an awesome teammate, great on her feet, good at biking and paddling, and a pleasure to spend multiple days with while racing.


Unidentified, unknown overly-happy runner
listening to Justin Bieber.. Nice sideways bib number, pal.


Podium glamour shot; Heras, Roes, me

Andy Skurka. He was the 2007 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. Andy just finished an epic 6000 mile trek around Alaska, solo, unsupported. Amazing. I saw him in the food tent after the race, and he was chatting with some folks who had no idea how accomplished Andy is, and I tried to enlighten them that Andy does things well beyond (and above, in many ways) the scope of ultrarunning. I don't think they got it though. With a few more speed workouts next year Andy will fare better than 20th place.


I ran yesterday with Tony, Geoff, and Bob Africa. In the Chataqua parking lot, a young couple from New Jersey came up and said, "Hey are you Tony? Man, I love your blog!" They took a photo, then I told them that they were also in the company of Geoff Roes, to which they said, "Man I read you blog too! I read all your blogs!"
It was funny because it is so easy to recognize some characters in the sport of ultrarunning, particularly Karnazes and Tony, due to their unique visages; oiled and waxed vs hairy and grungy. Geoff (2009 and soon-to-be 2010 Ultrarunner of the Year) is less noticable because he keeps a lower profile and has the less distinct looks, but in many races is better than Tony, and is light-years faster than Karnazes. Tony mentioned was that at TNF 50 he'd heard that Geoff was talking with Dean, when two cute girls came up and asked for a photo with ..Dean, of course. Guess who the girls asked to actually click the photo of them with Dean.. Geoff! Funny how it all works..
(Note that I don't mean to rail on Dean at all as I respect him a ton and he has won some ultras. I have mentioned him recently just because given his many achievements he is a tangible, known yardstick by which to measure. Vive la Dean.)

15 comments:

  1. Hi,

    "Vive la France" should probably read "Viva Espana"...

    Keep up with your blog too. We're reading as well ;-)

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  2. Funny comment about the blogging, I read all your blogs and made the same comment to Geoff on seeing him while checking in at the Hostel before the race (I did the 50K).

    It's inspiring to read about your adventures, so keep up the writing.

    As to Dean, I've run into him several times over the years and he has always been super nice, albeit excellent at marketing as well (not a bad thing!).

    All the best.

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  3. Yes Dean is a super cool, nice guy..
    I love Spain.. been to Spain, Andorra, and France and loved the Pyrenees. Havent been to NZ but will get there for sure. Congrats to Heras on his win!

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  4. That photo and your comments of Hal are perfecto!

    Why don't you go to Bandera and gain entry to WS? You've got a great race at ws brewing in you, I'm sure of it!

    Great job at NF and please do keep up with the blogging.
    Tim

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  5. Hi Dave,

    Are you going to "Chubby Cheeks 50K" this Saturday?

    jason schlarb
    jasonschlarb.blogger.com

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  6. Great post Dave! Funny stuff. Thanks again for the pink bathing suits!

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  7. No chubby cheeks for me; we will be on the east coast for the holidays breathing lovely sea level air.
    What pink beathing suits, Jeff? That's an odd comment for you to post ;)

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  8. I was hanging out post-race with random folks. Some from Colorado. Talked to this guy. Pretty laid back and sounded like he did good. Never got his name. Later I asked...who was that guy? Oh, he was Andy Skurka....and I was like "no way". The crazy Alaska wilderness guy? I imagined him as some grizzly looking dude with no social skills or something -- instead he looked like Paul Rudd.

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  9. Andy is a pretty mainstream type of guy, nice laid back, sociable, smart, went to Duke.. Not of my political affiliation but cool nonetheless.

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  10. That young couple was me! Haha.

    Hold on a second ya can't blame me -- ya'll were in sunglasses and hats! Tony was in a tshirt and beard!

    Picture to prove! http://rtimko.smugmug.com/Vacations-and-Trips/Boulder-Dec2010/P1030659/1122724741_ZfhEW-L.jpg

    For us - it was pretty awesome -- we honestly decided to just screw the east coast and head to Boulder just to run, mainly because of your blogs. We had never been before, and flew in the night before, and that was our first morning as we were setting out to run.

    I was surprised to just see 1 ultrarunner who's blog I live vicariously through, I didn't think there would be MORE than 1....at ONCE.

    Great kickoff to a great running vacation...now if I can only acclimate to the altitude...guess I'll just have to move here..

    Rob & Laurie from the East Coast.

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  11. Dakota scares me! he is the future...Great photos and great post.

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  12. Come on Dave, by now Justin Bieber has been relegated to twitter and youtube. Everyone knows that I only listen to Katie Perry when I run and if I ran on my arms it would be lighter and faster than footfeathers.

    hk

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  13. Nice photos! You guys are legends and you're not even old farts yet!

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  14. Cool photos, Dave! Nice that you got to see Joelle out there. I might have to experiment with that Justin Beiber music program.

    Happy Holidays!

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  15. I wouldn't say that you pirated because you are in some of those pictures. So it is your image and they don't own it.

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