Happy Birthday to our good friend and ultra running legend, Jim McGregor.  Jim turns 70 this month, we can't wait for the party. Jim is still going strong after countless days skiing Snowbasin and 15 - 100 mile finishes: 

 34:54:51 Sep 23, 2011  UT The Bear 100M
 35:44:26 Sep 10, 2010  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 35:29:53 Sep 12, 2009  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 34:53:35 Sep 6, 2008  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 34:32:17 Sep 8, 2007  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 34:24:08 Sep 9, 2006  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 34:11:57 Sep 10, 2005  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 34:20:22 Sep 11, 2004  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 33:04:04 Sep 6, 2003  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 34:12:45 Sep 7, 2002  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 32:48:49 Sep 9, 2000  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 31:52:00 Sep 11, 1999  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 31:08:00 Sep 5, 1998  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 30:13:58 Sep 6, 1997  UT Wasatch Front 100M
 33:13:21 Sep 7, 1996  UT Wasatch Front 100M

Congratulations Jim! 

Well, 2012 is at its end.  The year seemed to fly by, but there are many great memories to look back on. We want to thank all the friends of STRIDERS for their support and enthusiasm.  You all are the best; we feel blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community.

STRIDERS is a lot of hard work, but work enjoyed is as much fun as leisure. Thank You!  

We can't wait for 2013...Happy New Year!  

We hope everybody is having a Merry Christmas Day!  Here's a little video of our run on Antelope Island yesterday.  It got a bit windy towards the end, but we still survived the 16 miles around the White Rock and Split Rock trails...even with buffalo chasing us down half-way into the run.  Thanks to everybody who came out and ran, it was an awesome way to kick-off the Christmas Holiday.  

Our next fun run will be on New Year's Eve (Monday, Dec 31st) at 8am at STRIDERS in Layton.  It's a fun little 6 mile out-and-back run with two "Layton Hills" to contend with.  Food and hot drinks after the run.  No registration or fees (its free) just come run for fun and visit with friends.

Ho ho ho...enjoy your day and we'll see ya all soon.  

Above: Fish Bowl, Snow White & Effie. 
Below: Zombie & Elder Owens.

Happy Halloween! 

The CLASSIC 10K, 5K & Kids K is coming up on September 8th.  We've been supporting this race for a long time because it's a great cause and a really fun community event. ; I believe heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.  So, it's our duty to help out and be involved.  Your registration dollars directly benefit the McKay-Dee Hospital Foundation and their efforts to treat and prevent heart disease. 

Registration and details for The Classic are available at www.theclassicrace.blogspot.com

When you go to register, if you enter the code STRIDERS20, you'll receive $10 off your entry and at the same time help STRIDERS win the corporate challenge (I would have never thought 9 years ago Striders would ever be referred to as a "corporation.") 

Thanks for all your support!

What can I say about the Hardrock 'Hundred' other than holy crap; what a beautiful and completely insane course the San Juan mountains offer!  

I made the trip over to Silverton, Colorado a week early with Cory Johnson & Tom Remkes in hopes of getting into Hardrock.  The race director called me during the drive to inform me a spot opened up if I wanted it.  I'm glad I started and someday I fully intend to finish Hardrock, but I left Silverton humbled and in awe of every finisher to have ever survived that course.  I didn't finish and almost didn't survive:  

At about 25 miles and after climbing 3 of the steepest mountains I've ever encountered, I found myself at the back of the pack running alone in a valley that didn't seem to have a way out.  I wasn't really lost, I just couldn't find the trail to get to Telluride.  Apparently I hung a left when I should have gone right and consequently spent the next 2 hours bushwacking my way back to the other side of the mountain to get to the jeep road out of the valley.  I did make it to Telluride an hour ahead of the cut-off, but the climb out of Telluride killed my will and my race.  

After a steady 3 hour climb from Telluride, my stomach flipped and I had no more gas in the tank.  The bigger problem was I was 11,000 feet up, exhausted and miles from civilization.  So, I laid down on the trail and took a nap hoping I would feel better and strong enough when I woke up to make it to Ouray.  I woke up shivering, but luckily there wasn't a bear chewing on my skull or anything.  It took two more hours, but I finally made it to the peak where the aid station people were out looking for me.  I'm still not exactly sure how the heck they were able to set up an aid station in the middle of nowhere on top of a mountain, but they did have a tent and an extra sleeping bag for me.  

It took A LOT longer than I anticipated, but I finally made it back to Kristin and the kids the next day.  I swore to God if I got off that mountain alive I would be a better husband and father, so now I need to live up to my oath.

I stayed conscious long enough to watch Cory finish, but I was in bed crying when Tom came through Silverton again.  Cory & Tom are both made of steel, congratulations men.  

Well, there's my Hardrock experience.  The video captures just a fraction of the run and the spirit of the San Juans...those mountains are the most beautiful thing I've seen on this earth.  

Music by Maynard James Keenan; Holiday on the Moon (Love & Rockets)

Well, these things don't always work out as planned.  It sucks, but you have to take the bad with the good.  Here's my Western States 48 video if you have any interest; the course is really nice, the volunteers were awesome, the organization top-notch..I would go back in a heartbeat.  

I need to thank Kris, Shad & Jessica for making me feel better after the crash & burn.  Brad and Michelle are so supportive, ALWAYS; win or lose - thank you for that.  Matt and the Connors crew are so awesome, thanks so much for being there.  

The safety patrol at Western, specifically Tony, are just unbelievable - thanks for not leaving me hurling in the bushes.  The volunteers at Devil's Thumb cheer you in and are happy even when you're 38 minutes late for the party.  Thanks, John, for making my ride of shame less crappy.    

For 17 years our forefather of ultra running, Jim McGregor, has been organizing a trail work day with the USFS Ogden Ranger District so runners can fulfill their 8 hour trail work requirement for either the Wasatch 100 or Bear 100.  This year Jim lead the group to Snowbasin to build a loop on the Sardine Canyon Trail.  It was hard work but loads of fun: clearing brush, moving dirt swinging the 'Pulaski.'  

Music by Bruce Springsteen (Shackled & Drawn)