This weekend was scheduled as the test run for the Mogollon Monster 100 in Pine, Arizona and I signed up to run the first 50 miles with Jeremy as he made went for the quest of completing the 106 mile course unsupported. The goal for this weekend was to get an idea of where the course needed extra marking, potential problem areas, cutoff times, and to finalize aid station locations. I went into this run with the goal of having fun, not worrying about time, and really trying to dial in my nutrition as I get ready to run the http://www.sandiego100.com on June 9th.

The Mogollon Monster course has had a tough billing ever since it was announced that it would be Arizona’s second hundred mile race. People have often referred to it as Zane Grey times two. As someone who just ran Zane Grey 50 two weeks ago I can tell you it was fresh in my mind as I went into Saturday so I could make the appropriate comparisons and give people an idea of what the course is really like. At times at Zane Grey you could describe the course as painful but always very fair and I would say the same for Mogollon Monster except in the first 50 miles I never hit a spot that was painful. The first fifty miles is laid out so well that you get a little mix of everything on the course but as far as the crazy Zane Grey rocks there is a little of that but it doesn’t last for 51.4 miles. I wear the Inov-8 Talon 212′s when I run and they don’t have a rock plate and are pretty minimalist so your feet can get pretty beat up over fifty miles of horrible rocks but I didn’t have any foot issues, blisters, or pain while running yesterday. I cannot say the same when I ran Zane two weeks ago because that course has a tendency to make you use the same foot strike all day while you’re hopping between rocks. I am not going to say this is a smooth manicured trail because it does have some rocky sections but it is completely fair in that most people will not struggle running in even the most technical sections.

So let’s get into a little breakdown of what I saw on the course yesterday. Right when we got out of our truck yesterday we were greeted by over 20 elk standing on the trail that we would be heading up moments later. The elk were not too fazed by our climbing and would climb up the rim as we got closer to them but they were definitely used to seeing people on these trails. Starting at the Pine Trailhead the course winds it’s way up the Rim right away as you make a 2700 foot gradual climb to the top. This section is a mix of beautiful red clay trails and some rocky semi technical sections. The trail has been pretty well cleaned up by the boy scout troops so finding your way around is a breeze. We maneuvered our way up the hill mixing in running and hiking but the climb never seemed so laborious that I found myself breathing hard or stopping to put my hands on my knees. Making your way up the rim you’re rewarded the entire way with amazing views of the horizon and the forest down below. We took our time in this first section and reached the location of the first aid station in 2:15. I think in a racing mode we would get up there in 1:55-2 hours but we were taking pictures and making sure we knew the intricacies of the trail. You catch the first aid station at the 8.27 mile mark where the General Crook trail starts just south the SR-87. This is an easy accessible aid station for crew and volunteers and most people will get to this location with one to two bottles of water. My suggestion would be to have your crew skip this section and use a drop back if necessary to limit the dust getting in and out of the aid station.

The General Crook trail runs parallel to SR-87 for about two miles and the silver arrows on the trees make is easy to stay on the trail. Running down this trail for a couple miles you meander through what will be tall grasses in late September and a thick section of forest which provides lots of shade. You then pick up the first section of forest road for a couple miles which allows you to pick up some time before your next climb. This is not a large climb but more gradual as you make your way from 7200 feet to just under 8000 feet of elevation. The greatest surprise ever awaits those of you who like to run long downhill sections. I absolutely love sections like this and while you may see this type of section as a place that will trash your quads the decent is steep but the switchbacks are not so tight that you need to worry about going over the edge on the turns. The red clay trail is fairly smooth and was covered with leaves yesterday but the manzanitas were cut back and there is not an overabundance of rocks. When you’re standing at the top of Turkey Springs looking across the rim you can see the Geronimo trail in the distance but there is a 1700 foot decent in front of you before you get there. We ran a pretty moderate pace going down in order to film some sections but this is an area that most runners will absolutely hammer.

Staying on the well marked Turkey Springs trail you follow more downhill until you reach the Geronimo trail. The Geronimo trail trail follows a pretty straight path with gradual climbs all the way to the Washington Park aid station used in Zane Grey (Mile17). The Washington Park aid station is used three times during the Mogollon Monster 100 (miles 24,49, and 96) and is very convenient for family, friends, and volunteers to get to. Parking is limited in this area but the whole road allows for different areas to park in little camp sites. We took our first break to fill up with water at this section and took a nice long break before heading out to the Cabin Loop.

The start of the Cabin Loop is the toughest part of the first 50 miles but it is just over 2 miles (2.27 to be exact). This is a pretty good climb up some very technical terrain that will be runnable for some of the stronger runners but most will hike to the top just like we did. There is no repelling and anything dangerous about it, just time consuming but gorgeous. At the top of the climb you run into the parking lot for the tunnel and General Springs at the Cabin Loop. You see lots of families hiking down this technical section and making there way over the the mysterious tunnel. You won’t see the tunnel on your hike up unless you’re really ambitious and want to add another mile. From the General Springs parking lot there is 4.5 miles of forest road on top of the rim and views int he distance are incredible. You get to take several looks at Highline Trail down below and I personally felt a sigh of relief that I wasn’t on that trail yesterday. Kirk, Honey, Jeremy and I made our way up the forest road and ran in the Houston Brothers trail where we began the Cabin Loop. We took our time before heading out into the section to regroup, talk about how to mark this area and get a little food. Even though we were just 6.7 miles in at this section you will find yourself drinking a lot of water with the climbing and elevation. I tend to drink twice as much in altitude even if it is only 8000 feet so make sure you pack accordingly.

The Cabin Loop is absolutely incredible and is 90 percent single track of rolling hills and trails that run along the streams and past old cabins. We did a mix of hiking the hills and running the flats but it is very runnable and most will complete this 23 mile section from Washington Park up and around the Cabin Loop and back to Washington Park in 5-5 1/2 hours. The faster runners could get through this in under four without any issues. The best part of the Cabin Loop is it is shaded most of the way and if you need water or a place to cool off you will have no issue doing so. There will be an aid station about half way through this section down by Pinchot cabin so you can fill up before completing the loop. We filled our bottles in the stream and used neutralizer and I had no issues even with my very sensitive stomach. The entire trail is marked with Cabin Loop medallions on trees and unless you want to there is no way to get lost. The end of the Cabin Loop has one minor climb to end it, no bigger than 300 feet and then you arrive at the General Springs parking lot. I struggled through the last five miles of the Cabin Loop with asthma but I still managed to fast hike it and only come in about 10 minutes behind Jeremy, Kirk, and Honey. When I reached the parking lot my breathing was a little erratic but everyone else was fine. I was struggling a little with the altitude but it faded quickly just like Honey said it would. From here you climb a 1/4 mile of Forest road before descending 2.27 miles down the technical section you hiked up earlier. We ran this section pretty hard and footing is not an issue as long as you look where you’re going. As soon as I started heading down the hill my breathing returned and I felt incredible. My asthma tends to be an issue at higher elevations but usually just in the spring when everything is blooming.

We made it back to the Washington Park aid station just after 5pm and had done the first 50 miles in 12:01 and we really took our time. In race mode I would see the average runner coming through here around 11-13 hours and the elites coming through in 8-9 hours. It was an amazing time this weekend and it really took my mind off not being able to attend my Grandfather’s funeral back in Michigan. Having the opportunity to run with ultra legends Kirk McCarville and Honey Albrect was awesome. Learning about the trails, what goes into a race, and the history from Jeremy was great as I completed the first fifty miles with him. Jeremy, Honey, and Anthony Culpepper were heading back out to complete the course and but without any support I am sure it was a long night. to sum it up the first fifty miles is extremely fair, gorgeous, and very entertaining. I love a course that provides a little bit of everything like this. I say train hard, sign up and enjoy. Here is a Garmin map if your interested. Remember don’t base your times on what is here as we stopped and took our time and in a race you will be moving much faster without any issues. To learn more about the race or sign up check out http://www.mogollonmonster100.com

People often ask me what I think about when running 50 or 100 miles and the answer is everything. There is not a thought that doesn’t cross my mind from my Dad to why on earth am I doing this to I wonder what Traci and Petra are up to at home. At times I feel like I could solve the world’s problems in a run like this but most of all it gives me time to think and I am someone who needs this time. You go through horrible moments, great moments, pity parties, complaining, happiness, elation, but most of all you discover how strong the mind and body really is when you have a goal. Ultra running is an obscure sport that most will never, ever try or even think about but if you want a place to meet some great people and open up your mind there is no better place than the trails.



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