#Clinting

Clint is the lucky lottery winner of bib #347 at this year's Western States race but it takes a team to train for and run an Ultra marathon.  So far, we've been focusing on the family and team that surrounds him and is supporting his effort.  This week I wanted to learn more about Clint's two pacers for his Western States debut.  I contacted the two Dirtbag runners, Tyler and Peter, and learned that Clint is quite the pacer and crew chief himself. In fact, it sounds like he is as good at giving and supporting, as he is at running and training.

Tyler is Clint's pacer who will join him at the Foresthill Aid Station and pace him through to Green Gate. When I reached out and told Tyler I wanted to learn more about Clint and their relationship, I found out that Clint has quite the reputation of being an amazing pacer and crew member himself.  And, he has a reputation around beer, laughter, and good times.  In 2016, Clint paced Tyler at the Pine To Palm 100 mile race in Williams, Oregon.  Tyler shared that "Clint is one of the best crew/pacer I've ever had!  He is a great motivator and is happy to do whatever needs to happen to make sure his runner gets across the line."

As we have all been witnessing, Clint knows how to train and work hard.  But he also has a reputation of knowing how to have a good time, and that usually involves beer.  When I asked Tyler about his role at Western States, Tyler said that along with pacing, his job is to make sure Clint makes it to the start line. Apparently, in 2016, Tyler drove down from Ashland, Oregon to share in the shenanigans of the Mokelumne Trail Festival.  Clint typically helps volunteer at the race, and was up drinking from a keg of beer when Tyler arrived after 11 pm the evening before the 50K race.  Clint and Tyler were both registered to run the race. Tyler decided that Clint's beer should never be empty, so he kept refilling it. Needless to say, the two didn't get to bed until the early morning hours, Tyler in his truck, and Clint in his tent that was located right next the start line.  Tyler shared the story that gave birth to the term '#Clinting.'  "I woke up a little late and was changing clothes as the race started.  I took off and thought I would try to catch Clint before turning back on the out and back course.  Well, I made it to the turn around and had seen no sign of Clint!  I was very confused until I showed up at the finish line to see Clint taking finisher photos [of other runners].  Even though he was camped right next to the start line, he slept through the start of the race, and the term #Clinting was born!"  I imagine Tyler will take his job seriously at Western States; topping off someone else's beer from the keg and making sure Clint makes it to the start line. Tyler also wrote, "I'm so excited to head to States and be that same crew for him. This is going to be a pretty amazing experience!"


At Green Gate, Tyler will pass off Clint to his second pacer Peter, who will run with Clint to the finish.  Not surprisingly, the first thing Peter talked about was how great of a pacer and crew chief Clint has been.  Clint was Peter's pacer from miles 53 - 75 at this year's Angeles Crest 100 mile race.  "I asked Clint to pace me because I wanted someone who could make me laugh and keep my spirits up through the mid-section of the race and he fits that bill perfectly!"

And of course, I asked Peter to share some fun memories about Clint as well, and it happens that he shared a story that took place while they were running together at that race.  "... at Newcomb Saddle Aid Station, Clint ate some bad soup and immediately started projectile vomiting into the bushes as we were running out of the aid station.  It was a pretty hilarious moment... for me at least.  Clint yelled at me 'JUST GO!'  It was pretty dramatic."

In all seriousness, Peter repeated the same sentiment that Tyler did: "Clint was the best crew member...  He was super on the ball, not just during the race as the crew chief and pacer, but the night before, asking all the right questions and preparing himself to not miss a beat the next day."  Peter even went on to say that "... he was a big part of ensuring my success throughout the race. I'm super stoked to return the favor at States."

I missed a week posting Clint's blog during Easter Break, so I will include two weeks of Clint's training schedule.  Here is his week prior to Easter, for those of you interested in his training plan.

Last week's training 04/10/27-04/16/17
Mon - Cortisone shot in left knee.  No run.
Tues - The Ranch - strength, mobility, flexibility, tissue quality
Wed - 4.1 mile run before work.  Cortisone shot in right knee.
Thur - The Ranch
Fri -  30 mile run with little elevation
Sat - Easter celebration #1 with Becca's father
Sun - 10 mile run before Easter Celebration #2 with Clint's twin brother

Both Tyler and Peter, along with Clint's family and crew, will play a crucial role in getting Clint across the finish line at Placer High School. Clint said that his family, pacers, crew, and Bill Yeates will meet him at Robie Point and run with him down to the Placer High School track where he will finish his last mile before crossing the finish line and getting his much earned buckle.

And Clint has taken that support role with many other runners and is probably more comfortable giving support than receiving it.  Even this week, when I asked for Clint's training schedule, it just proved what his mother told me about her son.  "He puts his family before his training."   Becca threw out her back last week, so Clint completely adjusted his training schedule to make sure that he was able to take care of his responsibilities around the house and with his wife and children first.  He did all his training runs close to home to reduce the number of hours he would be away from home.

This week's training 04/17/27-04/23/17
Mon - Cap Tappers 5.6 mile run
Tues - The Ranch
Wed - 10 miles
Thur - The Ranch
Fri -  5 straight hours of yard work (Ha Ha - core workout for sure)
Sat - Helped direct Mokelumne 50 Mile/50K with Paulo
Sun - 13.1 Mokelumne River Trail Running Festival

Here is a photo of lint from this year's Mokelumne Trail Festival.  Ultra running is work, but it's also a ton of fun.

Running 100 miles requires the help of a team of people.  Ultra races usually allow for pacers who share the trail with the runner, and crews to meet at aid stations to provide food, a change of clothes, medical supplies, or a quick muscle massage.  Clint has lots of experience being both a pacer and a crew chief, and according to those he has supported, he's one of the best.    I think he can count on having a team ready to return the favor.

#seeyouinsquaw in 61 days

Training Ups and Downs

When I was nervous about running my first 50K earlier this year, Clint's advice to me was "there are going to be high points and low points during your run."  And then during another one of our conversations since then, he again said that there will be training days that are good, but there will definitely be training days that are a low.  And that's the reality of training for ultra runs, and running ultra races. I like to refer to this as 'the good, the bad, and the ugly.' And this is one of the types of weeks to report this week.

So, the good about this week:  During the week of Clint's birthday, he engaged in a March Madness style Twitter battle - #URMadness (something I know virtually nothing about as I do not Twitter).  During the week, I kept seeing the bracket on Facebook, and most people are probably far more familiar with all this than I am.  Our own ClintLikesBeer won.  This coincided nicely with his 40th birthday shenanigans. He went up against other elite ultra runners in a social media battle, and apparently Clint is talented in wit and humor as well.

And now to the bad about this week:  Clint doesn't like to complain. At all. I try to ask questions and prod for information, and he agrees that this blog needs to be authentic, but he really tries to downplay the issue that he's dealing with regarding his knees. I wanted to help.  I developed runners knee while training for my first 50K, looked up on YouTube how to use KT tape, and had fantastic luck on my own knees.  When I ran the 50K, I had zero pain in my knees. So, I've researched more about taping and use KT tape on my track athletes who are dealing with shin splints and sore knees.  So, naively, my birthday present to Clint was to wrap his knees and have him try out KT tape on a short run.   I learned about his knee surgeries on two interviews with Clint and again when I met with Becca, but when I went to Clint's house to get updated on his training this week, I was in for an awakening - a bad awakening. I shared a few beers with Clint while Becca prepared dinner for the family; he had Pavlo from Claimstake Brewing while I had a Monkey Knife Fight from Rubicon Brewing. Right before I left, I reminded Clint that I wanted to try the KT tape on his knees, and Becca laughingly asked him to 'drop trou' for me.  He didn't, but left the room to put on a pair of shorts.  He took a seat in the living room on the couch because I needed his knee at a 90 degree angle.  I seated myself on the floor in front of him, and when I saw his knees, I knew that tape was not going to do a damn thing to help him.  I've been taping a few knees for relatively decent-sized high school students, but nothing prepared me for the size of Clint's knee.  Scars are still prominent, and I had a really difficult time finding his knee caps.  His knee is over three times larger than any knee I have seen up close.  And it's not because he's a big guy - it's because his knees have been rebuilt and are no longer the same shape as 'regular' knees.  I went ahead and taped his knees, but I knew his pain is coming from a much, much more serious place and this tape was not going to be enough to offer relief.

This week's training 04/03/27-04/09/17
Mon - Cap Tapper's Shake Our Run 5.7 miles
Tues - The Ranch - strength, mobility, flexibility, tissue quality
Wed - 7.8 mile speed workout
Thur - The Ranch + 3.4 mile Django Run
Fri -  Rest and recovery
Sat - 6 miles along American River Bike Trail
Sun - K2 Challenge (Training Hill) 3 loops - almost 1,000 ft elevation gain each loop

And the ugly for this week:  Let me just say that the tape did not do any good, and the K2 Challenge was not pretty.  And I'll leave it at that.  It's just a reminder of the advice Clint himself gave me: "There will be good training days, and bad training days."  And this is the reality that Clint must face as he continues to train for Western States, and the reality he wants to share with any blog followers who hope to run a 100-mile ultra race.

According to the article "45 Mind Numbing Facts, Figures, and Statistics about Running" on www.marathontrainingschedule.com, only 0.5% of the American population has ever completed a marathon. And, according to http://statistik.d-u-v.org, a German website with statistics about runners by nation, in 2016 there were about 7,500 finishers of 100-mile races in the United States. That equates to about 0.0024% of the US population who have done what Clint has done - and will do again.  This feat that Clint is training for is monumental.


And to go full cycle and end on another 'good' reminder:  Clint has the love and support of a huge community of friends, runners (and social media fans), but more importantly, he is blessed with support at home.  His favorite medal rack is the one that was made for him by Becca's father.  These are beer taps for each of Clint's 100-mile races:  Tahoe Rim Trail, Javelina, San Diego, and Rio Del Lago. And yes, there in the center is Western States.  I can only imagine the percentage of people who can proudly display this medal rack on their wall, and have a medal hanging from each tap.

#seeyouinsquaw  in 75 days.

"The 20X Factor"

As the Western States race gets closer, Clint's training is starting to ramp up.  He is continuing his three week build up of mileage, followed by a week of less mileage.  There are a few races built into the training schedule to practice running under race conditions and to test out gear and nutrition.  One rule of ultra running is to practice with the same decisions you plan to make on race day.  So Clint has a few upcoming races on his calendar: The K2 Challenge next week, Mokelumne River Festival Half Marathon in mid-April, The Canyons Endurance Run 50K in late April, and Born to Run Ultra Marathons 30 mile in late May.

In the past, Clint has already completed five endurance runs that are over 50 miles: one 50-mile race, one 100K race, and three 100-mile races.  There were always training plans for each respective race, and Clint does not train with a running coach.  He reads a lot and uses the internet to research the logic behind different training plans.  Based on all this experience, Clint developed a training plan for Western States using prior plans that worked, and taking into consideration prior plans that did not work as well.  One realization that he had was that his best races were when he was lifting weights and doing interval training on the treadmill.  Some of his less successful races followed training plans that focused on increased weekly mileage.  So he decided to use a hybrid plan.

Halle joining Clint on his birthday workout

As we have been sharing, the current training includes two days of strength, mobility, and flexibility drills that improve tissue quality. This training is done on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Seth Kotelniki at The Ranch Athletics in Loomis, CA.  I asked Seth to educate me on the philosophy behind the individualized training he is currently using for Clint.  He said that the first things to focus on are correct movement patterns and to restore soft tissue.  This would provide for faster recovery following the many grueling training runs that Clint needs to do to prepare  his body for the 100-mile race.  Secondly, Seth wants Clint to focus on conditioning the whole body, and especially the core.  "Energy is wasted with poor posture," and a strong core helps improve correct form.  To some, working out on strength may seem counter-intuitive for an ultra runner.  But, according to Seth, "Strength is never a weakness."  These workouts strengthen muscle fibers that are different from muscle groups needed for running.  So, a runner can work out at The Ranch and do a long run on the same day. In addition, "most runners do not have full range of motion of joints." Training sessions focus on the entire body.

I wanted to understand how increased strength and power can improve a runner's endurance and potentially, speed.  Seth used a biker's analogy to help clarify the logic behind this philosophy.  The following is not a direct quote, but my attempt to transcribe what I learned: "Let's use an example for bikers.  To keep things simple, I'll use even numbers.  Let's say it takes 10 pounds of strength for a  rider to bear down on the bike pedal for one rotation.  Assuming this rider has the strength to squat 100 pounds, he is expending 10% of his power on each rotation.  If I can improve the rider's strength so he can squat 200 pounds, it will take less of his energy (only 5%) on each rotation.  This should improve  the rider's endurance, and with less expenditure of energy, form and speed will benefit as well."


Finally, I asked Seth what he thought about Clint as a client.  "He's very upbeat.  He's very interested in personal growth and development.  Actually, we talk a lot about books."  One book that Seth recommended is Unbeatable Mind by Mark Divine.  Clint had already mentioned this book to me on our very first meeting. He has read it twice and recommended it to others, myself included. The book is written by a retired Navy SEAL and focuses on the development of mental toughness and clarity.  According to Mark Divine, "...you are capable of at least twenty times more than you previously thought." (The 20X Factor).

Not many people know the story behind how it came about that Clint is training at The Ranch. On the very first day I met with Clint, he shared two stories that made him pause, swallow down a knot in his throat, and blink away wetness in his eyes. The first story was the one we shared in "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" blog about not picking up Halle at the finish line of his 2013 Run on the Sly 50K race in Pollock Pines.  And this is where the second story comes in.  Clint was telling me about all the family and friends who have been supportive throughout his entire trail running journey, and how it has become even more evident now that he is running in Western States.  He told me that he is so very grateful and thankful for his dear friend, Bill Yeates, who is making this part of his training possible.

I reached out to Bill Yeates and asked him to share the full story behind his support of Clint's dream of completing Western States.  Bill told me that he met Clint in 2013 at Capital Beer and Tap Room on a Cap Tapper's Monday Shakeout run.  "When I met Clint, I was trying to get my marathon time down below 4 hours.  Clint, along with others like my coach Chad Worthen from Fleet Feet FIT program, gave me motivation and inspiration.  Clint even got me to dip my toe in trail running."  Bill was able to improve his time below 3:50 and qualified for the Boston Marathon which he ran in 2016.

Bill and Clint at The Ranch Athletics

"I know what it feels like as a runner to set a goal and achieve it."  In 2015, Bill was aware of Clint's four lottery tickets not being drawn in the lottery.  "I know how much Clint wanted to get into Western States. And it was disappointing in 2015 when his name did not get drawn."  The two continued to meet for regular Monday Shakeout Runs.  "I think at a Monday night CapTapper gathering, I told him that when he gets drawn in 2016, I would cover the cost of the Ranch." Clint and Bill had both heard that this gym really helps ultrarunners with strength and mobility.  So, when Clint won the lottery, Bill followed through on his promise. And the two work out together twice a week, even sharing a ride. "I have been injured most of 2016, so it has been great to have someone to travel out to Loomis with when we go to The Ranch.  I hope it helps him. I admire his dedication and commitment.  His enthusiasm for his sport is infectious.  He genuinely cares about anyone who is a runner no matter the distance.  Most of all, he is a wonderful Dirtbag Runner who loves and supports his colleagues and they love him back.  You can't help but root for Clint and enjoy his quest."

Everyone I have talked to seems to say about the same thing.  I don't think Clint even knows how much people respect him and want him to realize this dream.  He is one of those guys who is always taking care of everyone else and not wanting the focus to be on him.  He has such humility.

Another person who is a huge supporter of Clint's is Paulo Medina, owner and director of SingleTrack Running.  I asked Paulo about his relationship with Clint. The two have known each other for 4 to 5 years, but Paulo said he was having trouble remembering the first time they actually met.  "I probably met him when we went running one day and it was like a long lost friendship, you kind of keep on going from that point on, as if you never lost time before."  Clint is just that kind of guy; when you meet, you become instant friends.  "My very first recollection of him was when I was dying during Gold Rush 100K in 2013 and he was out there cheering runners on."

Paulo Medina was also a lucky lottery winner who was selected to run the Western States Endurance Run this year and will wear bib #270. "As a friend and previous Western States finisher, I am really happy he was able to get into the race this year.  My experience during WS really changed my life, and I can only hope that he has a similar experience.  Seeing all your friends and family during the race is very special, and after all, this is our backyard and we finally get invited to the biggest party of them all."

Speaking of parties, Clint celebrated his 40th birthday last week.  Many of his friends, family and fellow runners helped him celebrate and, as expected, this usually involved craft beer.  His beer of choice was the Pavlo Double IPA from Claimstake Brewing. Here is Clint at his party held at the Claimstake Brewery, wearing his favorite t-shirt, a birthday gift from his wife.  And luckily, a week of lower mileage coincided with the celebrations.

This week's training 03/27-04/02/17
Mon - Recovery from 40th birthday celebrations - no run
Tues - The Ranch - strength, mobility, flexibility, tissue quality
Wed - 10 mile run
Thur - The Ranch
Fri -  Rest and recovery
Sat - 24.4 mile hill repeats at Stagecoach Trail (2 mile hill with 900+ feet elevation gain x 6)
Sun - 10 mile run

In addition to support here at home, Clint will be getting support from fellow Dirt Bag Runners Peter Brennen and Tyler Clemens who will pace him out on the Western States Trail.  I think Clint just might have the 20X factor when it comes to the amount of support, love, and respect so many of us have for him and his quest for a very special buckle.