#trailroc

Recently I had applied for the #GetAGrip challenge, presented by Inov8, and was lucky to be selected as one of 4 participants! Inov8 makes some beautiful gear and I have always wanted to test their stuff out.

Those of us taking the challenge received a full set of kit from head to toe, including new #Trailroc285 shoes, clothing and accessories, as well as a bursary to help cover the expense of the challenge.

What a gift! 

It would be my job to put these items to the test during an endurance run, and report the details.

Originally, my challenge plan was to run the entire length of the Rogue-Umpqua divide trail (number 1470) from end to end. It would give an opportunity to explore some very remote trails in an area south and west of Crater Lake, Oregon..

Unfortunately, just a few weeks before the challenge was supposed to take place, the US Forest Service closed parts of trail 1470, and the state closed highway 138 E, due to forest fires and their damage.

The beautiful area is still burning even now, and people’s homes are being threatened in one of the craziest fire years in Oregon that I can remember. This closure left me scratching my head, wondering what I would do for another challenge and if it would be approved by Inov8.

At first I thought I might go run some trails in the Tillamook area. 

I’ve never ran there, and the Oregon coast area is typically free from forest fires in the summer.

As the calendar edged closer to the date I was supposed to have the challenge completed by, I started to panic.

Last Thursday, I saw that there were races I might be able to enter instead, (in areas free from fire), which would provide an opportunity to have food and drinks and aid if needed. 

I contacted a friend who had left a comment on one of my Instagram posts, and invited her to come run a race in Sumpter, Oregon with me. (Sumpter is about a six hour and 45 minute drive from our part of the state.) She had another idea, and invited me to come along with her and her friend to do about 30 miles in an area none of us had ran before.Heather and Laurie are training for Pine to Palm 100, and wanted a feel for the course. 

This fatass 50k sounded pretty good to me! So, the next morning we met bright and early in Sutherlin, OR, to drive a few hours south to check out their upcoming race course and to complete my challenge.

Don’t know if you’ve ever experienced this, but it is incredibly hard to recover properly when you are on vacation. It’s even worse when you are on vacation in a location where there are amazing trails you’ve never seen!

After the Mount Hood 50k, we headed to Klamath Falls with some extended family. When you go from the wet and green western side of Oregon, head over the pass, and drive into the dry central side it’s hard not to get excited!

The views stretch for miles and there seems to be an unlimited amount of singletrack trails in the area. On the drive to Klamath Falls you could see Mount McLoughlin in full glory, as well as Diamond Peak and Mt Theilsen, and the whole time we were only about 45 minutes from Crater Lake, which we visited on the way back home.

We stayed in a resort called the Running Y, which was about a half an hour from Lake of the Woods. So, while there, we spent a few days going to Lake of the Woods, which has a single track trail and connects to the PCT.

Uncle Adam and aunt Sarah played with the boys and took them fishing and hiking around. I hit the trail for a couple of hours each of the times I went. The first run was only two days after my 50k. I kept it to about 5 miles near the lake, but I was surprised at how good my legs felt!

The sign at the trail junction indicated that there was a Brown Mountain trail. Who wouldn’t want to go up to the top of something with a name like that? The distance looked reasonable.. so on my next trip to the lake, I made up my mind to give it a go.

During the run I started to realize that the trail might actually not go to the top of Brown Mountain. Crazy as it sounds, I had a cell signal up there, so sent a message to Taylor Cropper from Bioskin. I knew he had been in the area before and hoped he knew if the trail went to the top.

Taylor confirmed that it did not, and I had already turned around to come back because of the time anyway. Getting in about 12 miles might’ve been a bit ambitious for five days after 50k; but, it is hard to rest with new trails to explore!

Ironically, Taylor, his wife Anne, and family, were staying at the lake without my knowledge at that point! When I got back from my run they came over on their boat and got to meet my boys.

The youngest managed to convince the Croppers to let him go on a boat ride, and before I knew it, he was riding on a tube behind the boat..

All was spectacular until we got back to the dock, and I realized my middle son was not where he was supposed to be fishing and panic set in!

Eventually we found him, and all was well again- except for the part where he missed out on the innertube ride and threw a bit of a tantrum.

Another trail I got to explore while I was there was only 10 minutes from the resort. The Spence mountain trail is right next to upper Klamath lake with some lovely single and double track.

There was just enough time to get a short run-hike and some sunshine before the heat cranked up.

The trail looks to be designed for mountain bikers, and much of it was a powdery surface with some good size lava and pumice chunks. The only thing missing was a porta-potty, which would be nice to see at the trailhead.

All in all, it was a beautiful four days there. I definitely could move to Klamath Falls provided I had a lot of free time for running and a lot of money to pay for an endless supply of Skout bars.

I might be paying a bit for it now, doing that 12 mile run up the Brown mountain loop, as I have acquired some new back of the knee niggle– but I’m taking a solid three or four days off to see if I can resolve that. I’ve got some big things coming up in August and need both legs to do them!

The biggest adventure of the summer that I have planned is fast approaching! I have a goal of exploring the Rogue-Umpqua Divide trail (1470) as well as some of the connecting trails. It’s an incredibly remote area and I’m beyond excited to see what’s rarely seen by others!

Inov-8 has come through as a supporter for this adventure and fully kitted me! I’m going to run in style… and can’t wait to put the TRAILROC 285 shoes and new clothes to the test!!

Long run done ! Grateful to have some stunning views to distract me for over 4 hours ..

My goal was to run around Waldo lake, (a 21 mile singletrack loop at 5400ft). It got cut a bit short when I got to the shady southwest end. I lost the trail under giant mounds of snow that haven’t seen any travelers. Since the trail is not flagged, it’s in thick forest, and the melting snow leaves streams and puddles everywhere, it’s hard to distinguish where to pick up the trail next. Rather than spending the night in shorts and a space blanket, I turned around at 7.5 miles and ran a bit in the other direction too.

Logging crews were clearing downed trees (Over 93 blew/fell down this winter according to USFS) on this portion of the loop.. if I had managed to make it through the snow I would’ve had to climb over a lot of trees!

Make today #epic ...

Inov-8 TrailRoc series @OptimalRun

inov-8 trailroc 150

Dr.S. - A quite good looking shoe for Inov-8. Maybe it is because the colourway which is very Salomon. A new zero drop Trail running shoe from Inov-8. Nice usage of TPU skin. The founder of that brand used to work as footwear developer at the Pentland group before he started Inov-8. The brand seems to do well. The product range is pretty huge for such a niche brand.