Mt Taylor 50K

 Recently I ran the Mt Taylor 50K in Grants, NM, which was my fourth finish on this sacred mountain that tops out at 11,300'. If you know me, then you understand that mountains, forests, deserts and rivers are my church. You could also call it your synagogue, mosque, temple or simply your happy place; It doesn't matter. Mt Taylor, known as Tsoodził (Turquoise Mountain) to the Navajo is one of four sacred mountains that mark the boundary of their nation. 

According to author, Tony Hillerman's version of Navajo mythology:

First Man buried turquoise in this range, hence its symbolic blue color... the chief of the Enemy Gods, Yé'iitsoh, once resided in this peak. When the Twin War Gods (Born for Water and Monster Slayer, sons of Changing Woman) killed Yé'iitsoh, his blood spilled down the slopes and hardened into the lava flows of El Malpais in the area surrounding Grants. The mountain features as a central and meaningful location for Blessingway and Enemyway ceremonies.

Cloudcroft Ultra Trail Run 53K 2023

This summer, I ran several times in Cloudcroft, NM including the 53K trail race. The heat was unbearable in El Paso, TX this year, so I went up to the Sacramento Mountains in New Mexico to camp, train and relax in the Lincoln National Forest. The elevation is between 8-9 thousand feet and can be 40 degrees cooler than on the desert floor. 

Elk

I did a 25 mile training run in June on some parts of the race course which is mostly on the Rim trail. I combined the Rim trail and Westside Rd (Forest Rd 90) by descending Heart Attack Canyon (T235) and ascending Alamo Peak Trail (T109) to simulate the steep climb that I would experience on race day.

Jemez Mountain Trail 50K

I ran the Jemez Mountain Trail 50K in Los Alamos, NM this past weekend, which is one of my favorite races. I keep coming back year after year to enjoy the beauty of the land and to test my mettle under the always challenging conditions. The terrain is tough, with short steep climbs in and out of deep canyons as well as a long slow grind topping out at 10,400’ elevation on the Pajarito summit. This event offers 50 mile, 50K and 15 mile courses, with staggered start times, so you can pick the level of misery you would like to experience. This year I chose the intermediate suck level.

Valle Caldera National Preserve on a cler day

This was my 9th attempt. In years past, I’ve completed five 50 milers, one 50K and have had two DNFs, one for runners being halted mid-race for a freak snow storm! I was running down the mountain in heavy cold rain while it was snowing on the peak. When I arrived at the the next aid station at the bottom, they informed us that the race was called off because some runners at the top were suffering from hypothermia and other cold related injuries.

Los Alamos and the Jemez Mountains

Sierra Vista Trail 50K 2023

Earlier this month, I ran the Sierra Vista Trail 50K in the Organ Mountains National Monument in Las Cruces, NM. I’ve run one of their distances from 30K-100K many times in years past. The race is directed by the Southern New Mexico Trail Alliance, a team of volunteers who build and maintain trails here. 

The route skirts the western base of the mountain chain winding through prickly vegetation, numerous rocks and through arroyos and dry washes. The weather was almost perfect; not too hot, but kind of blowy in the afternoon. I was mostly alone on the trail all day and really enjoyed the quiet and solitude. 

I wasn’t too fast or anything since I have been recovering from a bout of plantar fasciitis and some achilles pain, not to mention that I’m old and getting slower each year. In spite of that, I finished in 8:30. I didn’t run much last fall, but was able to scrape through the Franklin Mountains Trail half mary in January. I was signed up for the 50K, but had to drop down since I hadn’t been training very much. 

Anyway, here are some pictures from the race and I have included some links from past Sierra Vista adventures at the bottom.