Defining and Pursuing a Sports Standard in Winter Ultra

In an attempt to accurately build Herman's definition of a "sport standard" I started with ideas around pioneering, advancement, and trailblazing  -- maybe something about being cutting-edge or pushing-boundaries? I have since landed on "Experimentation with the customary format of the sport in order to elevate the potential of the community at large." It has something to do with making an impact that expands the range of possibilities for the entire sport. It certainly involves putting yourself out there.

"I had an idea that I was going to approach winter racing with a sport standard that wasn't [currently] present....Coming from rock climbing where I was at one point free soloing and finding something really special in that, [which] has only really been matched [in running] by [my] FKT at Granite. Everything is redlining, not dangerous in the way that free-soling is, but it is all encompassing. There is one single focus and that is moving, as smoothly, efficiently, quickly [as possible] - [moving] somewhat belligerently to the point where you could break your ankle or tear your meniscus -- but it's very unlikely you're going to die."

This is where The Rut 50k becomes part of the Winter Running Story.

The Rut 50k is among the largest, most technical and more competitive 50k trail races in the United States. Prize money and strong sponsorship provide elite athlete's with financial support and essentially guarantee a top-notch roster. When Herman signed up for The Rut he was there to compete and to show he had the capacity to run a sports standard. He felt that the technical course fit his strengths and that he had a home field advantage (the race only being an hour from home). He had just set the FKT at Granite Mountain a few weeks earlier. He felt emboldened.

Herman reports "feeling super nervous about the race.. and a desire to prove himself."  This ultimately led him off-track, and it turned out the point wasn't to win in the end. He did get what he actually needed out of the experience, and it wasn't a top finish -- it was exposure to the standard he was pursuing. He understood that he didn't yet have the experience or fitness, and he didn't know how long it would take to get that. He reports the race "as appropriately humbling" and that it made him hungrier moving forward. He identified improved fitness, refined technical skills and heightened risk tolerance be necessary to progress.

Fitness First.

"Fitness overcomes so much." Herman states, "You need a baseline of skill and technique [and] once you have that knowledge, fitness is by far the most important factor." He offers a winter running example: You're 50 miles from an Aid Station and don't have the right shoes.  You're feet are wet and the weather turns that real brand of cold (let's say -40 F). You are in a real pickle: You cannot sleep for the night without risking frostbite and losing toes, and you cannot cover the distance to the next Aid Station without stopping. This doesn't add up. However, with enough fitness you don't need to stop for the night, you have the option of moving faster. Increased fitness increases your options around how you structure your race (ex. miles a day) and gear (ex. extra food and gear). You move from survival to having the ability to be tactical.

Sharpen the Axe.

Abraham Lincoln said "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." Although fitness has the ability to expand your opportunities, technical aspects will limit performance. Having the right layers, sled, and nutrition give you the platform needed to execute at a high level. Herman's attention to detail and commitment to innovation and creative solutions has allowed him to streamline his systems. Examples like doubling a raincoat as a waterproof sleeping bag liner, building an insulated pad into his sled that doubles as a sleeping pad, and strategically packing every item according to it's use. He has built up the chops, the kit, and the systems to steamline transitions between eating, sleeping and moving across the artic.

Willing to Risk it for the Biscuit.

Herman reflects on his experience in rock climbing, "It's what can you get away with? You see this in mountaineering - putting lives at risk [because people aren't] bringing safety equipment.... This is something I shied away from in rock climbing because I knew I would want to bring a sports standard to [that also]... I also knew that is a dead-end road for 90% of people who engage in it." 

In winter running he is willing to par down his kit to the essentials and move aggressively. He further clarifies "Long distance jogging is exponentially safer than climbing without a rope. You can try super hard and it is, for the most part, super safe." In life and sport, Herman has developed a process of weighing and balancing various risks and reward -- although the specifics vary from sport to sport, the steps of weighing the scenerio and being decisive remain the same. Sleep deprivation, managing hallucinations are among the "advanced skills" of winter running. Herman also states that when he is making a big decision he has learned to eat 200-400 calories and sleep an hour. What his body might register as fear is sometimes simply feeling uncertain about the scenerio and the extra calories and sleep allow his brain to process and find solutions. 

Game Day Cometh.

When asked how he feels about his preparedness to bring a sports standard to the Iditarod 1000 Herman states, "I still feel underprepared, [but] more prepared than last year though... I feel like could run a sports standard now and was able to prove that at Tuscobia [by running four hours under the prior course record.]" 

I asked Herman how he would know if he had acheived a sports standard -- With a win? A course record? What statistics would accurately measure this? He replied, "[There] is no quantitative measurement, it's personal and only I can answer that. [Although] results are relevant... [trail] conditions greatly impact this. It's a measure of human capacity [and] with the exception of injury, you personally know what you put out there of yourself" 

I look forward to watching his pursuit and hearing what answers he finds on the otherside.