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Running 453 miles on Oregon’s Pacific Crest Trail in 8 Days for Charity

Photo: Courtesy of Yassine Diboun's Instagram

On July 16, at the first hint of morning light, Scott Loughney, Yassine Diboun and Travis Liles will already have begun their 453-mile journey along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). They’ll have a strict schedule to maintain—averaging about 50 to 60 miles per day—as they attempt to break the self-supported fastest known time (FKT) of 7 days and 22 hours for running/hiking the Oregon portion of the PCT. Plus, it’s all for charity.

They call it the Oregon PCT Running Project, founded by three ultrarunners residing in the Pacific Northwest— Loughney, Diboun and Liles—to support local organizations, including The Alano Club of Portland, the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the Providence Cancer Center.

“We’ve all been around the sport for at least a decade, and we wanted to use our running for something more than just collecting more finishes at these huge races. That’s when we thought to each pick a charity that is somewhat close to us and we give people the option on which charity they want to donate to on our website,” says Diboun, who is 12 years sober and chose The Alano Club of Portland, an addiction recovery and support center.

But what also drove this project actually began with the first time Diboun had attempted this great feat in 2013. Three years ago, the now 37-year-old owner and partner of Wy’east Wolfpack, a training and wellness business centered around outdoor running, did a self-supported run of the Oregon PCT with Brian Donnelly. Diboun only made it about 150 miles, not even halfway, before calling it quits due to an injury. His friend Donnelly went on to claim the current FKT on the trail.

RELATED: Inside the FKT (Fastest Known Time) Trend

“It was one of those things that left a bad taste in my mouth because I put so much anticipation into it—training and money—and I came way short,” Diboun says. “I dusted myself off, got back to life and went on with my racing. But still in the back of my mind I would think, I want to go back and try that again someday.”

That’s where Loughney comes in. A 45-year-old private wealth advisor of his own financial planning firm from Camas, Wash., Loughney had heard about Diboun’s failed attempt from a friend and felt inspired to recreate the challenge. At first, Loughney proposed doing the entire PCT, a total 2,659 miles, spanning from the southernmost end of California near the Mexican border to the northernmost end of Washington, just past the border into Canada.

But Diboun and Loughney both decided it was better to finish what Diboun had started and just stick to Oregon. They then recruited Diboun’s friend Liles, rounding out their team to three.

“The planning pieces, building the routes and the maps, and getting that data out to the people who are going to help us and the technology side of it has been a big part of my duties,” says Liles who currently works as a technical strategist for Microsoft and was the race director for an ultra race in Missouri called the Mark Twain 100 and 50 before moving to Portland, Ore., a couple years ago.

For the past year, the three men have been planning in great detail the logistics of their run and figuring out the most effective way to run 453 miles within eight days. Luckily, Diboun’s first attempt has been valuable in laying most of the groundwork. However, unlike his first attempt, this run will be supported, meaning they’ll have a crew of four to five people at any given time that will follow them, occasionally help pace portions of the trail, provide food and water, and help set up camp at each of the stop stations. Among that support crew will be a photographer and videographer to document the entire experience.

“I think the key to success is really preparation,” Loughney says. “About a week ago, I spent 30 hours in the car starting at the northern California border and working our way back [to the Oregon/Washington border] from a crew perspective to make sure we would have all of the locations properly mapped out—where the camp is going to be and how they’re going to get us off the trail.”

RELATED: A Look at Notable FKTs from the Summer of 2015

And there’s, of course, the unfathomable physical aspect of it. How do three people train for a 400-plus-mile multi-day run? It’s certainly helpful that all three men are experienced ultrarunners who race frequently. But the key isn’t to be fast—in fact, it’s to slow it down.

“One of the biggest things is getting out of this mindset that you have to be running the entire time,” Diboun explains. “You have a different footstrike when you’re power hiking than when you’re running, I can feel the outside of my heel and they’re all callused up, but they feel ready to go. Compared to last time, I was coming off from Western States 100 and I was in great shape, but my feet were torn up within the first couple days because we were doing so much more hiking and climbing.”

But even with all the strategic planning and training, there will be challenges along the trail that will be largely out of their control. Although Oregon is the easiest route along the PCT in terms of elevation profile, the average elevation is still about 5,000 feet. Much of central Oregon is exposed with little tree coverage, increasing the mid-summer heat factor. And there’s still plenty of downed trees blocking parts of the trail that haven’t been removed yet due to this past winter’s storms.

Despite these unknowns and whatever concerns each man may have, Diboun, Loughney and Liles have maintained a relatively optimistic outlook of the run.

“I had a dream one night that we were passing across Mt. Hood, which is 50 miles to go to the finish, and in my dream I was saying to the guys, ‘I can’t believe we frickin’ run/walked across the whole state! So it was a good omen,” Diboun says.

Each man has also established something to look forward to on the trail. For Diboun it’s the idea that he’s running home, since the finish at the Bridge of the Gods connecting the Oregon and Washington borders is right down the street from his house. Liles says it’s waking up to Crater Lake on day 2 and receiving a Snickers bar and a Coke from his 8-year-old daughter on day 5.

Whatever will get them through the long adventure on foot, it’s the experience and raising awareness for the charities that matters most. There’s only one major concern the three runners can agree on … “Hopefully we’re not all having a bad day on the same day,” Diboun says. To which Loughney jokes, “If the two of you are sick on the trail, at least I don’t have to worry about holding back your hair because neither of you have any.”

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Michele Gonzalez: Runner Mom ‘Hacks’

Having it all doesn’t come easy. For Iraqi vet turned marathoner, Michele Gonzalez, it means utilizing tricks of the trade so she can follow her passions of running 6-12 miles pre dawn, being a businesswoman in New York City, and being an involved mom of two young boys. Watch as she uncovers her runner mom “hacks” so she can have it all, and then some.

RELATED: Michele Gonzalez: How Running Fuels Life

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Michele Gonzalez: How Running Fuels Her Life

Marathoner and blogger, Michele Gonzalez, makes you believe you can have it all—if you’re willing to work for it. Awake at 3:45 a.m., the Iraqi vet and mom of two runs 6-12 miles each morning, works in finance in New York City by day, then races home to bank family time by night. On the outside, Michele is busy. On the inside, she has it all. Follow her story here, then look for Episode 2, coming soon.

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Shoe of the Week: Skechers Performance GoMeb Strada 2

Nicely updated from the original Strada, the second edition of this neutral trainer feels slightly more flexible and fluid while still retaining a soft and springy sensation in each stride. The biggest change from the original version—and the biggest improvement—is the new three-layer reinforced mesh upper that allows the shoe to be much more breathable than the first version yet just as secure. The Strada 2 continues its slight rocker profile that allows smooth heel-to-toe transitions. Our wear testers loved the energetic feeling this shoe provides, no matter when running fast during a tempo run or while taking it easy at the end of a long run or recovery session. The lacing system and the internal webbing of the new upper provide a comfortable and very snug fit.

Our wear-test team liked a lot about this shoe, but a few testers thought the cushioning was a bit too stout.

This is the shoe for you if … You’re looking for a well-cushioning everyday trainer with an energetic feeling.

PRICE: $129

WEIGHTS: 9.7 oz. (men’s), 7.8 oz. (women’s)

HEEL-TO-TOE OFFSET: 8mm; 28mm (heel), 20mm (forefoot)

Info: SkechersPeformance

RELATED: Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33

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Track Star Ashton Eaton on Vogue Cover

Decathlete Ashton Eaton graces the cover of an upcoming Vogue magazine with fashion model Miss Gigi Hadid. Photo: Instagram

Ashton Eaton is known as the “world’s greatest athlete,” a title that tends to naturally go with being the best decathlete in the world.

Easton is absolutely amazing—like a cartoon superhero! He heads to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics next month as the reigning Olympic champion, current world-record holder and multi-time world champion. He’s favored to win again, but the more compelling story around Eaton might be whether he and his wife—Canadian heptathlete Brianne Theisen—will both bring home gold medals in the multi-discipline events. Eaton dominated the decathlon at the recent U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., on July 1-2 and also added an indoor world title in the heptathlon in March.

In the meantime, he’s on the cover of an upcoming issue of Vogue magazine alongside Miss Gigi Hadid, one of the most renowned models and recognizable faces in the industry.

Although it’s his first time in a leading cover role for the publication, Eaton has been inside the pages of uber-popular fashion and lifestyle magazine before. In 2012 he was a part of Vogue’s Olympic issue alongside tennis player Serena Williams and others.

The issue includes a behind-the-scenes look at the meeting of Eaton and Hadid, who—did you know?!—is the daughter of a former Olympic downhill skier. The issue drops July 26, but check out what happened at the cover shoot.

PHOTOS: Ashton Eaton Named IAAF Athlete of the Year

 

 

 

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Beer Mile World Classic Races Dates Set Near London

Canadian and U.S. competitors chug beers after the first lap of the 2015 Beer Mile World Classic on Angel Island near San Francisco. This year's event will be held on a track near London. Photo: Courtesy of Beer Mile World Classic

Dozens of the world’s top beer milers from the U.S. and Canada will be traveling across the Atlantic Ocean to compete against runners from at least five other countries in the second annual Beer Mile World Classic drinking race on July 31 near London.

About 300 runners from at least eight countries are expected to compete in the event at Saracens Stadium at Allianz Park, which features an eight-lane Mondo track that was used as a warm-up and practice track for athletes during the 2012 Olympics in London. That means the Beer Mile World Classic event will be the first world championship event held on a sanctioned track. (Last year’s Beer Mile World Classic was held on the paved roads on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, while the FloTrack Beer Mile World Championships were held on an auto racetrack in 2014 and in a paved parking lot in 2015.)

“We had a lot of issues trying to find an alternative venue in San Francisco, so we expanded our search,” says Nick Macfalls, one of the Beer Mile World Classic producers.

The beer mile has experienced a huge upswing in popularity in recent years. It consists of drinking one beer before running each lap of a mile on a track. In other words, each runner completes four beers and four laps in total.

What originated as something of a frat party stunt and an annual ritual for collegiate cross country teams has evolved into a global phenomenon, attracting professional-caliber athletes and millions of fans worldwide. The videos of the 2015 Beer Mile World Classic were viewed more than 3.5 million times—more than any single event video of the 2015 IAAF World Championship.

Up until now, beer-mile running has been dominated by Canadian, American and Australian athletes.  The current world record run on a track is the 4:51.90 run last year by 23-year-old Canadian Lewis Kent, but he also ran 4:47.17 at the FloTrack World Championships. (American runner Garrett Cullen lowered the U.S. record on July 9 by running 4:54.52 at an event called the West Valley Track Club Summer Classic.)

RELATED: Records Fall at 2015 FloTrack Beer Mile World Championships

Kent became the first professionally sponsored beer miler in 2015 when he signed on with Brooks. But British beer miler Andy Norman is confident the UK can “show the Yanks a thing or two about downing pints.”

Athletes on both sides of the pond have already begun rigorous training regimens to prepare. Canada’s Lianne Girard, currently ranked as the 6th fastest female beer miler in the world with a time of 6:42, says she’s spent the past few months “focusing on expanding the stomach.” Her training includes chugging 2 liters of water in under 1 minute and then drink-and-run 400-meter interval sessions with non-alcoholic beers.

The 2016 Beer Mile World Classic championship race will cap off an all-day beer, music and running festival, which will also include open races and relays for clubs, university teams and unaffiliated age-group runners.

RELATED: How to Run a Beer Mile

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Garrett Cullen Lowers Beer Mile American Record to 4:54.52

Garrett Cullen, a 24-year-old runner from Mountain View, Calif., set a new beer mile American record on July 9, running a 4:54.52 in San Francisco, according to a video posted on the West Valley Track Club website. (Beermile.com has posted the result as an official record.) Cullen, who placed eighth at last year’s FloTrack Beer Mile World Championships in Austin, broke James Nielsen’s 2014 U.S. mark of 4:57.1.

The world record for a beer mile on a track belongs to Canadian Lewis Kent, who ran a 4:51.90 last year. (Kent also ran at 4:47.17 to win the 2015 FloTrack Beer Mile World Championships in Austin, Texas, but that event was held in a parking lot and not a sanctioned track.)

Cullen, who ran briefly at the collegiate level for the University of Michigan and owns a 4:23 open mile PR, started a GoFundMe page to raise money so he can attend the 2016 Beer Mile World Classic on July 31 near London. As of July 14, he has raised $240 of his $1,051 goal.

RELATED: Beer Mile World Classic Set for July 31 Near London

Cullen ran his first beer mile at the West Valley Track Club Summer Classic last summer, finishing in 5:53. When he came back a year later—and several more beer miles under his belt—he ran almost a full minute faster. When he started doing beer miles last year, he drank Bud Light Platinum. But he set his American record drinking Budweiser out of bottles.

RELATED: How to Run a Beer Mile

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Windy City All Set for Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago

Photo: Ryan Bethke

The Windy City. The Second City. The City With Big Shoulders. Chicago answers to many nicknames, and if it wanted to add another it might go with The City That Knows How to Party.

The home of da Bears, da Cubbies, Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox will definitely be throwing a bash Sunday when the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half Marathon celebrates its eighth anniversary. Sunday’s 10K and half marathon start at 6:30 a.m. and to improve the experience for the estimated 20,000 runners and walkers, organizers have tweaked the 10K course slightly and enhanced the entertainment.

Unlike last year, the 10K and half marathon will start at the same site simultaneously, just a warmup jog off Lakefront Trail along the edge of Grant Park.

Explaining the change, Ted Metellus, the director of course operations, said, “It’s convenient. It’s so much easier for runners and walkers to start and finish at the same location. If you’re running with friends, if you’re meeting people who are running different distances, logistically, it’s just easier.”

The 10K and half marathon runners will share the same course for about half a mile. Just shy of Mile 4, the 10K participants will link back with the 13.1-milers before heading home to celebrate at the finish line.

Because city ordinances limit amplified sound in the first five miles of the half marathon, there will be added entertainment elements in that area. Runners can expect Blues Brothers sightings early in the half marathon, fans dressed in Cubs unis, plus acoustic and a cappella groups.

Cheerleaders and Elvis impersonators strumming air guitars will also be lining the streets.

On the back end of the half marathon, live bands performances have been increased. In the last eight miles of the course, runners will be rocking to the tunes of at least 10 bands.

“You’re going to get your socks rocked,” Metellus promised.

Runners and walkers who make it to Saturday’s 7:30 a.m. start will also be treated to a course change. The old 5K course was an out-and-back along Lakefront Trail.

This year, thanks to cooperation with the Chicago Park District, runners will pass landmarks like the Buckingham Fountain, Shedd Aquarium and Grant Park’s Lower Hutchinson Field, where Lollapalooza will unfold later this month.

“We wanted to open the course up, provide a little more variety to runners and walkers,” said Metellus.

The 5K party starts and finishes at Grant Park’s Butler Field.

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Desi Linden’s Custom Olympic Marathon Shoes

American runner Desiree Linden of the Michigan-based Hansons-Brooks training team will compete in the Olympic Marathon on Aug. 14 in Rio de Janeiro wearing a pair of customized Brooks Hyperion racing flats. The red, white, blue and gold Hyperion features her name stitched in gold on the heel as well as her name on the lace eyelets along with custom sock liner footbeds. Scroll through the gallery of images below!

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Desiree Linden's 2016 Olympic Marathon Shoes

The Brooks Hyperion is a new cushioned racing flat with an energetic feel. It weighs just 5.4 oz. for a women's size 7 (and 6.4 oz. for a men's size 9). The shoes are available at retail stores in a black, white, yellow and silver color pattern for $130.

Desiree Linden's 2016 Olympic Marathon Shoes

Brooks customized the shoes with Desi's name on the tips of the laces and the back of the heel.

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Desiree Linden's 2016 Olympic Marathon Shoes

The shoes were also customized with one of Desi's favorite quotes printed on the footbed.

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Wow! Check out the Photo Finish at the European Championships 5,000m

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a crazier finish to a 5,000m race than this.

At the 2016 European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam over the weekend, the 5,000m came down to a photo finish—involving FIVE runners! You can see the video above (skip to about 16:00 to see the final 200 meters)

In the end, Ilias Fifa of Spain was declared the winner, though he, Adel Mechaal of Spain and Richard Ringer of Germany were all credited with a time of 13:40.85. Henrik Ingebrigtsen of Norway was fourth in 13:40.86 and Mourad Amdouni of France was fifth in 13:40.94.

That’s five runners within a tenth of a second of one another!

 

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