Best known as a road runner with sub-15 5k and sub-4 1500m bests, Matt Kempton turned to trails last year and won four races in the Vail Trail Running Series. This year he advanced to the more competitive La Sportiva Mountain Cup and finished second in the Cup’s first race. Kempton answered a few questions ahead of the second Cup race this weekend.
At the Cup’s first race, the Hillbilly Half Marathon in Washington, Kempton finished second to race winner, and series defending champ, Ryan Woods. Woods was a 19 second victor over Kempton.
Matt, how’d it go in Washington? That looks to have been a close race.
My hat’s off to Ryan for taking the win a few weeks ago in Washington at the Hillbilly Half Marathon. I propose that next year the biggest ‘hillbilly’ in the field get a 20 second handicap. I’m certain the charity time would have secured me the win over his 19 second on-foot victory.
Honestly, I was humbled by the amazing talent and competition represented in this series opener. Each racer out there had a different skill set that made them a threat in different portions and elements of the race. I learned that to be competitive in trail running I need to attack the downhill portions of the race. Ryan and I were a constant yo-yo throughout the race and I realize that to compete in the sport I’ll need to take some risks on the downhills and not rely only on the ups to play catch up.
There was one section near mile 10 were I had the lead by a large enough margin that I could no longer see him. This led us into a steep rocky downhill section about 100 meters long with a log barrier at the bottom to jump over. At the top of the hill I couldn’t see him, but somehow he was in front of me at the log… This was my trail running ‘wake up!’ We battled the rest of the race, constantly trading the lead, but he closed the steep downhill section at the end much quicker and smoother and took the victory.
In Texas at the Hell’s Hill 25k, the Cup’s second race, it looks like both you and Woods are registered. Are you going to change anything to come out on top?
I’ve adjusted my training approach leading into the Hell’s Hills 25k and the remainder of the series. The weather is finally allowing me on the trails so I’m practicing downhill speed and increasing overall volume. In the past I’ve always used the downhill to recover from the uphills, but I’ve realized this can’t happen to stay competitive in this series or at any future USATF trail event. Mt. Falcon and its mountain bike weekend warriors have seen a new approach to my descents! I’m no longer working to just pass them on the ups!
My Hell’s Hills race strategy is to go out and compete with the lead pack. I’ve spoken to a trusted friend who has extensive experience mountain biking these trails and I like what I’m hearing about the course. His strongest advice was to respect the heat in the area. He had many stories of heat and dehydration woes. I’m adjusting my hydration strategy. This will be the first time I’ve ever planned to carry fluids while racing… I’ve changed.
I assume you’re planning on racing all of the Mountain Cup races (or at least 5, the maximum that you can score from), which others do you have targeted and what’s the appeal of the Mountain Cup?
This series has always appealed to me because of the race distances. The series’ race distances are favorable for road racers and track racers who love the trails, but don’t want to commit to ultras because of the additional tax on the body and time required to train. The schedule provides plenty of rest time so that we can train in between the races and not just race and recover, then race and recover for six months. Competitors in the series have the perfect schedule to race and train and get strong for the USATF events in the late summer and fall. After starting trail racing last year, I heard about this series and knew I had to be a part of it!
It’s not the most convenient year for me to do it, but I’ll make it happen! Ashley and I had our baby boy back in December so the traveling is going to be a challenge. Ashley has been extremely generous, really more than generous with letting me out to race and train to prepare for the series. I really thank her for that! I’m making short trips of most the races, planning to be in the states for most the races less than 24 hours. I plan to race a 6-7 of the races in the series.
The method of scoring the series has allowed me to be a bit open to which ones I plan to race. There’s a strategy to picking and choosing so I don’t want to be too transparent. I’m specifically excited about two though: The Don’t Fence Me In Trail Race in Helena Montana, and the Vail Hill Climb. We plan to make a week trip out of the Montana race and it will be our son Rory’s first vacation. I’m excited about the Vail Hill Climb because I have a good friend, Bernie, who’s 90 years old and has a home in Vail. He loves riding the gondola up to watch me race. It’s great to see him and his wife at the finish! Additionally, the Vail Hill Climb is one of the best organized events I’ve ever been a part of!