In December Zach Miller repeated as champ at The North Face 50 Mile championships in San Francisco, fending off an epic challenge from upstart Hayden Hawks and a year’s-best field. That win earned Miller $10,000 and our December “The Runner Box” prize. In this Q&A, he tells us about his recovery, life halfway up Pikes Peak at Barr Camp, and about his Amish friendships, among other fun things.
Zach, wow, that TNF 50 win was something. Videos of you at various points in the race have been circulating since, and especially at the end, you’re definitely all out. Just curious then, in the days afterward did you feel the fatigue more than at a usual 50 miler?
Not necessarily the fatigue, but the soreness. I seemed to have a lot more soreness than I did after the 2015 race. In 2015 I could run half decent pretty soon after the race. This year I could barely shuffle.
You’re still at Barr Camp! How long have you been there and how much longer will you stay?
I started working at Barr Camp a little bit around May of 2015 and then full-time in mid-July. That means I’ve been living at Barr for about a year and a half. I will be at Barr for another year, possibly longer. I take it a year at a time. I still like it so I’m going to keep rolling with it!
In Tony Krupicka’s heyday, he turned Boulder’s Green Mountain into a destination run for trail runners around the country, a must-do when in Colorado. Have you had the same effect on Barr Camp? Do fans sometimes hike up there just to get a pic with you?
Haha. I’m not sure I’ve had quite the same effect as Tony, but I do get fans up here. I don’t know if anyone comes just to see me, but people do come up and chat and sometimes they ask for a picture.
So living at Barr Camp, I would’ve assumed it was a 24-7 type job, but you get around! I see pics of you running all over Colorado, pacing runners at other 100-mile races, and yourself going to Europe more than once each year. How do you manage that?
For starters the Barr Camp board of directors is really good about working with my running schedule. When I first started I was a full-time caretaker, so I had to be a bit more mindful about how much I was away from the camp. Then some time around last spring I switched from full-time to assistant caretaker. I still live at Barr Camp year-round, but being assistant allows me even more freedom to come and go. Summers are super busy so I’ll stick around a bit more then (aside from racing), but fall and winter is pretty chill so I’ve been getting out to explore other parts of the state (and country). It’s really quite nice!
You’re a member of the Nike trail team, and there have been a lot of rumors about who would be on or off the team come January. Can you share anything about who you’ll run for come 2017?
Oh boy! That’s a hot topic right now. I’m in the process of figuring it all out. I take forever to make important decisions, but hopefully I will have something to announce in the near future. I know that doesn’t give you much, but patience is a virtue, right? Haha
And so 2017, I know you’re still thinking about Hardrock vs. UTMB, or pretending to think about it at least, but what else can you share – any shorter distance races that you hope to get to next year?
I told you I take forever to make important decisions and this one is no different. I have gotten several invites for 2017, but I’ve been pretty distracted with the whole sponsorship thing. Having said that, I want to do three ultras. Right now I am looking at doing either Madeira Island Ultra Trail, Transvulcania, or Penygalosa Trails CSP in the spring. For the summer I’m looking at Hardrock or UTMB, and the fall will probably be something like TNF 50, JFK, or Les Templiers. Any of that could change though. I’ll see what opportunities present themselves.
As for shorter stuff, I’m looking at a 25k in Ecuador. I’ll also consider things like the U.S. mountain running championships and maybe some of the shorter Sky/European mountain races. It would be awesome to go home to PA for the Hyner 25k but I’m not sure if it will fit the schedule. Also, my NATHAN teammate Kyle Robidoux has asked me to be his guide for the first half of the Boston double. I’d love to do it but I have to see if it fits my schedule.
You’re super fan Bill Dooper’s favorite. Bill is a Leadville guy, and you’ve never run the Leadville 50 or Leadville 100. How’d you win him over?
It started back in 2015 when I paced my good buddy Brandon Stapanowich at Hardrock. A day or two before the race I went out to breakfast with Brandon and Bill and I guess we just kind of took to each other. We’ve been pals ever since. We chat on the phone from time to time and when I’m in Leadville I like to stop and visit him. Bill is an awesome man and I really enjoy being his friend.
Okay, another oddball question, but one that I’ve wondered about after following you on social media. You’re from Pennsylvania and you take pictures of your Amish friends. Are they actually Mennonite, or is the rule about not taking pictures of the Amish not the faux pas that I thought it was?
Good question! My friends are Amish, but you have to understand that while the Amish do have a lot of rules, the extent to which they follow them can vary greatly. The idea of not having ones picture taken may still be kept by some, but many seem to be alright with it. How strict the Amish are seems to vary with both age and location. That being said, I think that being Amish is about far more than just following a bunch of rules. Sure, they have rules, many of which make them stand out, but I like to think that it’s less about the rules and more about their mentality, their actions, and outlook on life.
What’s your favorite thing in The Runner Box?
There was a lot of interesting stuff in there, and I haven’t tried it all yet. I’m not big on coffee or energy drinks like Monster, so the Zest Tea and RUNA energy drink caught my eye. The RUNA is waiting in my car along with a slew of GU products and chocolate-covered espresso beans. All of those things are good to have on hand for those days when I’m down in town, hungry and/or tired, and still need to run up my 6-mile “driveway.” The tea is light and packable, so I ran it up to the cabin this morning on my way back from church.
“Leave the research to us, and we’ll leave the training to you,” says Runner Box. The Runner Box is a subscription-based service that delivers a “box” of runner-friendly goodies to you every other month, items like gels, bars, and other accessories hand-picked to add to your running. Many items are new to the market, and new items are expected with each box. A great service for yourself, the boxes also make great gifts and are often themed around holidays.
Previous “The Runner Box” Colorado Runners of the Month:
November 16 – Sage Canaday
October 16 – Sarah Pizzo
September 16 – Clare Gallagher
July 16 – Addie Bracy
May 16 – Tabor Scholl
April 16 – Amanda Basham
February 16 – Alia Gray
November 15 – Ali Williams
October 15 – Neely Gracey
September 15 – Timmy Parr
August 15 – Andy Wacker
July 15 – Lanie Szuch
June 15 – Joe Gray
May 15 – Brittni Hutton
April 15 – Andy Rinne
March 15 – Justin Ricks
February 15 – Laura Thweatt