8 days on the Colorado Trail! Bryan Williams set a new FKT for the nearly 500-mile long trail from Durango to Denver. That giant adventure makes him our “Runner Box” Colorado Runner of the Month.
Bryan, wow, congrats. I read the excellent Motiv Running article about the Colorado Trail FKT. It’s pretty incredible – you were missing record splits from day one, and got back on pace thanks to a monster 20 hour day, on day five, is that right? So that was a huge day, but the other days, how many hours were you typically running/hiking v. sleeping?
Day 5 was big, but it came with a cost. I didn’t finish until 4:40 AM. Our goal was to start each day by 5 AM, but that was definitely not happening on day 6. I didn’t get started till 9:40 AM. A typical day was 16-18 hours on the trail. The last day was 89 miles in 24 hours. There were only two nights that we camped. All the other nights involved getting picked up, driving to a hotel, showering, eating and trying to sleep. Then getting up and driving back to the trailhead. We calculated there was only about 24 hours of sleep during the 8 days. This was also the case for the crew too.
Okay, and other basic questions – what was your longest stretch between crew points? Favorite part of the trail? How much did you typically carry? How many pairs of shoes did you rotate between? Any wildlife encounters?
- 5 miles. From Spring Creek to Eddiesville. This section alone was 10 hours, 15 minutes.
- That’s a really tough question. There are so many great sections of the CT. Nothing really beats the San Juans. The entire west side of the Collegiate’s is pretty sweet too. I just love anything above treeline.
- My gear was pretty consistent day to day. Shorts, Smartwool S/S T, socks, beanie and gloves. I also had arm warmers, a thin vest, a UD Ultra jacket and gaiters, trucker cap, and sunglasses. I wore a UD Adventure vest & carried two liters of water and enough nutrition for 300 calories per hour.
- I had two pair of Brooks Calderas. I wore the first pair for the first four days, then switched to the second for the remainder of the run.
- Ha! Yes, a squirrel ran darted across the trail at night. Ran through my legs and almost took me out. I had to do some fancy footwork to stay upright. There was also some bear paws on one of the crew vehicles one morning.
Explain to me the Colorado Trail – there are two different sections through the Sawatch? Is that new, and what’s the thought on which route runs better?
My friend, running partner and teammate during the CT, Eric Truhe, gave some great insight and stats to this on the FKT site.
For CT East versus CT West clarification, according to the CT Guidebook (9th Edition):
- The CT via the CT East is 484.6 miles with 87,645 feet of climbing (Durango to Denver)
- The CT via the CT West is 489.7 miles with 89,665 feet of climbing (Durango to Denver)
Specifically:
- The CT East section is 78.1 miles with 15,038 feet of climbing (south to north)
- The CT West section is 83.2 miles with 17,058 feet of climbing (south to north)
Thus, the CT West section is 5.1 miles longer with 2,020 feet more climbing (south to north). However. it is important to note that the 78.1 mile CT East section is at an average elevation of 9-10k feet, while the 83.2 mile CT West section is at a much higher average elevation of 11-12k feet. While the CT East route does top out above 11k feet a few times, the CT West route has whole sections that run above 12k feet (for example, the CT West route has a 15-mile section that runs between 12-13k feet)!
The CT “West” route could be more aptly named the CT “direct” as it goes through the Collegiate Peaks, rather than around to the “West.” The higher mileage, climbing, and average elevation, make the CT West route more challenging (and in my opinion, more aesthetically pleasing) than the CT East route.
To answer your question in my own words now, the CT West was completed just a few years ago. When Scott Jamie set the FKT in 2013, the East side was the only option. If traveling North on the CT, it splits at Foose Creek southeast of Monarch Pass and reconnects on the north side of Hope Pass/south side of Twin Lakes. Based on the data above, the East side will run faster since it’s shorter, has less vert and is at lower altitude. Personally, I chose the West for views and the extended time above treeline.
And so stepping further back, before this I just knew that you were sixth at Hardrock last year, but you’ve raced a lot, and have a lot of top finishes. On your Facebook it looks like you’re a Leadville guy. What race finish are you most proud of then, or what race is a personal favorite?
I do enjoy racing, but have learned to race less. Quality vs. quantity I guess. This season I only entered three races. I’m proud of my Wasatch 100 finish. This completed the Grand Slam in 2014. That was a tough summer. Four 100s in 12 weeks. I was just destroyed crossing the finish line in Utah. I was so proud to have my girlfriend Emily Booth crew and pace me for each of those events. We had just started dating and it was a great experience to travel, race, and get to know each other better. You really get to know someone during a 100-mile race. But we had four in a row. It can get pretty raw out there. Stripped to the core emotionally, mentally, and physically. The Wasatch buckle is the only one I wear. I’ve been wearing it ever since I finished. I have a nice collection of buckles now, but this one really does mean a lot to me.
You really have raced a lot then, but I bet you’re not done with 2017 yet. Anything still on the calendar?
There is nothing else on my calendar. I purposely planned that because I wasn’t sure how I’d feel after the CT. I was expecting to be so beat up that I wouldn’t or couldn’t run for a while. Surprisingly, that’s not the case. I feel pretty good. I ran yesterday for the first time and am already looking forward to getting out again this weekend. Looking ahead now, I may jump into something, but just not sure what or when. Might be Javelina or Hitchcock 100.
What’s your favorite thing in the Runner Box?
I just had to open the Pop Chips! Those were delicious, even it it was before breakfast. My vote goes to Pop Chips by first impulse. My girlfriend Emily thought the laundry detergent capsules were really cool, so we’ll put those to the test next.
Thanks Bryan, and congrats again!
“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:
July 17 – Anna Mae Flynn
May 17 – Timothy Olson
April 17 – Noah Droddy
February 17 – Courtney Dauwalter
January 17 – Becky Wade
December 16 – Zach Miller
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