Blake P. Wood - Running Page

So... you want to run ultras?

"Have you looked at his feet, Ma'am?" - Bounty Hunter in "The Brother From Another Planet".

The tragic effects of ultrarunning:  before and after.

"If you don't return bleeding, it's not a trail run"

For a good list of ultra running links, visit Stan Jensen's homepage.

Download a copy of my scholarly article:  "Childbirth Envy:  Why Men Run Ultras".

Other interesting articles of mine from UltraRunning Magazine:  
        A five day run of the John Muir Trail in 1998.
        2.5 days running in the pouring rain at the Barkley Marathons in 2000.
        A cross-country run from Badwater to Whitney in 2002 (photos, a short article, and a longer report that appeared in UltraRunning Magazine.)

A short running bio:

I started running the summer after my freshman year at Claremont High School, CA, in 1973, at the tender age of 14. I ran cross country and track the following three years of high school, and my freshman year at U.C. Santa Barbara. I ran my first marathon (Palos Verdes) in 1974. Since then I've competed in races every year, mostly 10ks and marathons, particularly in the SF Bay Area. Upon moving from California to Los Alamos, NM in 1992, I started running ultras, mostly on the trails in northern NM and southern CO.  I still run track in the spring and an occasional road race, and am an assistant coach for the local high school XC and track teams and our local youth track club.

Personal Records

2004 Racing Plans and Results:

• 2/17-22 Coyote 4-Play plus the optional Scrub Run, about 200 miles over six days.  Rain and fun!  Photos!
• 4/25 Corporate Cup road race in Albuquerque.  5 miles.  Won it in 28:04.
• 5/2 AOC track meet in Albuquerque.  1500 m in 4:35, anchor of 4x400 m relay in 62.4.  Won both.
• 5/6 LANL Interdivisional Relay.  2:16 800 m and 69.1 400 m a few minutes apart.
• 5/8 6th World Rogaining Championship in Arizona.  Teamed with David Frei.  Placed 5th overall and 2nd American team of 175 teams from 16 countries.
• 5/23 Corporate Cup track meet in Albuquerque.  10:06 3000 m, 2:19.9 800 m, and 4:51 1500 m within two hours.
• 7/9 Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO.  34:09, 9th of 80 finishers, 125 starters. 
• 8/7 Alamosa High Altitude Challenge 5k, Alamosa, CO.  
• 12/4 Footlocker Western Regional XC Championships, Mt. SAC, Walnut, CA.  

2003 Racing Plans and Results:

• 1/18 Indoor track meet at CU, Boulder.  9:48 3000 m, 1st.
• 2/8 Indoor track meet at Adams State, CO.  5:06 mile, 2nd.
• 3/15 Little Rincons Rogaine, teamed with Ginny LaForme, placed 2nd in "mixed veterans", 8th overall of 50 teams.
• 4/27 Corporate Cup track meet in Albuquerque.  10:06 3000m, 2:14.9 800m, and 4:38 1500m.
• 6/11 LANL Interdivisional Relay. Ran first and last 800m legs in 2:20 and 2:25, a few minutes apart. We (X-division) won.
• 6/29 Orienteering meet in Los Alamos with the New Mexico Orienteers.
• 7/11 Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO.  38:30, 23rd of 69 finishers/113 starters. 
• 7/20 Orienteering meet in Los Alamos with the New Mexico Orienteers.
• 8/9 Alamosa High Altitude Challenge 5k, Alamosa, CO.  17:25, ~15th of several hundred.  1st finisher over 40.
• 8/23 Orienteering meet in Los Alamos with the New Mexico Orienteers.
• 12/6 Footlocker Western Regional XC Championships, Mt. SAC, Walnut, CA.  5k, VERY hilly!  16:52, 19th of 239 in the parent/coach (open) race.
• 12/31 Across-the-Years 24 hour race, Phoenix, AZ.  Ran well for 11 hours (just short of 70 miles), then crashed and burned.  Ended up with 103 miles.

2002 Racing Plans and Results:

• 2/4 Rocky Raccoon 100 mile trail run, near Houston.  14:51, 2nd of 132.
• 5/4 Wild West Marathon, Lone Pine, CA.  3:17, 1st of ~150.
• 5/12 AAT track meet in Albuquerque. 9:49 3000m and 2:17 800m.
• 5/18 Corporate Cup track meet in Albuquerque.  six races:  10:15 3000m, 5:05 1600m, 4:39 1500m, ~3:42 1200m, 2:20 800m, ~63s 400m.
• 5/19 Rocky Mountain Qualifier track meet in Albuquerque.  2:15 800m, 62s 400m, 17:44 5000m
• 6/13 LANL Interdivisional Relay.  2:13.8 800m leg in relay.
• 6/29 ATC track meet in Albuquerque.  4:32 1500m.
• 7/4 Firecracker 5k, Los Alamos.  17:06, 4th of 120.
• 7/7 New Mexico Masters Championship track meet, Albuquerque.  4:33 1500m - 1st overall.  2:19 800m - 1st overall.
• 7/13 Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO.  CANCELLED due to fire danger.
• 7/27 Texas Masters Championship track meet, Dallas.  4:25.9 1500m - 1st overall, 2:15.9 800m - 6th overall, 2nd 40-44 age group.  
• 8/6 One Hour time trial on track in Los Alamos.  9.96 miles.
• 8/10 Alamosa High Altitude Challenge 5k, Alamosa, CO.  17:22, 10th of 131, 1st 40-49 age group.
• 10/21 Ran Badwater-Whitney cross country.  43:09 to Whitney Portal.  Up Whitney the next day.
• 12/7 Footlocker Western Regional XC Championships, Mt. SAC, Walnut, CA.  17:00 for the 5k course.  VERY hilly!  20th of 239 in Open race.

2001 Racing Plans and Results:

• 2/3 Rocky Raccoon 100 mile trail run, near Houston.  16:13:05, 1st of 132.
• 3/31 Barkley races, near Oak Ridge, TN.  Finished 5 loops (100 miles) with David Horton in 58:21.  2nd time in 16 years that someone has finished 5 loops.  DQed for a minor route-finding error.
• 4/29 Corporate Cup 5 mile road race.  28:36, 2nd of about 50.
• 5/20 Track meet in Albuquerque:  800 m in 2:12.0.
• 5/26-27 Track meet in Albuquerque:  1500 m in 4:29.8, 5000 m in 17:22, 800 m in 2:15.3.
• 7/4 Firecracker 5000 road race in Claremont, CA.  16:04, 5th of about 200.  1st over 40.
• 7/13 Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO, 33:20, 13th of 64 finishers, 118 starters.  Seventh Hardrock finish!
• 8/12 Alamosa High Altitude Challenge 5k, Alamosa, CO.  17:47, 5th of about 150.  1st over 40.
• 8/16 Nolan's 14, a run over fourteen 14er's in the Collegiate Range near Leadville in 60 hours.  One of four who finished all fourteen this year!  My time back to the Blank Cabin trailhead was 59:38.  I covered about 105 miles with 45k' of climb.
• 11/11 USATF NM State XC Championship, Rio Rancho, NM.  17:51 for 5k.  2nd of ~40 for Masters Men.
• 12/1 Footlocker Western Regional XC Championships, Mt. SAC, Walnut, CA.  16:57 for the 5k course.  VERY hilly!  17th of 153 in Open Men's race.

2000 Racing Results:

• 4/1 Barkley races, near Oak Ridge, TN.  Finished 4.5 loops (90 miles) before being stopped by a flooded river.  Was on schedule to complete 5 loops in just under 60 hours.
• 5/7 Track meet in Albuquerque:  1500 m in 4:43.
• 5/21 Track meet in Albuquerque:  3000 m in 9:58, 1500 m in 4:41.
• 5/27-28 Track meet in Albuquerque:  5000 in 17:15, 1500 m in 4:35.3, 800 m in 2:15.7.
• 6/3 Track meet in Albuquerque (NM Games):  1500 m in 4:28, 800 in 2:16.
• 6/11 Track meet in Albuquerque:  800 in 2:10.9, 1500 m in 4:33.
• 6/17 Track meet in Los Alamos:  800 in 2:12.9, 1500 m in 4:38.1.
• 7/7 Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO.  36:03, 20th of 60 finishers, 118 starters.
• 8/12 Nolan's 14, made it over eleven (of fourteen) 14er's in the Collegiate Range near Leadville in 57 hours.
• 11/12 Corporate Cup 3 mile run, Albuquerque.  16:50.  1st of about 35.
• 12/2 Footlocker Western Regional XC Championships, Mt. SAC, Walnut, CA.  16:07 for the standard Mt. SAC high school XC course.  VERY hilly!  21st of 192 in Open Men's race.

1999 Racing Results:

• 3/24 5k run at the APS Centennial Conference, Atlanta, GA., 1st of 75, 16:07
• 4/3 Barkley races, near Oak Ridge, TN., 1st of 35, 33:19 for the 60 mile fun run, started fourth loop.
• 5/9 1st leg of 4 person, 50 mile relay at the BB50. 1:24 for 12.7 mi, 1500' climb on road. Team got 3rd overall (6:20), and won mixed masters division.
• 5/16 1500 m on track in Albuquerque meet: 4:34
• 5/22 Corporate Cup track meet, Albuquerque: 12 races in two days, incl. 8 middle-distance. Ran 800 m in 2:15 in last race.
• 5/29-5/30 Track meet in Albuquerque: 3000 m in 9:49, 1500 m in 4:25.
• 5/30 Caballo Mountain, 26.5 miles on trails at night. 5:43.
• 6/19 MADD 5k run in Los Alamos, 17:10, 4th of ~70, 1st Master.
• 6/20 Arriba New Mexico, 22.5 miles on trails over the top of 13k'+ Wheeler Peak, 4:57, 3rd of ~20.
• 7/9 Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO, 30:10:56, new course record! 1st of 64 finishers, 110 starters.
• 8/8 Three Peaks, 18.7 miles on trails over three 12k'+ peaks above Santa Fe.  3:46:55, 3rd of ~25.
• 8/27 Nolan's 14, about 90 miles over fourteen 14er's in the Collegiate Range near Leadville in 60 hours.  Did seven summits in 33:30 with Gordon Hardman, before deciding to it was unsafe to continue.  No one went farther or faster.
• 10/31 Stone Lions, 20.4 miles in Bandelier Nat'l Monument.  Finished, slowly.

1998 Racing Results:

• 4/4 Barkley races, near Oak Ridge, TN. 2nd of 7 finishers (30 starters) of the 60 mile "fun run".
• 4/19 Capulin Canyon, 23 miles on trail, 3:29, 1st of 40 starters.
• 5/17 Guaje Ridge Run, 21 miles on trail, 4:20, nearly the end of about 12 starters.
• 7/10 Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO. 39:07, 16th of 38 finishers, 82 starters.
• 8/9-13 Run the John Muir Trail for my 40th birthday. I did the 223 miles in 5 days.
• 9/13 Santa Barbara Loop, 30.5 miles on trail to and along a 12,600' ridge, in the Sangre de Cristo mtns, 4th of 12, 4:51 (my PR).
• 9/27 Two Tall Boys, 24 miles, 10,000' climb over two 14ers near Leadville, CO, 2nd of 12, 7:32 (really hard!).
• 11/1 Stone Lions, 20.4 miles in Bandelier Nat'l Monument, 10th of 20, slow.

1997 Racing Results:

• 3/1 7th Arizona Rogaine, 12 hours, with Dave Scudder, 1st of 11 teams.
• 4/5 Barkley races, one of three (of 30+ starters) to finish 60 mile "fun run". Near Oak Ridge, TN.
• 5/17 Wally Walters Memorial 5k, Los Alamos, NM, 17:26, 1st of ~65.
• 6/7 Pajarito Mtn., 20 miles on trail, 3:15, 1st of 12 starters, 10 finishers.
• 6/18 Caballo Mtn., 26.5 miles on trail, 4:35, did it alone.
• 6/22 Arriba NM, 23 miles to the top of 13k'+ Wheeler Peak, 4:05, 2nd of 15 starters.
• 6/28 Pace Richard Hughes for 38 miles at Western States 100 - he made it.
• 7/11 Hardrock 100, Silverton, CO, 33:43:25, 6th of 39 finishers, 99 starters.
• 8/10 Three Peaks, 19 miles to tops of some 12k'+ peaks in Sangre de Cristos, 3:36, 1st/15 starters.
• 8/16 Pace a buddy for 38 miles of the Leadville 100 - he dropped at 88 miles.
• 8/23 "Back to School" 5k - 18:19, 3rd/60.
• 9/6 Wasatch Front 100, near SLC, dropped with sore knees at 38 miles.

1996 Racing Results:

• 2/24 Pueblo Nuevo 100, 19:39, 1st of 15 finishers/35 starters.
• Out with a bum knee (ITBS) - April, May, ....
• 6/1 Pajarito Mtn., 20 miles on trail, 3:35, 5th of about 25. Knee better!
• 6/8 Caballo Mtn., 26.5 miles on trail at night, 6400' climb, 5:40, 1st(tie) of 9, reinjured knee.
• 7/4 Claremont XC Benefit 5k, 16:36, 5th of ~300.
• 7/12 Hardrock 100, 41:11, 16th of 43 finishers, 91 starters.
• 8/24 Paced a buddy at Leadville 100.
• 9/15 Rendija Rogaine, 15 checkpoints in 6 hours, Got 'em all in 5:40.
• 9/28 Angeles Crest 100, 23:36, 12th of 96 finishers, 168 starters.
• 11/2 Grand Canyon Double Crossing, 40 miles, 10:17.

1995 Racing Results:

• 4/9 Capulin Canyon, 23 miles on trail, 3:24, 2nd of 25 starters.
• 4/23 Holiday Mesa, 50k on trail, snowed out, but I scouted out the route the weekend before with Bob Reedy. Gnarly river crossing!
• 5/13 Massanutten Mountain Trails 100, 28:17, 10th of 31 finishers, 58 starters.
• 6/3 Pajarito Mtn., 20 miles on trail, DNF (sore ankle from MMT100).
• 6/24 Arriba NM!, changed by the RD to the 15 mile "short course", to top of 13k+' Wheeler Pk., due to snow. 3:29, 2nd of 12 starters.
• 7/7 Hardrock 100. Cancelled due to the heavy snowpack.
• 7/8 Caballo Mtn., 26.5 miles on trail at night, 6k' total climb., 5:35, 1st of 9 starters/5 finishers.
• 7/15 Los Alamos "High Altitude Mini-Marathon", 20k on road, at altitude, very hilly. 1:19:10, 8th of about 200.
• 7/30 Lake Pk/Santa Fe Baldy, 19 miles on trail, 5:34, 15th of 27, carried my fly rod, detoured to Katherine Lake, and spent an hour fishing in the middle of the run - excellent fishing for cutthroat trout!
• 8/20 Leadville 100, Paced Bob Reedy for 50 miles in his first hundred finish.
• 8/26 Back-to-School 5k, 18:07, 2nd of 140.
• 9/10 Mtn Rnr Rogaine, visited 14 of 15 checkpoints in 5:46.
• 9/30 Angeles Crest 100, 22:50, 12th of 88 finishers, 144 starters.
• 10/18 AVS Run, 5k on road, 17:09, 1st of 135.
• 10/29 Stone Lions, 20 miles on trail, 3:45, 2nd of 20.

1994 Racing Results:

• 4/30 BB50, 50 miles on road, 7:01, 2nd of 7 finishers.
• 5/22 Guaje Ridge, 21 miles on trail, 3:20, 1st of 6 finishers/7 starters.
• 6/4 Pajarito Mtn., 20 miles on trail, 3:04, 1st of 10 finishers/14 starters.
• 7/9 Hardrock, 100 miles on trail, 38:20, 11th of 37 finishers/73 starters.
• 7/31 Lake Pk/Santa Fe Baldy, 19 miles on trail, 3:55, 2nd of 11 finishers/14 starters.
• 8/27 Back-to-school, 5k on trail (at altitude), 16:38, 1st of about 80 finishers.
• 9/10 Wasatch Front, 100 miles on trail, 28:30, 34th of 110 finishers/146 starters.
• 10/26 AVS Run, 5k on road (at altitude), 16:51, 1st of 142 finishers.
• 10/30 Stone Lions, 20 miles on trail, DNF

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