The women led the way, and now it’s time to talk to the men of Team7Hills. What have they been up to and what adventures are being planned for 2015?
But first… exciting race results just in! This weekend we had Team7Hills sponsored runners working hard and flying our colours far and wide. While Masazumi Fujioki stayed local for the Yakima 50k, a mere hop, skip and a jump across the Cascades; Kevin Douglas headed to the east coast, and Adam Hewey took Team7Hills international and competed in the 100 Miles of Istria in Croatia, a big 107 mile race in Eastern Europe that took him across the Istrian peninsula from Labin to Umag.
But first… exciting race results just in! This weekend we had Team7Hills sponsored runners working hard and flying our colours far and wide. While Masazumi Fujioki stayed local for the Yakima 50k, a mere hop, skip and a jump across the Cascades; Kevin Douglas headed to the east coast, and Adam Hewey took Team7Hills international and competed in the 100 Miles of Istria in Croatia, a big 107 mile race in Eastern Europe that took him across the Istrian peninsula from Labin to Umag.
Masazumi Fujioka:“Finished 3rd. It was a rough first 25k with a nasty fall at the downhill just before the halfway point, and I was somewhere around 10th place at the turn. I just kept going and going and going from there, and that paid off.”
Adam Hewey:“Brutal course compounded with snow, rain, wind and mud. Recovering with good coffee.”Adam wore his Merrell All Out Peaks, ran a strong race and finished tenth man home in a worthy 25:25:51.
Kevin Douglas:
Kevin Douglas hit the roads of Massachusetts in his Pearl Izumi Road N1s and ran the 2015 Boston Marathon, finishing with a cracking time of 2:50:00. Good for 940th place overall!
“Boston went really well for me. I went into it really relaxed which I am finding to be key when racing for me. Went out at a comfortable pace and thought it was too fast but was listening to my body. Let a lot of people go by me. Rain started about an hour in. Started to pick it up slowly after 10 miles ish. 1:27:10 at half. Hit the hills after 17 and slowly kept picking it up. There was a head wind and rain that slowed a little but you push through it. Ran a huge negative split. 1:22:50 second half. I was very happy with a 2:50:00 finish time.”
Congratulations to Masazumi, Adam and Kevin!
Kevin Douglas hit the roads of Massachusetts in his Pearl Izumi Road N1s and ran the 2015 Boston Marathon, finishing with a cracking time of 2:50:00. Good for 940th place overall!
“Boston went really well for me. I went into it really relaxed which I am finding to be key when racing for me. Went out at a comfortable pace and thought it was too fast but was listening to my body. Let a lot of people go by me. Rain started about an hour in. Started to pick it up slowly after 10 miles ish. 1:27:10 at half. Hit the hills after 17 and slowly kept picking it up. There was a head wind and rain that slowed a little but you push through it. Ran a huge negative split. 1:22:50 second half. I was very happy with a 2:50:00 finish time.”
Congratulations to Masazumi, Adam and Kevin!
Ultrapedestrian Ras Vaughan:
Some slightly belated, but well deserved, congratulations should also be extended to Ras for finishing first place overall in the Rock Creek Ramble 50 Miler last weekend. Double victory from the Vaughan’s that day as Ras’ wife, Kathy, ran the 100k and nailed a first place finish too! Well done to the pair of them. (Take a moment to read Kathy’s race report here.)
Two-time Ultrarunner Of The Year Rob Krar also listed him as one of his “Five Favorite Runners To Watch”
“Kathy and I both ran the Woolley Trails runs 50k where I set a new 50 PR of 5:21:58 to finish 10th overall, 7th mens; the following day we ran the Fort Ebey Kettle Trail Marathon to complete the Epic Double.
In May we will both be running the Pigtails Challenge. Kathy will be attempting the 150 miler for the first time, and I will be returning to continue my streak as the only person to have finished the 200 mile option every year. It will be my fifth 200 mile race.”
Some slightly belated, but well deserved, congratulations should also be extended to Ras for finishing first place overall in the Rock Creek Ramble 50 Miler last weekend. Double victory from the Vaughan’s that day as Ras’ wife, Kathy, ran the 100k and nailed a first place finish too! Well done to the pair of them. (Take a moment to read Kathy’s race report here.)
Two-time Ultrarunner Of The Year Rob Krar also listed him as one of his “Five Favorite Runners To Watch”
“Kathy and I both ran the Woolley Trails runs 50k where I set a new 50 PR of 5:21:58 to finish 10th overall, 7th mens; the following day we ran the Fort Ebey Kettle Trail Marathon to complete the Epic Double.
In May we will both be running the Pigtails Challenge. Kathy will be attempting the 150 miler for the first time, and I will be returning to continue my streak as the only person to have finished the 200 mile option every year. It will be my fifth 200 mile race.”
Seth Wolpin:
“The NTP on 5/30 will be a solo unsupported effort to break the FKT on this trail. I believe it is 60hrs. The trail goes through the heart of the Adirondacks but it follows rivers and valleys – so not crazy gain which makes me think the FKT is doable. I hiked it a couple times in college and am excited to go back. Only downside is it will be the height of the black fly season as well as mud season.
In June and July I hope to do some FKT attempts on trails in the PNW. August will be brutal with Angels, Squamish, and Cascade. Hope to limp through those.”
Seth is directing the Annapurna Trail Race in September and hopes to stay in Nepal after that to do more running.
“The NTP on 5/30 will be a solo unsupported effort to break the FKT on this trail. I believe it is 60hrs. The trail goes through the heart of the Adirondacks but it follows rivers and valleys – so not crazy gain which makes me think the FKT is doable. I hiked it a couple times in college and am excited to go back. Only downside is it will be the height of the black fly season as well as mud season.
In June and July I hope to do some FKT attempts on trails in the PNW. August will be brutal with Angels, Squamish, and Cascade. Hope to limp through those.”
Seth is directing the Annapurna Trail Race in September and hopes to stay in Nepal after that to do more running.
Jon Robinson:
“I just finished my seventh consecutive Orcas Island 50k/Chuckanut 50k double and now I am getting ready to go down to the Marin Headleads to run the Miwok 100k the first week of May.”
“I just finished my seventh consecutive Orcas Island 50k/Chuckanut 50k double and now I am getting ready to go down to the Marin Headleads to run the Miwok 100k the first week of May.”
Matt Urbanski:
“-Ran the LA Marathon on 3/15/15. Ran 2:37 and placed 35th overall.
-Volunteered at the Gorge 100k.
-Coaching is going well with majority of the runners I work with gearing up for big races or having just completed them (Dan Smith, 7Hills customer, ran American River 50, his first ultra marathon).”
“-Ran the LA Marathon on 3/15/15. Ran 2:37 and placed 35th overall.
-Volunteered at the Gorge 100k.
-Coaching is going well with majority of the runners I work with gearing up for big races or having just completed them (Dan Smith, 7Hills customer, ran American River 50, his first ultra marathon).”
John Wros:
“2015 results include: 1st Tillamook Burn 55K fatass (Jan. 3), 5th Bridal Trails 50K (Jan. 10), 7th Orcas Island 50K (Feb. 7), 8th Hillbilly Half Marathon (Mar. 7), DNF Gorge 100K (Mar. 28).
The Gorge DNF was actually the most fun of any of them – headlamp called it quits right away and going hard through the dark was a kick, a slip right about dawn just did in an already funky achilles.
Really what’s going on is that 100 mile season is approaching. Now shy of 3 months until the Bighorn I have elevation profiles tacked up on the wall, am upping weekly mileage, and am getting really excited. I love hundreds. One focus this year is daily nutrition, turns out there’s good reason we hear so much about it – feel strong run strong! Last season Bob’s Red Mill Natural Food products made up the majority of my calories, their stuff is rocket fuel. This season I’m teamed up with the great folks at Bob’s, which has given me an opportunity to really experiment. To maximize this benefit I enrolled in a sports nutrition course and with each new tweak I’m feeling ever more confident that my body will be ready to cover those long miles.
Races coming up: Quicksilver 100K, Bighorn 100 Mile, Dolomites Sky Race, maybe a secret mission in Alaska, and the Pine to Palm 100 Mile.”
“2015 results include: 1st Tillamook Burn 55K fatass (Jan. 3), 5th Bridal Trails 50K (Jan. 10), 7th Orcas Island 50K (Feb. 7), 8th Hillbilly Half Marathon (Mar. 7), DNF Gorge 100K (Mar. 28).
The Gorge DNF was actually the most fun of any of them – headlamp called it quits right away and going hard through the dark was a kick, a slip right about dawn just did in an already funky achilles.
Really what’s going on is that 100 mile season is approaching. Now shy of 3 months until the Bighorn I have elevation profiles tacked up on the wall, am upping weekly mileage, and am getting really excited. I love hundreds. One focus this year is daily nutrition, turns out there’s good reason we hear so much about it – feel strong run strong! Last season Bob’s Red Mill Natural Food products made up the majority of my calories, their stuff is rocket fuel. This season I’m teamed up with the great folks at Bob’s, which has given me an opportunity to really experiment. To maximize this benefit I enrolled in a sports nutrition course and with each new tweak I’m feeling ever more confident that my body will be ready to cover those long miles.
Races coming up: Quicksilver 100K, Bighorn 100 Mile, Dolomites Sky Race, maybe a secret mission in Alaska, and the Pine to Palm 100 Mile.”
Chris Barry:
Chris recently attacked the “half” at the Cottontail 12 Hour race at Carkeek Park with a solid 34 miles in six hours earning him a first place finish, and vengeance for his DNF at the Gorge 100k the previous week.Chris is planning to attempt a Fastest Known Time for running the Snoqualmie Valley trail, a journey of 62 miles, starting at Mccormick Park and running to Rattlesnake Lake and back.With training for Cascade Crest 100 in mind, he will be in Bellingham for the Lost Lake 50k and on the trails at Sun Mountain, racing the 50 miler.
Chris recently attacked the “half” at the Cottontail 12 Hour race at Carkeek Park with a solid 34 miles in six hours earning him a first place finish, and vengeance for his DNF at the Gorge 100k the previous week.Chris is planning to attempt a Fastest Known Time for running the Snoqualmie Valley trail, a journey of 62 miles, starting at Mccormick Park and running to Rattlesnake Lake and back.With training for Cascade Crest 100 in mind, he will be in Bellingham for the Lost Lake 50k and on the trails at Sun Mountain, racing the 50 miler.
Korey Konga:
“I took 2nd to Maxwell Ferguson in 03:19 at the Guerilla Running Mountain Marathon in March and since then have been training 90% of the time on the roads for the Capital City Marathon in May. I kind of started feeling stale and like I haven’t gotten any faster in the last few years of trail running so I decided to work on some speed. After a few weeks of marathon specific training I’m starting to feel like I can hit a a sub 02:40 and improve from there. I’m actually enjoying the structured training and splits and track work and all that goes in to road racing.“I spent the last 2-3 years in Tucson, Arizona and Ashland, Oregon kind of going all willy nilly and running and racing when I wanted and not using a GPS or training plans, which was fun, but I got injured a lot and felt slow and a lot of times just got drunk and didn’t run at all. Almost every day I ran in Arizona, and most of my time in OR too, I was really hung over, so that probably didn’t help with my fitness.
I still get at least one long run on the trails every week. Recently I ran to upper Lena Lake and this Thursday I plan on going to FlapJack Lakes. It’s been really amazing living back in Washington. I love it here, no matter where I’m running. Haven’t had a drink in 4 months either.”
“I took 2nd to Maxwell Ferguson in 03:19 at the Guerilla Running Mountain Marathon in March and since then have been training 90% of the time on the roads for the Capital City Marathon in May. I kind of started feeling stale and like I haven’t gotten any faster in the last few years of trail running so I decided to work on some speed. After a few weeks of marathon specific training I’m starting to feel like I can hit a a sub 02:40 and improve from there. I’m actually enjoying the structured training and splits and track work and all that goes in to road racing.“I spent the last 2-3 years in Tucson, Arizona and Ashland, Oregon kind of going all willy nilly and running and racing when I wanted and not using a GPS or training plans, which was fun, but I got injured a lot and felt slow and a lot of times just got drunk and didn’t run at all. Almost every day I ran in Arizona, and most of my time in OR too, I was really hung over, so that probably didn’t help with my fitness.
I still get at least one long run on the trails every week. Recently I ran to upper Lena Lake and this Thursday I plan on going to FlapJack Lakes. It’s been really amazing living back in Washington. I love it here, no matter where I’m running. Haven’t had a drink in 4 months either.”
It looks like 2015 is shaping up to be quite the adventure for our inspiring sponsored runners! Thanks for all the interesting and varied responses Team7Hills.
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