Jim Garcia: Chancellor Challenge Champion
Ultra Runner: What were your thoughts when you first heard that there was a big prize money ultra planned in your local area?
JG: I wanted to be a part of the deal. I couldn't imagine that Dave (McGillivray, Race Director) could not get more than a few good Americans to run the race.
Ultra Runner: At the start, did you feel that you had a chance to win the race? How did you size up the competition?
JG: Well, once I heard that Dan Brannen was arranging for some quick foreigners to participate, I knew I was in trouble. Still, I thought it would be great for the race if some name brand guys ran good times. It would be perceived as a real race.
Ultra Runner: Were you in top shape for a hard effort?
JG: Yes. Ever since I came back from Leadville, I had been running well. The 15:47 for five km in September and 25:39 for five miles were the best times I've run in years.
Ultra Runner: When you reached 50 km in 3:17, what were your thoughts? Is that not a very fast pace for you?
JG: I felt good, so I knew I had seven hours in the bag. Except for a slight pinched nerve in my leg, everything was going well. I even thought I had a shot at running 6:50 until 70 km.
Ultra Runner: Did it help to be running on a loop course, on which you could see the competition throughout the race?
JG: Yeah, You can get a good feel for how the other runners are feeling. It must be easier to visualize yourself running well when you are constantly seeing other runners of the same pace. It is hard to explain. All I know is that it seemed easier to keep pace. In normal races, when someone drops you and gets more than a minute ahead, they are gone. Here, you could keep tabs on them all day long.
Ultra Runner: When did you sense you might have chance to win?
JG: The last 400 meters. At 85 km I figured I still had a shot at my (6:57:21) PR, so I pushed a little harder. Even though my ninth lap was my slowest of the day, I gained 23 seconds on Jan. We were 3:17 apart at that point.
With about a mile to go, Dan Brannen told me I was 1:15 out, and should make a run for the lead. I still didn't think it was possible. In fact, with a half-mile to go, when I saw Jan on the other side of the pond heading down the home stretch I gave him a big congratulatory wave. Too little, too late, I was thinking to myself.
After crossing the bridge, the wind was at my back and I was flying. With a quarter mile to go, Don Allison told me that I could still do it. I figured that I could go all out for a measly quarter-mile, and at least make the finish exciting. with about 300 meters to go I could see that I was chewing up ground quickly enough that I had a shot at catching Jan before the 110-degree left-hand turn 10 meters before the finish.
Ultra Runner: Describe the scene at the finish line.
JG: As my mouth is often prone to do, my legs were running without any brain input. Missing the opportunity to catch Jan before the turn, I was gauging whether I should go wide or inside, and wondering if Jan could lunge the last 10 meters faster than if I went wide. When I approached the turn, I really thought I had a clear inside path. However, when I hit the turn, Jan had moved into the middle of the seven-foot wide path. We were both going for the same pivot point on the turn, at the same time, but from slightly different angles and speeds. I planted my right foot to make the turn on the inside and we made contact.
The finish photo shows me bounding out of the way as Jan has just hit the ground and is still rolling. I immediately stopped, dumbfounded, and looked at him for a second, then, very unenthusiastically, crossed the finish line.
As soon as I crossed the line, my first action was to catch the eye of the referee, Steve Vaitones, to get a calling. He nodded "yes." Jan immediately went to the medical tent to get bandaged up. Afterwards, he was quite gracious, and congratulated me on my finish.
Ultra Runner: Was this the best ultra you have ever run?
JG: Well, it was definitely the fastest finish. This was the easiest ultra I have ever done, really. My legs were not beat up at all. No blisters, no post-race nausea.
Ultra Runner: Did you think you would have a shot at breaking seven hours, so many years after you first did it?
JG: I used to think so. every race I went into thinking, "I can do well." Then something would happen and my race would fall apart. after so many times, I started to think that 7:15 should be my realistic goal. Premature dejection, I think it's called.
Ultra Runner: To what do you attribute your ability to run so fast at age 41?
JG: I swear it was the 10 days at altitude. Really, this whole year I have been focusing on good, old-fashioned road racing. I felt that I was losing my edge, so I did more speed work. I never had a training week over 80 miles this year.
Ultra Runner: Have you received much notoriety since the race for the close finish, which has been depicted in photos and in stories about the race?
JG: Well, people have been asking, "You didn't really trip him as the article said, did you?." I tell them. "Yes, I did, but not on purpose."
Ultra Runner: Do you think the support provided by Chancellor Corporation will help the sport of ultrarunning in this country?
JG: Gosh yes. public recognition is based on how much television time, newspaper space and prize money the event gets. The most famous ultras (Western States and Leadville) in the u.s. got that way because they received media coverage.
Ultra Runner: You have also run some trail 100s, as well as many road 100- km's. How do you compare the difficulty of the two types of races?
JG: Being up for seven hours has got to be easier than 20 hours. My legs are beat up for longer after a hard 100-km than after a trail 100. A 100-km is similar to a marathon. You run light and fast and beat the daylights out of your legs. There are no hills, river crossings, or rocky sections to give you an excuse to slow down.
The trail 100s have the terrain and weather to equalize the field. I get myself wrapped up in shoe changes, drop bags and butt packs. If I could go 100 miles as light and fast as I run the 100-km, then I would do better. I'd like to see the trail 100-mile guys try running the 100-km more often. There have been some in the past that have: Tom Johnson, Sean Crom, Rae Clark, for example, but I haven't seen any recently.
Ultra Runner: Much information is dispensed about how to run trail 100's. What can a runner do in training and during the race itself to run well at 100-km? Do you think a 100-km is a good challenge for the average ultrarunner?
JG: Simplistically, they have to get back to marathon-like training. Also, the great thing about a 100-km on the road is that it is a standard distance. All the trail races are different in terms of difficulty. none are certified. In a 100 km, there is nothing to hide behind. The course isn't always scenic, but it is usually fast.
Ultra Runner: What should a runner look for in shoes when approaching a road ultra?
JG: I used to say just pick a medium weight racing shoe and change to another one if your feet start to hurt. Now I believe that you should wear one of the 10-ounce trainer/racers. Every company makes a couple of models. They are easy to find, since the average runner is buying them for regular racing. They are more stable and cushion the legs more. In the last 30 km of my past 100-km races, my upper legs were killing me, even though I wasn't that tired.
Ultra Runner: How about eating and drinking?
JG: Go light, but stay ahead of the calories. Don't stuff yourself 'til you barf. Avoid ibuprofen if possible. I think it irritates the stomach enough such that you have a harder time processing food. Carbofuel for first half. Start taking GU about 40 km. Drink some Metabolol midway. then nothing except GU, water and Pepsi the last 20 miles. Extra caffeine helps, something you have to avoid overdoing in a 100-miler, as you can really burn yourself out then.
Ultra Runner: What are your running goals for 2000?
JG: I'd love to go and do well at some trail 100 somewhere, but I still don't think I'm good at them. My back always goes out at some point in the race. I typically run 30 to 40 miles with a pinched nerve. I whacked by back out at Western States in 1997 at 33 miles and couldn't get it back, so I walked the last 20 miles.
Ultra Runner: Do you plan to run on the USA team again?
JG: Now I do. I had written off getting chosen. I had also written off even wanting to go through the pain and aggravation. I decided to focus on non-ultra races. I also decided to give a go at two trail hundreds which I had dnf'ed in the past.
Ultra Runner: As a several time member, do you feel that the USA can improve its team result?
JG: It is hard not to. I don't think the guys have raced their potential.
Ultra Runner: Since the big year in 1995, the USA has slipped in the team standings: what can be done to reverse this trend?
JG: To do so, we need one guy at 6:45 and two right around seven hours. I think a (Howard) Nippert, (Brian) Teason and (Mark) Godale are capable of doing this. To get two under seven, we should have four who are capable of it. We had the team to do it last May. I think we are going to have to do it with the guys who are running now. They are just going to have to figure out how to hold on after 50 km. I honestly have given up thinking we are going to recruit some fast marathoners. I may be wrong, but since 1995, only two fast marathoners (Nippert and Harrison) have moved into ultras.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 04:33 PM