This year has been incredible so far for our growing team of Flight Phase athletes. As we are transitioning back into the thick of winter training season, my goal is to keep everyone updated on answers to frequently asked training questions, upcoming events, and stories and race results from our amazing team.
TRAINING INTEL
As we begin building up to next year’s races and events, you will notice again that we are testing our aerobic and anaerobic thresholds and dialing in our heart rate zones. This article on Aerobic and Anaerobic Thresholds can shed some light on why we do this. We use the Uphill Athlete Heart Rate Drift Test. After your tests are complete, we will update your zones in Training Peaks. The main goal with this is to ensure your easy runs are easy enough to keep building your aerobic base volume, and your hard runs are hard enough you will get a good enough training response to progress.
Tip: To get the most accurate test, aim to complete this while relatively fresh, on a flatter surface without ice, at your normal training altitude. Use your wrist-based heart rate monitor unless you plan to wear a chest monitor for every run. If you use a treadmill, you will have to keep the speed the same for the duration of the test and make note of it in your workout.
Tip: After your test, you can update your heart rate zones manually on your watch settings to match our tested values for more accuracy with training.
Tip: Set up at least one screen on your watch that has your time, miles, gain and heart rate so you can check your intensity during long and easy runs. This is also helpful come race day, when you can use your heart rate for keeping intensity in check for the first part of the race.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Feb. 10, 2024 Running Up For Air, Mount Sentinel, Missoula, MT—several Flight Phase athletes will be competing this year in the 12h event. The 4-mile course climbs 1900ft to the summit of Mount Sentinel. Runners can choose to complete the route for 3h, 6h, or 12h. This has quickly become a local cult classic for building early season leg strength for climbing. During 2023, Flight Phase athlete Dani Goodson took podium with a second place in the 6h. Tom Attard, Hannah Goodson, Grant Cunningham, and Kristina Pattison all participated in the 12h event.
Feb. 10-11, 2024 Black Canyon Ultras, Phoenix, AZ— a group of Montana wildland firefighters from various crews will be heading down to the desert to duke it out on this fast, competitive and net downhill course. The 100km is a Western States qualifier and part of the newly minted World Trail Majors. There are also 60km and 100mi options.
Mar. 16, 2024 Hells Canyon “Unorganized” Run — each year runners meet at Pittsburgh Landing, Idaho, on the shores of the Snake River south of Grangeville to run the Hells Canyon Recreation Trail. The semi-organized runs include 13.1 and 26.2 distances which are point to point and accessed via a boat ride up river. Guaranteed early season fun with the team, we will plan to camp together Friday and Saturday nights and take the boat ride (around $75) to run.
INSPIRING STORIES TO TELL ON THE TRAIL
August, 2023: Tom Attard completed the Bigfoot 209-mile trail race through Washington’s Mount St. Helen’s blast zone. This hilarious article and race report is a true testament to how important the people are who we run with. Including, his pacer and fellow FP athlete, Grant Cunningham.
September-October, 2023: Grant Cunningham completed his first Rut 50km in Big Sky, MT—one of the largest and most difficult 50km’s in the US—and went on to place 3rd at the White Fir 50km in Eugene, OR the next month. Grant is already planning an exciting season for 2024 including Antelope Island Buffalo Run 100mi in Utah, Mar. 29th.
September, 2023: Keiki Howe completed the Whitefish 50km, a mountain course that ascends and descends quickly back into the town of Whitefish, Montana. Keiki is also looking forward to the 2024 season with her eyes set on her first 100mi.
Nov. 9, 2023: Coach KPat was featured on Extra Tomorrows Podcast with host, J Scott Chapman. The conversation delves into her background in wildland firefighting & training for smokejumping, competing in the world Skyrunning series, and how Flight Phase athletes train.
Happy trails!
KPat
Flight Phase: /flīt/ /fāz/ :the period of time distinct to the running gait cycle, when neither foot is in contact with the ground.