Leadville 100 winner is minimalist

B-to-the-ump

On dirt trails that might make sense.

Dirt is hard to come by in the mountains.

I find little of what trail and ultra runners do to be at all relevant to the rest of us.

I bet he runs slowly, too wrote:

I find little of what trail and ultra runners do to be at all relevant to the rest of us.

That's ok. They're not impressed by you running around a track ad nauseum just so you can be 10" faster but still mediocre at best. Give me the trails, the mountains, and the great outdoors any day of the week.

CO-Runner wrote:

Dirt is hard to come by in the mountains.

You are being sarcastic, aren't you?

I don't really know the guy, but I do occasionally spot him on the same dirt trails and grass fields that I've run on for many years.

I'm okay with that, my comment wasn't meant to belittle just to say that what sightseer runners do is of little importance here in the world of competitive running, and what they have the capacity to be "impressed by" is just as irrelevant. You can't denounce that which you never attained in the first place.

I have to agree here. I know tony well, and see him all the time. For a good time, he ran barefoot. He does alot of barefoot running at the CC field, and does all other runs in I believe the Zoom waffle racer, and the La Sportiva Slingshot. I will also say he is crazy running barefoot on the Monument Valley trail being that it is very hard packed gravel. I believe I may know you as well, being that I live in the springs, and run in mvp daily.

Yes, I was thinking that I saw him running barefoot a number of times on the CC soccer field, and perhaps also on the trail. As I recall, his minimalist tendencies extend to the rest of his attire as well.

I actually find it quite interesting that he is able to such mileage in minmalist shoes without injury. Quite incredible. I love running in light shoes but with my weight taken into consideration, I would not be able to consider training in minmalist shoes on a consistent basis.

Weights got nothing to do with it.

Hoshway wrote:

Not sure if this has been brought up already, but Anton Krupicka, who won the Leadville 100 this year, is apparently a minimalist.

An article in Trail Runner says he trains in racing flats and cross-country racing waffles. He logged 170-200mile weeks through the summer and "tapered" to 165-175 leading up to Leadville.

Who gives a rat's butt how some dude who won a 100 miler trained. If I wanted to run 4-5 miles an hour all day over a mountain, I could too.

So why don't you. Its not as easy as you think.

so wrote:

So why don't you. Its not as easy as you think.

Ah, but I won western states 100, back in the day

Dr. Zoiberg wrote:

Who gives a rat's butt how some dude who won a 100 miler trained. If I wanted to run 4-5 miles an hour all day over a mountain, I could too.

For what it's worth, according to marthonguide, the guy has run 2:42 and 2:45 marathons (both at considerable altitude) this year as well. That's a wee bit faster than 4-5 miles per hour.

TACO!

could challenge Matt Carpenter's records on the peak.

Until you realize that he's shuffling around slowly. Short strides usually mean very low impact force.

Bugs Bunny wrote:

I actually find it quite interesting that he is able to such mileage in minmalist shoes without injury. Quite incredible.

I read that article. I find the guy fascinating. He seems very committed to his running and his principles which is admirable in this day. He also seems to have a decent sense of humor. I wish him success!

are we talking about... wrote:

could challenge Matt Carpenter's records on the peak.

If that's true, then there's obviously a lot that I don't know about him. What race performances would suggest that he is anywhere close to that level?