About Me
In 2002 at the age of 44, I was a non-active, 230-pound couch potato. During that summer in an attempt to get in shape for a backpacking trip, I climbed Mount Timpanogos in Utah for the first time. (A 14-mile, 4,800-foot undertaking). It was a grueling experience that took all day. Young hikers made fun of my slow tortoise pace. After the backpacking trip, I forced myself to climb Mount Timpanogos again the very next weekend. It went better. I vowed that I would get into shape. I quickly increased my mileage and quickly developed injuries. Not to be stopped, I took up swimming and was able to reduce my weight. I learned to swim a mile each morning in 35-40 minutes.
In 2003, still too heavy, I tore my meniscus in my right knee skiing and had it repaired. I was hooked to long distance fast-pack hiking, so within a month I was back at it. My mileage increased and my strength increased.
In 2004, I continued my long-distance hiking and found it harder and harder to find companions who could go those distances in such a short period of time. I searched the Internet in hopes to find a club of long-distance hikers. I stumbled on “ultrarunners.” I had never heard of this sport before. Feeling confident, I entered my first mountain 50K. I finished it, but came in nearly last place. I was humbled, but still confident enough to send in my application to the Bear 100 two months away. Next I ran in my first 50-miler — White River 50. I finished, but came in dead last, 2 seconds after the cutoff. I was in terrible pain. A few weeks later I DNFed a 100k and injured my other knee. Still determined, I ran in the Bear 100, and DNFed at mile 87, experiencing my first terrible bonk. It felt like I was going to die. I went away discouraged. I was in over my head.
Late in 2004, after I recovered from my overuse injuries, I began to transition from a hiker to a runner. I learned how to train and lost more weight. In 2005, I finished seven ultras included two 100-milers. The Bear 100 was one of those. I did DNF two other 100-mile races but continued to learn from them. I was hooked.
To make a long story short, in 2021 I now am a veteran ultrarunner. I’ve lost nearly 40 pounds since 2002 but keeping off weight is getting harder. I’m now 63 years old, still in good shape, but finally slowed down. The 100-mile race is my favorite distance. As I get older, 100-milers are getting harder to finish fast. I’ve now finished about 200 ultras, including over 105 100-mile races. In 2009, I ran in some marathons just to see what I could do and in 2010 ran in the Boston Marathon. In 2010 I won the competitive Across the Years 48-hour race, covering a distance of 187 miles. As I neared age 59, I finally detected a rather significant slowdown running mountain 100s, but I kept trying.
Why do I run 100 miles? Because I can. Because of the challenge. Because I now enjoy it. Running is now part of my life. Including my long adventures and races, I average about 50 miles of running per week. I do most of my training at night/early morning. I’m very careful about taking days off to rest. I’ve been very lucky since 2004 and have avoided any serious injuries. Any injury has healed within two weeks. I now can run 100-milers within two weeks of each other. I still haven’t peaked, but I know I will soon because of age. With each new year I’ve broken PRs at almost every distance. In 2011, I shattered my 100-mile PR with a 20:27 and third place finish at Antelope Island 100. On the right column of my blog is a list of all my 100-mile finishes and you will see that I later broke 20 hours. For road distances of 5K-marathon, I believe when I was in my 50’s I was among the top-20 runners over 50 in Utah. I enjoy some competition now and then with some of the local elite over-50 runners.
My favorite part of running is not the races. I love adventure runs. My blog is full of these runs. I love the Grand Canyon and have run across it and back more than (rim-to-rim-to-rim) 15 times. I am the first person to run 100 miles in the Canyon in one stretch, the first person to do a double crossing from North Kaibab to Hermits Rest, and the first person to do a double crossing from North Kaibab to Grandview and back (did this on two occasions). I’ve run nearly the entire Tonto Trail through the Grand Canyon (80 miles).
On my blog, you will find a link labelled “Running History.” This is my attempt at an online book with lots of details of my adventures and my path to becoming an ultrarunner.
In 2018, I started Ultrarunning History Podcast and Articles
I hope you enjoy reading my adventures. I have taken the time to write these stories to preserve these amazing memories and to help others who wish to pursue the same dream.
totally love your story & site – found your site when I was writing a blog entry on my own grand canyon adventures! I’ve been running in that canyon about 5 times and can’t get enough. I definitely want to go back next year and do a double crossing, which will be a first time for me. Probably pick off a few other runs in bryce and zion in the same timeframe if I can still walk after a double!
cheers
ewart.
Hi! You mentioned that you have avoided injury and have strong ankles, knees, and quads. Do you do strength training or is it just all the running? I want to start running longer distances (I’m signed up for a 60k in March) and would love to avoid injuries. Thanks for such an awesome blog. I love reading about your adventures. Thanks for any advice, Amy
Mount Timpanogos is one of my favorite runs. I now have cancer and have had to stop for a while but last spring I was doing Timp in 4:06 so not as fast as you, but man what a fun run. I have enjoyed your entries and look forward to more. I live in Saratoga Springs and before I got sick spent most of my time on the trails on Lake Mountain. You’ve inspired me and if I can beat this my goal is to do the Squaw Peak 50. Happy Trails!
You blew past me at Rex Lee this year :). I think you are a superhero! Best wishes to you in all you do and thank you for the inspiration. I started running last year, have lost 45 pounds, and am trying to get stronger and faster every day. Keep breaking down those barriers, you are amazing.
Nice challenges, 51! I’m just 46 and was worried I would be done soon, thanks for good motivation. You should speed climb Whitney and down, I’ve hit 5 hours there. I’m very impressed how you changed your body, but I am sure mostly your mind!
Dave,
Your site was one of the first I stumbled across a couple years ago when I too was looking for people that hiked a long ways. My friends and I read your R2R2R account as we made our first attempt at a double crossing. I’ve done if four times since and it’s a regular trip now for us Phoenicians. Really love all your adventure runs and reading your posts. I’m running my first 100 miler next week, Cascade Crest 100. There are several of us coming up from Phoenix and really looking forward to the cool weather. I was excited to see that you were running the race as well and I’d love the chance to say hello and introduce myself. Hope to see you out there, good luck and keep up the running and all the adventures!!
Jeremy
I have fun reading your adventures Davy, it gives me a lot of motivation for distance running. I’ve never run that far yet especially on the mountains and in the deserts, run my first ultra around manhattan, NY last 9-11-11 the 10th anniversary 50K, it wasn’t too bad at all because it was all flat course. But when I was reading your sub24 Javalina 100 miler, it felt good on me i am telling myself that “i should push forward for long distances and harder”. you’re my inspiration Davy, keep going and i will follow your blog. Thanks a lot you’re the best!!!
Great articles and bio. I really appreciate the piece about your overuse injuries early on. I am certain this will help people learn that we don’t just wake up one morning and run for hours on end. Even some of the best Ultra authors fail at talking about what it takes to get to these miles, especially how critical recovery, strength and nutrition are. Hope you coach people because I think you would be very good at it.
Love reading about all the running you have accomplished over the years and wonder if you have put together a list of the gear you use. All my runs are on trails and would like to know what kind of green flashlight you use and do you ever bother taking trekking poles with you. I tried the poles on a rim to rim run in Grand Canyon and ended up more comfortable without them.
Thanks Davy.
You are a motivating spirit to all of us old dudes!
Old dudes rule!
What an inspirational person you are! Not just talk the talk but walk the walk–or should I say run the run. I can’t imagine what it was like to take that first step and then find so much joy that you kept at it despite physical limitations. There is a mental strength in you that we all can learn from!