The Backpacking Ultrarunner (and an ode to the Haven) by Heather Hoechst

I love backpacking. I also love running. It can be difficult (though not impossible) to run with a fully weighted backpack. This summer, I found myself in a quandary as I had signed up for a 120-mile ultramarathon in August that required dedicated training, yet I yearned for nights in the backcountry with all I needed for a long weekend strapped to my back. So, with the support and company of my partner, Drew, we embarked on several combination backpack/running adventures in our nearby San Juan mountains. I highly recommend this training style for anyone who has a love for both backpacking and the lightness of trail running. 

On one particular weekend, we loaded our Six Moon Designs packs with a Haven shelter, sleeping gear, lots of food, and the addition of our lightweight running vests. Scouring the map, Drew suggested we hike up to Maggie Gulch across the Colorado Trail and camp down the Pole Creek Trail, a portion of the Hardrock 100 course. We hiked in after work on Friday and found ourselves alone with only the company of some grazing elk and a sneaky coyote. In the morning, we packed our running packs with food, water, water filter, layers, and sunscreen and took off for an 8 hour trail running loop, leaving everything else up in a tree and safely out of reach from any marmots searching for salty fabric or trekking pole handles. Our typically dry June was acting very atypical and we ran through bright sunshine and multiple bouts of hail and rain, but the landscape was as beautiful as the high country gets around here. There is something about being above 11,000 feet for days that lightens the emotional load and frees the soul. It could be that the lack of oxygen muddles my brain and blocks out the negativity. Either way, I feel happiest up there. By the time we returned to our camp, the occasional rain began to make a habit of itself and we quickly grabbed our packs and filled up water  before diving under the shelter of the Haven. Oh, how it rained and rained! Luckily, our shoes were already soaked from stream crossings so we didn’t care that they were now getting drenched. The benefit of running all day was that all we really wanted to do was lie around and eat until we went to bed, which makes waiting out a rainstorm all the easier. The Haven gave us plenty of room to spread out our things, while also keeping us dry and out of the elements. We had plenty of time to scan the map for the next day’s adventure as waiting out the rain turned out to mean waiting until morning! The morning dawned foggy and damp, but by this time, damp was all we remembered ever being, so we reluctantly slid our dry feet into our soaked running shoes and packed up our camp again. This time, we hiked back to the Colorado Trail and hung our Swift packs on a trail sign. There is nothing like putting on a light running vest after taking off a heavy pack! I think of it like swimmers wearing baggy suits and having hairy legs in training so they feel faster when they wear that tight suit and shave. So fast! So sleek! We ran out and back along the Colorado Trail over Stony Pass and to the intersection of Cunningham Gulch before turning back to collect our packs and hike back out. A perfect weekend of a mini backpacking trip sandwiching two spectacular trail runs!

That weekend was so much fun, we decided to do it again. This time, not a drop of rain was predicted, and we hiked into an area called Cascade Creek not far from Purgatory Mountain Resort. On our way in, we saw the sneaky coyote again, though I’m not sure Drew believed me when I said it must be the same one from Pole Creek. From our camp, we could make a 25 mile loop on some of my favorite local high country trails and then do another out and back on a separate segment of the Colorado Trail. This time, we did not need the Haven tent, but we did make good use of its counterpart, the Haven NetTent. By setting up just the NetTent, we had protection from the flies and mosquitos that reproduced in the puddles from the heavy downpour the weekend before, but also felt most of the experience of cowboy camping. Having learned just how much food we would need for an all day high altitude adventure, we packed up our running packs again on Saturday morning and headed out. The air was dry, though the trails were not, and a patch of mud slipped me right off my feet within the first mile. This journey took us up to Engineer meadows, around to Rolling Pass and back down the Colorado Trail, where the columbines were really showing off this year, and returning to camp with plenty of time to lie around in our net tent and read and eat away the rest of the afternoon. We awoke dry and ready for another light and fast adventure before shouldering our packs and hiking back out to the car. 

Not only is a backpacking/running weekend a lot of fun, it is also a great way to train for an ultramarathon. Carrying a heavier pack for some of the training miles helps build muscle and simulates how it is going to feel carrying a light pack very late in a race. Returning to a camp instead of a warm shower and soft bed after the long run prepares you for the long amount of time during an ultra that you are going to be dirty, sweaty, wet, and uncomfortable. Having to put on wet shoes for the next day’s run prepares you for the real possibility of having wet feet for the 24+ hours of your race. Since you aren’t in the comfort of your own kitchen or near your favorite pizza place, you are forced to learn to fuel your body with whatever you thought you would want when you were packing. This also simulates the race experience where you may not have access to your favorite training food. Finally, it is my experience that spending the evening after a long run lying around in camp and eating snacks to be some of the best recovery around. You are forced to just be still as there are no chores to do, no work to catch up on, just the book you thought worthy to pack in and the animals chittering around the trees. Your body and your soul will thank you. For anyone who finds themselves with an ultramarathon (particularly 100 plus miles) on their calendar (don’t know how that happens!), why not try some combination backpacking/trail running adventures? It sure makes training fun and may actually make you stronger! Also, if you have a partner who agrees to do this craziness with you, I highly recommend the Haven Tarp and NetTent combo to keep you dry and bug-bite free.