In a 100-miler, anything can happen. Speed isn't your biggest thing, you need to learn how to mentally get through it. It is very mental.
Karl MeltzerTraining-wise, I don't get too specific. I don't put a schedule together and tell myself I have to stick to this. I run on feel, so every day I go running, I don't know how far I'm going to go. If I feel great, I'll go further and if I don't, I'll back off the throttle.
Karl MeltzerVirginius Pass, go across the Talus slope and pick up the route through the notch, it is steep, slippery, brutal.
Karl MeltzerI look at road marathons as a totally different sport. Those guys are stupid fast. It is unbelievable. I might be a top ultrarunner, but put me in the field with those guys and I'm just another guy trying to break three hours. Road-running is far more competitive. In ultrarunning, after these long races, we all chat with each other at the end and have a beer. The camaraderie is awesome. But don't get me wrong, winning is fun.
Karl MeltzerI ran road when I was a kid, but for me now, trails are like getting away from the world. If you are a road-runner, you are dodging cars and whatnot, so for me, trail running is a release. When I get up in the morning and I go running, it's therapeutic. Especially in the mountains: the smell, the nature, the wildlife. It's so much nicer. It's easier on the body, since its softer.
Karl Meltzer