Scott Elliott has spent too many springs trying to regain his top-tier running form lost over long, cold winters. The Boulder trail runner, an eight-time winner of the Pike’s Peak Ascent, decided this past winter would be different. On Jan. 1 he started a quest to run up the 8,461-foot Bear Peak – a short jog from his home – 100 times in 100 days. The 42-year-old former CU cross country racer picked a mean winter for such a mission, spending many ascents plowing through chest-high snow.
What compelled you to set such a goal?
It was mostly spur-of-the-moment. I hiked halfway up Bear Peak on Jan. 1 with my girlfriend Rachel and our then 5-week-old son C.J., then I decided to power-hike solo to the top and meet up with them on the way down. At this point I was also putting major pressure on myself to start the process of getting back into shape after taking almost four months off at the end of 2006. And I wanted to have a major head start on the 2007 mountain-running season.
Was there any particular ascent of Bear that stands out or did they all kind of blur into each other?
There was one day in January that was particularly vicious, weather-wise. I broke trail all the way up, about 3,000 feet of vertical through drifts that in some places reached up to my chest. And the wind was howling at close to 100 miles an hour. I just kept telling myself to keep slugging it out until the summit and that I’d feel proud of the accomplishment once I returned home. It took me almost three times longer than normal to make the round trip. Definitely works up an appetite.
Were you ever tempted to quit the whole quest?
No. I’m someone who tends to follow through on a mission once I’ve settled into the routine. The first 10 days were rough, because I was so sore from the exercise. But then it got progressively easier on my legs, and I could start to feel the fitness returning at the end of the first month. The final eight days were also tough, because I had to make up for missed days due to work or races. I ended up doing seven days of double-ascents and one day of three times to the summit, at 6 a.m., 3 p.m. and midnight. There were probably 30 times total where I actually performed the round trip in the dark with a flashlight, but that was not too much trouble.
Do you have a favorite training technique?
A steady diet of lots and lots of vertical, sometimes hard and sometimes easier. Since I’m training for a very specific type of running, it is my goal to get as bulletproof as possible on uphills. The more I run up, the easier it gets, and the stronger and more confident I become.
How do you push through mental fatigue?
I actually don’t think I’ve experienced this during training or racing. It is so invigorating to be out exercising in nature that the fatigue that eventually hits will only be physical. But as that point nears, I’ll think about all the extreme workouts I’ve done in preparation, focus on maintaining my form and breathing, and if it’s a competitive or racing situation, the adrenaline always gives me an advantage.
Best advice you’ve ever received?
Do what you love. Follow your bliss. Relax!
What do you know now that you didn’t know then?
Consistency always pays off. Those who put in the hard work are the ones who reap the rewards. We all have the potential to achieve goals that may initially seem fantastic and out of reach, but the best way to reach them is with patience, persistence and balance.
