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Runner Profile: Doug Mckeever

“Who goes on Aspire trips?”
It’s a question we hear often. The truth is, the runners who show up for our trips come from diverse backgrounds and bring a wide range of running and mountain experience with them to the trails.
We all relate to mountain spaces in unique and personal ways. We are excited to add some depth to our response to the “Who?” question with a series of Aspire trail runner profiles. We enjoyed hitting the dirt and building friendships with these runners on our trips, and we think you’ll enjoy hearing their stories!

Name: Doug McKeever Age: 73 Hometown: Bellingham, Washington

Which Aspire Trip(s) have you participated in?

North Cascades Traverse 2020

Describe your experience, background, and enthusiasm for running and/or wilderness and backcountry experiences?

I’ve been a trail runner since 1986, when nearly all runners were sticking to the roads. I enjoy introducing runners to the trails. Have finished lots of ultras including Hardrock (1993) back when we really didn’t know if it would kill us! Grand Slam finisher in 1994.  Co-founder and original co-director of Chuckanut Mountain 50 km.  Honored as a ‘Living Legend of Trail running’ by Trail Runner Magazine in June/July 2001 issue, not because of my race prowess but due to being a pioneer in wilderness trail running in Washington.  Volunteer at Rainshadow Running events and many others.  Climbing instructor and guide, with 79 ascents of Mt. Baker as of 2018. I enjoy sleeping on summits and visiting existing fire lookouts and sites of former lookouts.

What questions, concerns, or unknowns did you have going into your trip?

Will I be able to finish each day’s stage at my advanced age.

How did you prepare for your trip? Given your experience would you prepare differently, if so how?

Training daily with gradual buildup, but not trying to ‘compete against the past.’

What is your favorite trail snack?

Salmon jerky and RX bars!

What story or description would you give to represent the group dynamic on your trip?

I was the slowest of the group…not surprising since I was the oldest by a decade and a half….. but everyone in the group had absolutely no ego. The camaraderie and supportive attitude was so good!  Also, everyone in our group was very fit and had no apparent trouble doing one big day after another.  If someone wasn’t used to  big downhills, he or she would  likley be stiff and sore the next day.

What was the most difficult moment or a surprising episode from your trip?

I have run the Hannegan/Chilliwack/Copper Ridge loop five times previously (decades ago), but  I forgot how rocky the trail going from the  Chilliwack valley-bottom woods emerging onto the Copper Ridge subalpine is!  Same with the descent from Whatcom Pass to Graybeal Camp….. it isn’t a smooth easy path!  Either the trails have gotten rougher, or I was a lot faster 30+ years ago, or both are true (yes!)

What advice or thoughts would you offer to someone considering signing up for an Aspire trip?  

Do it!  The North Cascades Traverse offers spectacular scenery and challenging trails. Aspire as a company is absolutely first class in every way.  

We welcome any insights or stories that illustrate the diverse people, abilities, and backgrounds that describe our community and how people experience our trips.

As far as encouraging each other, on the final 7 or 8  miles of the last day a woman in her 30s in our group was mildly expressing her disapproval of “one more hill” to climb, followed by yet another.  But when we reached a long downhill she disappeared ahead of me, and I am (or used to be) a good downhill runner. When I remarked to her in camp, admiringly,  how she had taken off after muttering earlier, she gave ME credit for her motivation. How so?  During the seemingly endless rolling hills on Copper Ridge when she was lagging a few steps behind me, mildly complaining, I said “If an old geezer like me (in my 70s} can make it, a  ‘youngster’ like you certainly can!” (I used the term ‘youngster’ not in a derogatory way, but simply for encouragement). She said that encouragement is why she took off like a rocket on the home stretch.   

That’s how this trip went. We were each mutually supportive while doing a challenging thing.

“You Have More to Give, Doug”

Editor’s Note:
Doug is the subject of a comeback film titled “You Have More to Give, Doug“, documenting his return to racing after a 10 year hiatus. Watch the film by Nick Danielson and 8 other inspiring trail running films at the Trail Running Film Fest‘s Year End Show. Tix available here!

Categories
Blog courses Culture Highlights Preparation Runner Profile Runner Profile Runner Profiles Stage Trip Styles update WL

Runner Profile: Aaron Davis

“Who goes on Aspire trips?”
It’s a question we hear often. The truth is, the runners who show up for our trips come from diverse backgrounds and bring a wide range of running and mountain experience with them to the trails.
We all relate to mountain spaces in unique and personal ways. We are excited to add some depth to our response to the “Who?” question with a series of Aspire trail runner profiles. We enjoyed hitting the dirt and building friendships with these runners on our trips, and we think you’ll enjoy hearing their stories!

Name: Aaron Davis Age: 45 Hometown: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

What is your occupation?

Heavy Equipment Sales – Latin America & The Caribbean

I also served in the Idaho Army National Guard from 2002 until 2010 as an artillery officer, ending my service at the rank of Captain, and after serving in Iraq in 2005 during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

What Aspire Trip have you participated in?

Wonderland (Longmire to Mowich Segment 2015)

What is your favorite trail snack?

Chipotle peanuts, bacon, oatmeal creme pies

Describe your experience, background, and enthusiasm for running and/or wilderness and backcountry experiences?

I always tell my wife that my dream “job” would be to just clear and build trail all day and run! I wasn’t much of a runner growing up in Boise, Idaho; however, I did do a lot of backpacking, hiking, and camping as a Boy Scout which I loved. In fact, my Eagle Scout “project” was organizing trail work and camp site restoration and clean up on the trail from Chinook Campground into Loon Lake in central Idaho (which for any ultrarunners out there who have run the IMTUF 100-Mile, you ran as part of the race course, albeit many years after I was swinging a Pulaski there with my fellow Scouts…). From my teen years until derailed by a hand injury in my mid-20s, my passion was rock climbing. When injury forced me to explore other activities, I made a goal to run a marathon.

Long story short, I got hooked on running (and marathons in particular), and even did a stint on the All-Guard Marathon Team while in the Army National Guard—my one and only experience at being somewhat of a “pro” and actually getting paid to run – “thank you” to you all tax payers out there 😊.

In 2015, when I was going to turn 40, I set an outlandish goal to break all my PRs in all the more established distances between the 400m and the 100-mile. There were many I’d never really run before, so several were basically “if I finish–I PR!” And though I had dipped my toes into the trail and the ultra world on occasion previously, my only ultra finish before this year was the 2013 Trail Rail Run 50-mile near the Idaho/Montana border. There were a few races I didn’t get to run that PR year, and a few more that I ran but failed to beat the PRs I’d set in my 20s; but it was an awesome year and was also when I really became a born-again trail/ultra runner.

That year, which also included my epic Wonderland trip with Aspire, I ticked off the longest runs of my life, including a sub-30-hour 100-mile finish at IMTUF, which I’ve since gone back to do twice more since.

This crazy COVID year of 2020, I branched out even further and got into fast packing. I spent hours in my wife’s kitchen scale weighing gear and trimming 1/8s of ounces here and half ounces there as I poured over my packing list. This culminated with a 100-mile, 4-day/3-night fastpack trip with a 23.5 pound pack in the Sawtooth’s of Central Idaho with a running buddy of mine.

I also spent much of 2020 with my trusty Rogue Hoe 70HR54 cutting and benching in my own trail system on the wooded hillside behind my house—I’m up to 4-miles with 1,000ft. of vert if you run all 10 x concentric loops. 😊

What questions, concerns, or unknowns did you have going into your trip?

I had a few questions about logistics, format, etc.–I think it was Aspire’s first year (2015), and I was relatively new to big days in the backcountry on this type of running trip. BUT, all those concerns were easily resolved with a couple e-mails and it was an AWESOME experience (and the food was SOOOOO GOOD!!!)

How did you prepare for your trip? Given your experience would you prepare differently, if so how?

I was actually training a lot before the trip, and spent a fair bit of time in the backcountry hiking and backpacking as a kid, so I was fairly prepared and in pretty good shape when I showed up to run with the group. The Wonderland is a pretty tough trail, so it’s definitely going to enhance the experience if you are prepared to enjoy it (and not slog through and suffer too much…)

What story or description would you give to represent the group dynamic on your trip?

I honestly kind of liked that it was a “solo while part of a group” type experience. I was out there for stretches on my own, which totally suits me. But, there were also stretches were I was with one or two others, which was also nice, as we could each take pictures for each other and experience an epic place with others who share a similar passion for the outdoors.

What was a difficult moment or a surprising episode from your trip?

I can say without a doubt it was coming around a corner and bombing down toward a meadow about half way through the run and looking left to see a good sized black bear about 200 feet away bolting out of the meadow as fast as he could. Needless to say, I was glad he didn’t stick around to wait for me!

What advice or thoughts would you offer to someone considering signing up for an Aspire trip?

DO IT!!!! I suppose like a race, it is a significant amount of money to put down to spend a day or more in the mountains; BUT, an Aspire trip is so much more! It’s different than races or other trail running experiences you’ve likely done, and is so worth it.

And the food – man, my wife thought it was worth it just for the culinary experience. I’m not kidding! It’ll leave you wondering how on earth it could be possible to have such amazing food in the outdoors without a full kitchen. Unreal!

Not to mention, there just aren’t races that can take you to some of the places that Aspire can. It really is an amazing experience start to finish, and I can’t say enough good things about it (especially the Wonderland!!!)

It was just a great overall experience, with a good group of people – participants and Aspire staff alike. A great time and a great memory (that I need to repeat in the near future!)

Categories
Blog courses Highlights Preparation Runner Profile Runner Profile Runner Profiles WL

Aspire Trail Runner Profile: Kristin Gablehouse

“Who goes on Aspire trips?”
It’s a question we hear often. The truth is, the runners who show up for our trips come from diverse backgrounds and bring a wide range of running and mountain experience with them to the trails.
We all relate to mountain spaces in unique and personal ways. We are excited add some depth to our response to the “Who?” question with a series of Aspire trail runner profiles. We enjoyed hitting the dirt and building friendships with these runners on our trips, and we think you’ll enjoy hearing their stories!

Kristin Gablehouse and her pup

Meet Kristin Gablehouse
Hometown: Lafayette, CO
Age: 42
Day job: Veterinarian
Aspire trip(s) run: Wonderland Trail

First off, what’s your pups name?
Kili, Kili Monster, or just Monster depending on the day. 
It is short for Achilles if you ask my husband, but short for Kilian (Jornet) if you ask me. Sadly he didn’t quite inherit his namesake’s endurance and maxes out at 10-12 miles. He makes up for it in cuteness.

Describe your experience, background, and enthusiasm for running and/or wilderness and backcountry experiences?
I grew up backpacking with my family. As soon as I could walk I carried my own diapers in a backpack. High school cross country is when I first found a love for running, and it wasn’t until my late 20s when I began trail running. Back in 2011, I started running ultramarathons, and have since run several 100 mile trail ultramarathons. For me the races are just an excuse to put in hours of training and spend all weekend roaming through the mountains.

What questions, concerns, or unknowns did you have going into your trip? How were they resolved?
My biggest concern going into the trip were the water crossings. I sustained a traumatic brain injury in 2015 and still have a lot of vertigo. Crossing a log bridge with water rushing underneath is far more daunting than standing at the starting line of a 100 mile ultramarathon.

How did you prepare for your trip? Given your experience would you prepare differently, if so how? This can be answered in terms of fitness and/or gear.
The trip was part of a big training week for a fall 100 miler, so I really didn’t change anything. I was already doing 60-70 mile training weeks at that point.

What story or description would you give to represent the group dynamic on your trip?
Everyone was out there for different reasons, and we had a variety of fitness levels and speeds. Some folks were more social than others, but everyone was supportive.

What was the most difficult moment and/or a surprising episode from your trip?
The Tahoma Creek suspension bridge on day 1 was very difficult for me. I had to stop for 10 minutes once I got across so I could stop shaking and get my heart rate back down.

What info/advice/thoughts would you offer to someone considering signing up for an Aspire trip? This could be related specifically to a trip you’ve participated in or around your Aspire experience as a whole.
I would recommend training and preparing like you would for a race, so you can enjoy the trip as much as possible. You can get by with less training, but if you want less suffering and more vacation, train more.
The heated dining tent, hot showers, and amazing food was far beyond anything I had expected.

Kristin shares her in-depth account of her experience running the Wonderland Trail with Aspire in a post on her blog, TBIto100miles. Check it out for more details!

Explore our Wonderland Circumnavigation trip.

Have a story from an Aspire trip you’d like to share for a profile? Fill out the form here and we’ll be in touch!

Categories
Aspire Culture Blog Campaigns Culture Diverse Voices Highlights Women's Adventure Scholarship Women's Adventure Scholarship Blogs

Bobbi Barbarich

Winner of the Sawtooth Backcountry 2019 Women’s Adventure Scholarship

When I was little, I would explore animal trails that snaked up and down the valley around our house in the wilds of northern Alberta. I was an adventurer discovering new lands; comfortable with being lost, confident that the home I built from branches was sturdy.

But as I grew up, I learned that the valley was stalked by murderous bears, that the creek could possibly swell and swallow me whole, and my shelter wouldn’t keep out the rain, much less someone coming to hurt me. I learned I should never be there alone. The wild was no place for a girl.

When I got older, I started running. I ran because someone said I was fat, because I was expected not to be what I was, because I was supposed to want boys to want me but they couldn’t if I was like this. I did not run on the trails I knew well, where the grass tickled my ankles and the ground underfoot was soft. I ran on the road where people could see me if I
needed help, where my parents could come get me when it was time to do the chores. I ran where I could measure just how far I was going, so I could fit onto a boy’s lap without hurting him.

On one particular day, the road stretched forever in front of me. Heat waves
rippled from the gravel, into the endless blue sky where the raging sun bore into my head. It struck me the road was part of a constructed world. And I realized that running further would not change the reasons why I was running on the road. So I stopped. And I walked home, but I stayed on the road because I did feel unsafe. I did feel I could not go where I wanted, though I couldn’t remember where that was.

Slowly, I felt for the piece of me that was missing. I started looking for it. I
read books about wild adventures that told me this female body was capable of great things. I rode bikes and played roller derby and started my own business and left the man who told me I had become too intimidating for him to love.

I found a river valley in the city with paths that felt impossibly familiar. I
started running again, following dirt trails that snaked below city maps. I learned this body I struggled so hard to confine was powerful. It would carry me through dark forests and onto windy peaks. I ventured safely into shady corners on mountainsides. Not only was I okay there, but it where I could grow, unconstructed.

I found the piece that would get lost in the wild, the part of me that would
find her own way home, was right where I had been told to leave her. And she was happy I’d come back.

Categories
Aspire Culture Blog Culture Diverse Voices Highlights update WL Women's Adventure Scholarship Women's Adventure Scholarship Blogs

Janel Lanphere

Winner of the Wonderland 2019 Woman’s Adventure Scholarship

Adventuring through remote and wild spaces has taken my life from a teenage abuse victim attempting to be small and invisible, to conquering my inner demons.  It has taught me the importance of play and the calm confidence of the flow state.

Growing up in a blue-collar family, the values taught to me included a perceived lack of opportunity, the need to work hard just to get by, and a negative association with play (play was for the rich).  Long hours at manual labor jobs with added DIY projects at home were common. With these values, I started working at 8 years old and have never stopped.

I started running in college and through the miles of pack running, sharing failures and success with sweat and tears, the comradery of the Cross-Country Team drew me out of my depression.  Slowly I started to see myself in a different light, as a person who could set an intention and live a little bigger. I moved across the country to Arizona where I didn’t know a soul and persevered when acclimating to high altitude running at 7000’.  I started running mountain races such as Imogene Pass Run and TransRockies Run. Each exploration removed fear and with increased success in problem solving, I started really believing in myself.

The personal growth continued upon meeting and marrying my husband, I now had the confidence to take the leap and become a wife and stepmother.  Together we explored remote areas of the Southwest such as Canyonlands National Park and I felt a new inner hum while staring at the night sky with no artificial light in sight.  I started seeking out more remote trails, running longer hours feeling the state of flow. Often alone, I explored more inaccessible locations and relished the hours playing. Longer hours on the trails required increased physical and mental strength.  General physical bad-assery doesn’t carry you by itself, we also need to control our minds. Often after many hours on the trail, when the body starts to break down, old demons would crawl to the surface and remind me of the small life from which I came.  Recently, when hopelessness set in at the start of a race, I pushed the demons away without any reason to be confidence.  My start at the 2018 Moab Trail Marathon found me badly nauseous from a prescription I stopped taking for the race. The nausea prevented me from eating my usual pre-race nutrition, I felt things were stacking against me.  When the nausea subsided at mile 11, I was so far back that I didn’t think I could compete. By accepting the situation, I broke through a mental barrier and ended the race 1st place woman in the Master’s Division of the USATF field.  Consequently, by adventuring in the remote and wild spaces in nature, I’ve been able to accept the remote and wild spaces in my mind.