The Steep Stuff Podcast
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The Steep Stuff Podcast
Brian Whitfield - Pre Pikes Peak Ascent Interview
What does it take to conquer one of America's most grueling mountain races? Elite trail runner James Reeves takes us behind the scenes of his preparation for Pike's Peak, a race that draws over 2,500 runners annually from 46 states and eight countries to challenge themselves against the formidable Colorado mountain.
"It's just you're constantly wondering if you're going too hard and if you're going to die," Reeves explains about the race experience. "It's an ultimate mental battle." Having previously posted an impressive 2:14:55 at Pike's Peak in 2023, Reeves now returns with ambitious goals after relocating to Colorado's Gunnison Valley for optimal mountain training.
The conversation offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of a dedicated mountain athlete. Reeves shares how his recent move from Colorado Springs to the more rural Gunnison provides superior access to high-altitude training in both the Elk Mountains and San Juan ranges. This strategic relocation allows him to "drive to altitude" rather than relying on altitude tents, creating ideal conditions for Pike's Peak preparation.
Fresh off a top-five finish at the Cirque Series A-Basin race among 700 competitors, Reeves demonstrates his current fitness level despite being in the middle of a rigorous training block. His approach balances competitive drive with strategic racing: "If I had to choose running a PR or running for first place, I would choose to run for first place." This mentality reveals the tactical thinking required for mountain racing success.
Beyond Pike's Peak, Reeves details his plans for the Kodiak 50K (a UTMB World Series Major) and the USATF Half Marathon Championships in Moab. His insights into the mental aspects of endurance racing, training at altitude, and finding motivation through challenges provide valuable perspective for athletes of all levels.
Join us for this compelling conversation and discover why these mountain challenges continue to draw athletes back year after year. Ready to elevate your own running journey? Subscribe now and get inspired by more stories from the trail running elite.
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Going up. It's just you're constantly wondering if you're going too hard and if you're going to die. So, like they say, it's an ultimate mental battle.
Speaker 2:Is that what keeps bringing you back, year after year, the ultimate?
Speaker 1:mental battle. Yeah, I don't care what racers show up, even if somebody shows up better than me. You know this is a test against yourself. Everybody that's out here is doing it and everybody's testing themselves, and it's great.
Speaker 2:It's called America's Ultimate Challenge. Each year, over 2,500 runners flock to Manitou Springs to challenge themselves against the mountain known as Pike's Peak. This year, runners from 46 different states and eight foreign countries have come. They all start here and make their way towards the clouds. It's time, thank you.
Speaker 3:Ladies and gentlemen, we are live, you're doing your thing and we got Pike's Peak right around the corner, man you excited to come back and race this race. It's been since what? 2023? You haven't been back.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I did it 22 and 23. And then, yeah, it's been a year off, so I'm excited to come back. Last year I was spectating on Ruxton Avenue drinking a coffee I think I was with you, yeah. So it's good to be back and I'll actually be on the starting line this year.
Speaker 3:So I'm excited. Oh man, I do. I love it, I love it. You've made some big changes over the last few months. You, uh, recently relocated out to the Gunnison Valley. Um, I feel like it's just such a special place for athletes and so much talent has lived in that Valley or continues to live in that valley. How has been the move for you? How, how, how has that gone?
Speaker 4:Um, it was, it was a busy summer. Yeah, we, uh, you know, huge life transition, changed jobs. We moved, we, um, you know, packed everything we owned up in a U-Haul and, uh, drove it like four hours West into the mountains and, um, I've made that move before. When I left high school, I kind of made a similar move and, you know, came to Gunnison for college. But, uh, after college, you know, we were gone, we were out of the Gunnison Valley for five years. So to come back really does feel like a homecoming and it really does feel like the right place to be. For us. It's, uh, it's just, it's home. Um, you know, it's, it's, it's pretty nice, pretty nice place to be up here. And it's not for everyone, though. You got those really harsh winters and, um, it's not all sunshine and rainbows, but, uh, for us it's, it's perfect.
Speaker 3:So are you enjoying like more? Cause, colorado Springs is a relative, relatively a metro area more or less like. Are you enjoying more? Just like the small town vibe, like I know Gunnison, and like the surrounding areas it's tiny, it's nice, it's, it's a small town life.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's. I mean it's definitely a rural community, um, on paper it's like classified as a rural community, Um, it, you know it, just it's a slower pace of life, right, like there's. Um, you could probably count on one hand the amount of lights in town here, uh, like traffic lights, um, which is I think it's sweet. Uh, it, it, it's definitely a tourist community and we get a lot of people coming in and out, um and the you know the nice seasons like summer and winter, uh, you got skiing, and then in the summer it's just epic fly fishing and mountain biking and trails and, you know, wildflowers and it's a total Mecca.
Speaker 4:But in the shoulder season, like, we're coming into here right after fall, after the leaves drop, really, and then in the spring again it's pretty quiet and it's like, just, you know, it's just you and the locals, so it's a sweet, you know it's just you and the locals. So it's, uh, it's a sweet little, sweet little. It's just a change of pace. You know there's no, there's no major highway, like the biggest highway that comes through here is two is, you know, one lane out and one lane in. It's it's pretty small highway, 50 there, and um, I love it, you know, I just love it just because of you know what you know, the, what you know, the time I spent here as a college kid, but then also, just like now, like after living in the big city or the big city of Colorado Springs, it's sort of like yeah, like yeah, I'm a small town guy, you know I'm you know I love it.
Speaker 3:I'm glad you're happy man, I'm glad it seems like a good fit. I could see the smile on your face and that makes me happy. How, um, what do you? The access is gonna be crazy for you because you could get. You know, the elks are in the north and you've got the san juans just to the south. Like what, have you been playing more in the elks or the san juans?
Speaker 4:uh, more in the san juans, just for the I. I would say some of the specific slopes and everything are kind of more lined up for pikes, just specific training. But the Elks, as soon as you kind of top out, the higher you go it gets a little rocky, more of like a talus field up top and more kind of scree. The San Juans stay pretty rock like free up top. It's sort of like a trail all the way to the summit. Um, depending on where you go, obviously. But yeah, there's, you know, and the West Oaks are great, but um, okay, got to have a special place for the San Juans, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:That's amazing. The access is so good there. Lake city's not too far, like it's just. It's hard to beat man. It's a beautiful special area. I got to stop singing its praises too much, I don't want to.
Speaker 2:Well come join us.
Speaker 4:I mean, it's got its ups and downs right. There's a huge housing crisis here. Everything's super expensive and not a lot of availability. There's very limited permits, even for new developments and stuff like that with the city, so there's a ton of limitations for growth, which is like you know it's that's actually gonna stay small, so it's sort of um. For me it's like get in quick and kind of stake your claim, but um yeah I think my next move is is wyoming.
Speaker 3:I like, love wyoming. Totally in love with, like with the Idaho area. I don't know, it's a cool spot.
Speaker 4:I don't know, we'll see.
Speaker 3:The wife would probably never check off on that, but whatever.
Speaker 4:Didn't you just like buy a new home? We just bought a house, yeah, yeah In.
Speaker 3:December. So, yeah, we're. We're here for a while.
Speaker 1:It's fun to dream, yeah exactly, that's exactly it, it's uh you know what dude dream?
Speaker 3:yeah, exactly, that's exactly it. It's uh, you know what dude I always correlate it to, like, when I travel or do something for like a race, I'm like, oh, I love this area, I could see myself in it. And then I'll go to the next place and be like, oh, I love this too. Like, oh, yeah, yeah it's hard to beat uh.
Speaker 3:All right, let's get into racing. This past week you just passed, or literally just uh race. This past weekend at cirque series, a basin took a top five overall finish in a dude. That was like a 700 person race. Like that was the biggest circ series race this year. How was uh? How were the pre-race feelings for you? How'd you feel throughout? Obviously that's an amazing result. Like what's the uh stoke level?
Speaker 4:like you're fit um, yeah, going into the race, I really I obviously want to respect the competition and the other people on the line and you know, just desserts to everyone who stepped up to it. And I got my butt kicked for sure. But I went in with zero taper. I am eight weeks into a training block right now where I'm kind of averaging like 16 hours a week of training and time and altitude and intervals and blah, blah, blah. Um, good numbers. I'm hitting great, great figures in the training and um, so I came into this race really tired. Um, I know a lot of other people did too. Just cause of where it sits on the race calendar, there's sort of sort of an in-between and in-between race for a lot of people, but, um, an in-between race for a lot of people. But, um, yeah, I came in sore. I came in just like, uh, curious to see how my legs would do under that fatigue. Um, and I was. I was pretty happy. Yeah, I came in.
Speaker 4:Um, last year I did this race as well and I I went out really hot, kind of tried to stay with that front group and then faded back in the second and third miles and then closed again, eventually landing me sixth last year or seventh last year, which I was happy with. But this year I, you know, I kind of I actually chilled back further in the start. I was probably in 10th or 12th place after the first mile, which was intentional. I just kind of wanted to see where the legs were at and kind of wind up to it. And then, as you know, as we got towards the single track and up off the service road, I just sort of kept cranking away and the lungs were feeling good, the shoulders and you know hips and knee drive, everything was popping off nicely and yeah, I just kind of kept picking off people in the field. Um, you know, I, I think I worked towards the top and, uh, maybe fifth, fifth position, uh, which was pretty good.
Speaker 4:And then on the downhill I had Grant Cooligan and Morgan Elliott kind of chomping at my heels. Grant got around me and I just wasn't super interested in pushing hard on the downhill. I think I could have taken more risky turns, but he beat me honestly for sure and then held Morgan off behind me but finished the race with a good hard uphill effort and a safe return home with no injuries or damage from the downhill. I think that, uh, this close to pikes, which is sort of the a goal. I just really wanted to have that high intensity effort, see some competition and then, um, make sure the downhill was just, you know, safe travels. No real, no real interest for me to push on the downhill, even though it's a race.
Speaker 3:It's just sort of like I'm being selective with my effort, so I think that's smart, very smart, and you felt I mean, given the result, you felt pretty good above, like I mean, most 99.9% of the races around, above true line. So altitude wise, you felt pretty good up there. I feel like it's always a good stimulus for that. Pikes, um and I knowe has been notorious in the past for racing cirque series a basin a few weeks out from pikes, like it seems like a lot of athletes seem to do the same thing, um, so all things that go then for pikes that you're, the excitement is high yeah, things are good.
Speaker 4:I got a little bit of a tight back. Uh, just my left back, you know, is kind of kind of tight. I think that that's could be due to a lot of things. I would probably most likely point towards fatigue and training and just the volume I'm doing. But yeah, you know, we're trying to get that loosened up. I've got some work with the physio soon and a massage coming up before race day and then, yeah, all systems go. I've spent a lot of time above tree line, a lot of time at altitude. The fortunate thing about living where I do is I can drive up super high. I can drive up to a controlled environment where, um, you know, I don't have an altitude tent, but I can sort of drive to one, um, if you will. So, dude, I love it.
Speaker 3:I love it, All right. So I'm not going to hide the storyline here. You're I mean dude. I'm going to put you as the odds on favorite for this one. Your best time on this is two 1455 and 2023, where you ran eighth place, which, outside of your Broken Arrow result, which was another insane result you cranked that out of the park. I think it's one of your best. I don't know if you would agree with me. That's the most competitive race still to this day top three ever assembled on American soil. What do you think it's going to take for you to either replicate a performance? Obviously, I would assume you're probably in better shape this time around, because it's been a few years. You've obviously improved in a lot of things. You're a more well-rounded athlete. Where do you think mentally? Obviously, it's hard to pin this because of weather, altitude, there's all these different things, but what kind of shape do you think you're in going into this?
Speaker 4:Um, obviously I'd love to to best better my time right. Like I'd love to take that two 14 down a bit. I think it's uh, it's a, it's a fair time on the course, like I think that that's not not something to shy away from. But, um, yeah, I'd love to go under 210 and sort of like, join the big dogs. I think that that's really the mark that you know, that's definitely like a respectable number, even like 211, 212 is a much better outlook in my book. I think I'm, you know, looking at the other people that have run those times and that have kind of hit those marks, I'd like to think I'm at that level. I definitely think that it's going to be a very different race this year because of the level of competition I had in 2023.
Speaker 4:I was racing the entire Golden Trail World Series and the world mountain running, champion of vertical and everything Like there was. There was so many people in that race that was. It made the race go out hot and then it stayed hot the whole way through. So I think it'll be interesting, especially if it comes down to me and Seth and maybe Joe Damore as well, if he's in that group or I don't know how he's feeling. There's a couple other characters that could be a factor in this race. I know some of my buddies are doing it here from Gunnison and from the Western Trail team, and then you've got someone you know, jarrett. I don't know his last name. He's on the trail team. Yeah, he's good. Yeah, another BYU kid coming out of BYU Fantastic in the D1 program. So there's some potential players that are like, definitely going to come in ready.
Speaker 4:But it's a tough race. I think if you haven't spent much time on this course and you don't know what you're getting into, there's so many places that the fatigue just adds up and the fatigue really builds. And, um, having that prior knowledge and race experience is super beneficial in a course like this. Um, yeah, I'd like to. I'd like to be up there with the dog fight upfront. So we'll see where that lands me. Um, to be honest with you, if it comes down to like, if I had to choose running a PR or running for first place, I think I would. I would choose to run for first place. I think lining up with your competition is so important. Um, going into a race just mentally thinking time, time, time is, um, it hasn't always paid off for me. So I think just going into race the other people there is um definitely my mentality. What?
Speaker 3:what did you? What was your mentality in 2023? Was it more for time? Like, were you aiming for like around 215 or something like that? Like what? Or?
Speaker 4:like, uh, my mentality in 23 was just I belong here. You know, like, just like, seeing the other guys on the list is like, you know, I, I know I belong in that front pack. I know I belong in that front pack. I know I belong in that sort of upper echelon of guys doing these shorter distance races. Um, even though my resume shows mostly 50 K and marathon success, I think I have the speed and the the guts to go out with these, um, golden trail series guys. And uh, my mentality then was definitely like I belong in this front group, top group. Um, obviously Remy blew it out of the water that day, but uh, I wasn't too far off the mark, I guess you know you're right there, dude.
Speaker 3:Is that just an ultimate motivator to go to this race? And just oh yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 4:Huge, huge, hugely motivating Um it's. I think it's really easy to get what you want and then you're satisfied and then you have it. But then, when you don't get what you want, you just have to figure out a way to keep working at it and figure out a way to keep trying to achieve your goals, and being told no is a great motivator.
Speaker 3:I agree, I agree, and you know what man. Like I said, it's just like you're so close, you're so consistent every time, but one of these days you're going to knock it. You know you've already had knocked ones out of the park, but you know, one of these days it's going to be a big one. Um, all right, so after Pikes, what do you? Got planned You'd hop in on skis. Uh, we could take some time off, or what.
Speaker 4:I have two races after Pikes peak. I'll hit the. Uh, I'll go fly out toia and do the kodiak 50k. Nice, um, I think that race will suit me really well and I'm excited for a major, a utmb, major. Um, I think that brings some clout and it brings some like credibility to the race. That'll be cool. Um, and then also uh after that, depending on how I'm feeling. The moab usatf half marathon championships always fun. I've been out there like seven years in a row. So, um, probably go. Probably go put my name in the hat out there and see what happens as long as I'm healthy, nice man, I love to hear it.
Speaker 3:I didn't you know what dude it wasn't until someone said to me the other day I didn't know, kodiak was the uh, de facto. I want to say I guess, guess, major championship, whatever UTMB for this year. So if you do well there, what is it like? Top 10 at a major is going to get you an auto qualifier either into CCC or OCC. What do you think you could do that in 2025?
Speaker 4:I already have my auto qualifier into OCC for next year because of Desert Rats 50k, so I already got that. I earned one as well in 20, something, I don't know. I've had two of them. Now this is my second auto qualifier, so I've just been sitting with them. Uh, it's really tough to travel to france and fly yourself there for a week or two, uh on your own budget, especially when you're uh just doing it by yourself. But I've got my qualifiers, I'm ready to go. So if I, if I win, if I do well at Kodiak even top 10, um, then I get a second qualifier. I guess I don't know how that works, but, um, I'm, I'm sitting ready.
Speaker 3:I like to hear it. You were in Europe for a little bit this summer. Was it just vacation, just enjoying time Like how was it? Where'd you?
Speaker 4:guys go. I went to. We were in Italy, Um, my wife and our family. We went to Italy and we backpacked through the Dolomites for like 10 days, Um, and that was fantastic. But that's like that's a family trip, that's dedicated purely to family time and um, yeah, yeah. So, oh, very good, dude, it's beautiful, dolmets are amazing oh my goodness, I would go back in a heartbeat makes me really want to do la veredo for sure oh, all right, I could see that.
Speaker 4:I could definitely see that that's that's kind of where we were backpacking through and that area is just stupid pretty it's oh yeah, it's incredible high altitude well, not super high altitude, but like altitude, so it's.
Speaker 3:You get a little bit of it as well. Like it's, it's.
Speaker 4:It's an interesting area, like it's a cool zone it is so gorgeous, like I've been to switzerland now and then the dolomites, and I've been to austrian alps, I think, um, the dolomites take the cake, in my opinion. I've never been to sham or chamonix, but uh, yeah, the dolomites are really gorgeous, oh man.
Speaker 3:Dude, what'd you? What'd you? What was your take on UTMB this year? Anything from that weekend stick out to you between OCC, ccz and UTMB.
Speaker 4:Oh man, I I think, looking at it, uh, after kind of testing out some road shoes and seeing Tom and Ben Demon, um, the A6 team is looking really nice right now. I I think that that the products that they're pushing out and the support that they're giving some of the top guys and gals I think they're going to be the newest team kind of in the ranks here. So they were a huge upset, so that was really fun to watch. And the other thing is got to give a shout out to one of my former training partners, jesher and small getting fifth at CCC. That was awesome, super stoked for him and, um, he had a great race. So amazing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, lots of takeaways. Man, I gotta I do have to give Asics their flowers as well. I have to like. That was one. I mean, I really liked Ben demon. I followed him less as a runner and more as just like this philosophical mind in the sport. He's an interesting guy. I think that's the reason, like Finn and a lot of people like him as well, just because his writing is very good and he's got like a podcast called Speed Demon Radio where he just talks and I highly recommend it. It's very interesting. He's a very philosophical dude, but his performance is stupid, so good, um. So, yeah, a6 has got something figured out and then tom, obviously consummate professional.
Speaker 4:So yeah, and then it's great to see ruth finally get a win there, and yeah, because I think she was second last year, so it's just coming full circle. It's really cool very incredible.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and then occ, yeah, all of it was just. It was fun to follow.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, jim. Yeah, that's right, that's good.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so, dude. Well, listen man, I hope you get the day you deserve at Pikes Like I hope it's. I hope it's an amazing day for you and it's an experience you'll have with you for the rest of your life. Like I hope it's like something truly special for you.
Speaker 4:That's giving me goosebumps. Yeah, I don't know where that one came from.
Speaker 3:I got to Just a fan, dude, just a fan.
Speaker 4:Listen, brian.
Speaker 3:Thank you so much, buddy. We'll be in touch.
Speaker 4:All right, james, talk to you later. Thank you, I'm out.
