Posts Tagged: ultrarunning coach

Our newest coach is Rachel Drake! A few weeks after a second place finish at the 2019 US 50K Trail Championships Rachel won the Trail du Ventoux 46km. Last year she won the Waldo 100K and USA Trail Marathon Championships in Moab. Between great races Rachel pursues her MD/PhD at Oregon Health and Science University, with a focus on metabolism. We are thrilled to have her joining the Trails and Tarmac coaching team!

The Trails and Tarmac Story

Trails and Tarmac was an idea born five years ago during our time at Southern Oregon University. As captains of the cross country team our job was to get the best out of ourselves, and our teammates. Our ability to do this culminated with a national cross country title in 2010. Between all the running we actually spent some time in the classroom. For our senior capstone projects we wrote business plans that mirrored our role as runners and leaders. We hoped to one day have the resources and experience to execute those plans. Today we do, and that business is Trails and Tarmac.

After graduating college and escaping the endless cycle of 5k’s and 10k’s every weekend we were let loose. The freedom to run and race whenever, wherever, and as far as we wanted was too much to resist.

Laney:

I immediately packed my car and headed to Michigan to join the Hansons Brooks Olympic Development Project in hopes of nailing a fall marathon. Ryan headed into the alpine, running trails, guiding climbers on Mount Shasta, and winning his first 50 miler. Hearing all about the mountains being explored out west I had to get home. A few weeks after returning to Ashland, Ghelfi with his unbridled enthusiasm talked me into running the Lithia Loop Trail Marathon. The race hosted by Rogue Valley Runners, the  shop where we were both working. That November morning we lined up for our first trail race together.

Ghelfi:

I spent the winter of 2013 backcountry ski guiding in Eastern Oregon, still running, on icy roads after long days in the mountains. I came back to Ashland and that summer flew to the US Mountain Running Championships in New Hampshire with David. There we realized that 12k was pretty short and we both immediately signed up for 100k trail races. David won and set the course record at the Waldo 100k. I spent a month living out of my car, training at altitude in Colorado. It paid off with a 5th place finish at the Sky Running World Final.

With consistent performances under our belts both David and I were signed to the new Nike Trail Team in the winter of 2014. That spring we went a bit overboard. David got 2nd and I got 4th at the Chuckanut 50k. One month later I was 6th at the Lake Sonoma 50 miler one minute behind David in 5th. One more month and we flew, boated, bused and hitched our way to Transvulcania in the Canary Islands of Spain. Excessive racing had taken its toll and we both blew up. But we’d gotten our first taste of big stage European mountain competition. It was a different world.

David ran his first Western States 100 mile that summer, fizzling to 20th place. I was there to crew and pace. It was a learning experience for us both. At the end of that summer I finished my first 100 miler at Run Rabbit Run with lots of highs and lows, 4th place at the end.

Fall is a glorious time in Ashland. David made good use of it in 2014 training for the California International Marathon. There he punched his Olympic Trials Qualifier in 2:17:02! I was on hand to see a lifes’ dream accomplished.

Laney:

Our overzealous attitudes in previous years taught us some great lessons.  While we both raced a good amount in 2015 we prioritized our year and made the Ultra Trail Du Mount Blanc a central focus. After placing 8th at Western States I prepared by living in my car and finding the biggest mountains on the West coast to mimic the UTMB course. Ryan prepared by guiding on Mount Shasta, guiding trail running trips, and training harder and smarter than ever. After two weeks of great preparation in Chamonix we were both ready for battle. At mile 76 Ghelfi was forced out of the race with a knee injury. I went on to place 3rd. The roles could have easily been reversed.

Since college we each spent time working with other runners. I coached cross country at Southern Oregon University and Newport high school. Ryan taught a trail running class for the outdoor adventure leadership department at Southern Oregon University and coached many runners looking to run their first ultra or trail race. We both worked at Rogue Valley Runners and had the opportunity to help runners with more than just footwear.

We are starting this business because we love what we do and we want to share our excitement. Our excitement is not only about times, places, and adventures but about helping you get the best out of yourself now and in the long run.