Please take the time to read about the training and dedication a sport like ultramarathon takes. A passion for the mountains helped turn this gentlemen into an ultramarathoner. Only a place like Death Valley can hold a race with a name like Badwater. Our next guest has done this race and plans to run Kilimanjaro in 2009. Ladies and Gentlemen: Mr. Scott Morgan

KK: Scott please let our readers know about your athletic background.

SM: I have always been involved in sports and played football, basketball and baseball. I was not blessed with great athletic ability and learned early on that if I was to succeed it would require extra hard work on my part to compete with those more talented than I. Following my playing days I was very fortunate to be able to coach football at the professional level. I worked underneath a man who had played for and coached alongside legendary coach Bear Bryant. I would say that experience was the one that really changed my life with respect to understanding the benefits of working very hard to achieve a goal.

SM: I have always loved working out and after my playing days started running on a regular basis. I started running competitively in shorter distance races such as 5K and 10K. I have always enjoyed competition and when I realized that I was not going to be able to be competitive in shorter distances I started running longer distances races like ½ marathon and marathons. As I delved into longer distances I quickly realized that I loved going long distances. Once I began climbing I used running ultra marathons as part of my training for climbing big mountains. I feel that the key to big mountain climbing is mental strength and running long distances of 50K or more really works on your mental resolve. I still enjoy doing speed work, although I replaced 400 and 800 meter repeats on track with charging up hills at 90% max effort. To date my best effort in at the ultra marathon distance of 50 K is time of 4:21.

KK: When did you get started in Ultra events? Who or what got you started?

SM: I initially started running ultra marathons to train for climbing. I had run a few marathons and was looking to push myself way beyond my comfort zone and in order to do this I needed to expand the distances beyond 26.2 miles. I started off at 50 K and kept expanding distances through 50 miles and 100 miles. This can get crazy when you keep trying to expand the distance and/or degree of difficulty of the project. By way of example, I have paced the Badwater 135 mile race four times, one of these was a double crossing wherein you finish race, tag summit of Mt. Whitney and run back to the starting line {297 miles} and last year we decide to run from Las Vegas to start line of Badwater, run the race and tag the summit {311 miles}.

SM: Many people ask why in the world do you people do this crazy stuff. There is really no simple answer to this question. For me it is the mental and physical journey and what you learn about yourself on the way.

KK: Can you explain to our readers what an Ultramarathon is?

SM: Sure, technically an ultra marathon is any distance longer than 26.2 miles.

KK: One of your goals for 2009 is to run Kilimanjaro, how do you train for an event of this magnitude?

SM: My passion is spending time in the mountains, whether climbing or running I thoroughly enjoy being in the mountains. A few years ago I decided to try and run all the way up Whitney {14,496 feet above seal level}. On my first attempt I made it all the way up to Trail Crest {13,600 feet above sea level} but had to walk the rest of the way up. I realized that I needed to get stronger in my legs and started doing low weight reps on squats. Later that year I was able to run all the way from trailhead to summit, just to clarify my progress up mountain was always running but I would stop frequently along the way to catch breath. As part of my training for Kilimanjaro I will run Whitney two or three times a month leading up to the August attempt on Kilimanjaro. I will also spend time in Colorado training this summer. Locally I train on Nate Harrison Grade on Palomar Mountain which is 10+ miles up from highway 76 to summit at Boucher Lookout {approximately 4,000 vertical feet gain}, South Grade Road on Palomar and Iron Mountain in Poway.

SM: As far as the actual run up Kilimanjaro, this will be uncharted territory for me in terms of the altitude. I cannot run higher than 14,496 feet above sea level as Whitney is the highest runnable mountain in North America {I have been as high as 23,000 feet on climb}. As far as training I will spend lots of time running on Whitney and White Mountain in Bishop. When I depart for Tanzania I will be fully acclimated to 14,000 feet. I do my quality/speed work on uphill sections rather than 400 meter track. These fast repeats are a great way to train for altitude as the work is done in a hypoxic state {lack of 02} and it is uphill. For me the name of the game is uphill. The dilemma is that none of this training is really going to simulate running at very high altitudes, this is where the mental strength will become 90% of the key to success. My run will encompass 100% of the trail to summit, the strategy for this project is to only progress upward on Kilimanjaro by running, there are however no restrictions on how often I may stop to recover breath so in a sense as I get high up the mountain I could run a few strides and than stop to recover breath and run a few more strides. As I punch through 16,000 feet I imagine I will be doing a lot of this type of running.

KK: What are some of the key ingredients to having a successful race?

SM: The key ingredient that will determine success or failure is how I will answer the question that will confront me many, many times as I run towards summit "when you feel like quitting, WILL YOU?" This happens every time you get outside your comfort zone, the boundaries that set our comfort zones will be different but once you pass those boundaries we are all in the same boat so to speak. At this time you are VERY vulnerable from a mental standpoint. This is when those pesky little voices start creeping in giving you lots of compelling reasons why you should spin off and stop. The key is to ignore those voices and keep putting one foot in front of the other. So when your body tells you it wants to quit, will you?

KK: Please tell our readers about altitude training and conditioning.

SM: I climb and run at altitude and seem to be genetically predisposed to being able to perform at altitude. The best training for altitude is altitude. I get reminded of this fact every time I go to Colorado or Jackson Hole to visit my friends and struggle trying to keep up with them while we are climbing or running.

SM: So what if you live in San Diego, than what? There are lots of things you do to better prepare yourself for altitude. First and foremost do not worry about altitude, this sounds stupid but I cannot tell you how many unsuccessful climbs I have seen that started in the parking lot with people saying stuff like "every time I get to 10,000 feet I get sick" or "I have never done well at altitude". These are powerful statements your mind {those little voices} will latch on to and become a self fulfilling mechanism. So, stay positive and take it each vertical foot/step as new experience.

SM: As far as training the key is to do at least two sessions of hypoxic training per week. This means high intensity/short duration work. This can be done on any medium such as run, swim or bike. All you do is increase to 90% max effort, actually swimming I would say just increase the strokes per breath and not go at 90% of max effort. The hypoxic training will help you at altitude. I do my speed/quality work on gradual uphill sections of around 8% - 10% incline where I will go at 90% max effort.

SM: As far as conditioning and my training I am being coached by one of the best US mountain runners. Previously I had trained myself which in retrospect was a mistake. I combine running with swimming 5 miles per week and doing Cross Fit type training at my local gym. I spend about 15 minutes at conclusion of gym workout stretching.

KK: Please give us some insight on the hydration and nutrition requirements for Ultra athletes. What are your requirements?

SM: I would say that 90% of the people that bonk during ultra events do so because of stomach and/or hydration related issues. I have spent a lot of time in Death Valley in the summer and have learned a lot about what works for me when I am going hard in extreme conditions.

SM: As far as hydration I tend to alternate between drinking water and a hydration supplement. By way of example during Badwater I would take a water bottle and than the next mile a bottle of Nuun, which is the hydration supplement I use. On occasion I would take a bottle filled with Diet Coke, simply because it tastes good out there.

SM: As far as nutrition during Badwater I tend to shy away from gels and power bar type products and eat things that I normally eat like turkey, cheese and avocado sandwich, PB & J sandwiches, watermelon, bananas, bagels, chocolate pudding. Everyone has there own plan out there in Death Valley but this stuff has worked well for me. I go by the philosophy that works during training will work during event and think that during an event is not the time to experiment with different foods, particularly when the event is an extended duration/extreme event. I have never had any stomach issues or problems at Badwater so for me my plan seems to be working.

KK: Another important element to training is the people we train with. Who do you train with? Do you train with a group or for you prefer to train alone? Are you self coached or do you have a coach?

SM: I am currently being coached by Karl Meltzer who is an amazing mountain runner. I used to coach myself and that was a BIG mistake. I am making great improvements with Karl as coach as opposed to floundering around when I tried to coach myself.

SM: I prefer to train alone because it is too hard for me to attempt and schedule a run in advance. I do most of my running either along the boardwalk in Mission Beach or in Los Penasquitos Canyon. During the weekends I will run Palomar Mountain or Iron Mountain. I swim in the pool at the Wavehouse in Mission Beach and do Cross Fit/PT work at 24 Hour Fitness.

KK: How do you occupy your mind while running 100 Ultramarathon miles?

SM: I always listen to music and just let my mind wander. During the course of 100 miles you experience the full spectrum of emotions many times going from feeling great to feeling like you just died a slow painful death. During the Badwater I remember hallucinating really badly during the middle of the second night {having had no sleep}, there are big giant boulders along the Whitney Portal Road and I swear they were running after us.

SM: I tend to never over think stuff and just sort of bob and weave through whatever gets thrown at you out there on the course, this loosey goosey style seems to work well in extended duration events as you are very flexible and can easily react and adapt. Things never, ever go as planned out there and the ability to change quickly is helpful.

KK: Who or what inspires or motivates you? Is there someone or something that you met or have come across that has made a major impact on your life, in this sport?

SM: I believe all of my motivation comes from within, and I think that is necessary in order to succeed in extreme endurance sports, basically you have to want it really badly. There is a saying that "its mind over matter, if you don't mind it don't matter". This saying gets right to the heart of the matter with respect to pain and fatigue, if you don't mind it feeling tired it doesn't matter because you can continue.

SM: When I am feeling very hammered and feeling sorry for myself, thinking I am done, I stop briefly look at a picture I carry with me all the time of a very brave soldier who died recently in Afghanistan by the name of Danny Dietz. What Danny did on that mountain to try and save his team mates was extraordinary and moved me in a way that I cannot put into words. So when I am on verge of throwing in the towel one look at Danny picture will snap me out of it and I am good to go. As far as impact on my life and helping me through some tough situation I would say being introduced to Danny Dietz via reading the book Lone Survivor by Marcus Lutrell was a big motivational help.

SM: There are so many great people that I have met through ultra endurance events that I could not begin to name them all, off the top of my head Marshall Ullrich, Lisa Smith - Batchen, Ben and Denise Jones, Aaron Ralston, Theresa Daus Weber and hundreds of others.
KK: What is your greatest accomplishment, when it comes to Ultramarathons?

SM: I would say for me the first time I ran up Whitney and tagged the summit running the entire mountain ranks right up there high on list. This summer if I am able to run all the way  up Kilimanjaro would be huge and two goals that I have been trying to achieve  for the past three years unsuccessfully are running Mt. Whitney in sub 6:00  hours {up and down} and doing double summit of Mt. Whitney in 24:00 hours.

KK: Where are some of the places you have visited to do these events?

MM: My love passion is the mountains and I have run in Colorado, Sierra Nevada, Cascades,  Tetons and Watsach Mountains.

KK: Have you ever had to overcome any major setbacks or injuries in your sporting career? If so how did you overcome them?

SM: I have had my share of injuries and I resign myself to let the injury run it course and heal properly. I do not subscribe to the notion of "no pain no gain", rather if something hurts and causes pain I shut it down immediately and find out what is wrong. When I am recovering I will look for ways to train that will not aggravate the injury such as swimming, bike or whatever else I can find.

KK: What advice would you give to someone wanting to get involve with Ultramarathons?

SM: Be very realistic with your goals and be patient trying to achieve them. I would suggest starting off with ½ marathons and than slowly progressing upward in distances to give your body time to adapt to the stresses. I would say you need to do a few marathons before making leap to 50 K and beyond.

KK: One of the most important things in life is balanced. How do you balance family, friends, training, career, and events/races?

SM: First off I am very lucky in that I have a wonderful wife and family who support what I do. At this juncture I am training three - four hours a day and it is tough. But if you want something badly enough you will find a way to make it work.

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