Ian Sharman: The Trail to Grand Slam Champion

Ian Sharman has completed an epic summer season.  Choosing to race in four, 100 mile races, Ian set out to have a monumental 2013.  Not many would have guessed that monumental would turn into record-breaking, but by employing not only raw talent but guts, determination, and hard work, Ian stands before us not only as an elite runner, but a champion, record-setting runner.

WESTERN 100

On the last saturday in June, Ian set out for the Western States 100 Mile Endurance run. Considered the most important of the 100 mile races in the U.S., 2013 marked Ian’s 4^th year participating in the race. Upon race day, Ian faced a mild ankle sprain he had sustained during training weeks prior to the race. Proving that racing can be just as much mental as physical, Ian pushed past the discomfort in his ankle and powered through the 102 degree high temperatures to an impressive 4^th place finish. Altogether, Ian ran a smart race, getting him across the finish line in one piece and able to rest before heading to Vermont.

VERMONT 100 

Only 3 weeks after completing the Western 100, Ian headed to Vermont to compete in the Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run. Facing fatigue, illness, heat, dehydration, and more, Ian dug deep to push his body and legs the full 100 miles and battle his way to a 4^th place finish. Finding that his body had not rested as well as he hoped during the 3 weeks in between his two 100 mile races, Ian experienced extreme physical difficulties between miles 30 and 70. By the time he reached mile 80 he managed to find a second wind that pushed him the remaining 20 miles, finishing just under 16 hours, at 15:57:42.

LEADVILLE 100

Photo Courtesy irunfar.com

After a quick 4 week rest, Ian resolved to move past his experience at the Vermont 100 and continue on to the prestigious Leadville Although considered a dark horse Ian found himself holding steady in 4th place by mile 40, and by mile 60 he had moved up to 2^nd place. Ian continued to feel strong until about mile 82, where fatigue started to set in.  Digging deep, Ian continued on and even found his competitive spirit, finding the strength to pick up his pace to hold off Nick Clark and maintain the lead. 16 hours 30 minutes and 4 seconds into the Leadville 100, Ian crossed the finish line first. Dark horse no more, Ian was a full 36 minutes ahead of the 2^nd place finisher, Nick Clark.

WASATCH 100

With a huge win under his belt, Ian rested and only weeks later found himself at the start line for the Wasatch 100.  With Nick Clark hot on his heels for the Grand Slam title, and 100 miles to go, Ian had to be smart, but still race hard. Keeping a keen eye on Clark, who quickly took the lead, Ian knew he had to stay within 69 minutes of Clark to take the Grand Slam title. With almost 27,000 feet of climbing, incredibly tough terrain, and racing into the night, Ian kept racing despite the fatigue in his legs.  Towards the end of the 100 miles, Ian faced some of the toughest, rockiest, and steepest downhill terrain of the entire Grand Slam series; however, he kept pushing on. Ian’s perseverance paid off as he approached the finish line, minus a little misdirection in the dark, and knew that he had stayed within range of Nick Clark. Ian finished the Wasatch 100 in a hard-fought 21 hours and 1 minute, 37 minutes behind the victor, Nick Clark.

THE GRAND SLAM

The near impossibility of the Grand Slam is also its beauty. The goal was never to win every 100 mile race, but to finish every 100 mile race. Of course, Ian topped that by taking home a top spot on the podium, a second place finish and 2 fourth place finishes, but who’s counting? The real goal was the end time. With Ian and Nick Clark trading spots throughout the last 2 races and each finishing strong at both races earlier in the summer, the margin for victory continued to grow smaller.  Nick Clark, with the win at the Wasatch 100, completed his Grand Slam in 70 hours and 21 minutes, giving him the record for the fastest Grand Slam time; until Ian crossed the finish line. When Ian crossed the finish line at the Wasatch 100, he clocked a Grand Slam finish in 69 hours and 49 minutes, marking him the new record holder and the 2013 Grand Slam Champion!

THE SHOES

Through every race, Ian relied on his T2 Kinabalus. After taking home the title Ian wrote, “I wore (my) Kinabalus for every step of the 400 miles of racing and they let me run as fast as I could.” With its maximum protection and traction, coupled with its minimal weight, the T2 Kinabalu offers the ideal balance to sustain the rigorous of 100 mile courses. The T2 Kinabalu provided Ian with maximum protection and cushioning on the variable terrain in a lightweight package built to sustain heavy mileage.