One of the country’s top ultrarunners of recent years, Sage Canaday won the USATF trail marathon championship in Moab earlier this month. That win gave him some momentum heading into The North Face 50-mile championships in December. Sage tells us about all of that, his 2017 plans, and his efforts to fight doping in the sport, and he is our November “The Runner Box” Colorado Runner of the Month.
Sage, you just won the USATF trail national championship. Congrats! I think your two previous races were the Western States 100 (11th) and the Run Rabbit Run 100 (DNF), so this one had to feel especially good?
I actually did a little “tune-up” race called Hell of the Northwest out in Oregon two weeks before Moab. It was a fun half marathon with about 1,800 feet of climbing. It wasn’t nearly as competitive or serious as Western States or Run Rabbit Run though! It went well and it set me up well for Moab I think. So yeah, after a really disappointing summer of racing two consecutive 100s (I had major stomach issues at WS100 with a reckless and hot early pace that caught up to me, and at Run Rabbit Run my legs were likely fried from overtraining) it’s nice to actually have a good race again and feel strong. It was kind of the plan to go back to “shorter distances” and work on my speed by changing up my training bit. So physically I think it’s been a good transition, but mentally as well it is really a big confidence booster heading into the future.
And now back to The North Face 50 Mile championship in San Francisco in December, a race that you won in 2014?
Yeah, The North Face 50-miler is always a classic and I can’t miss out on the fun! I really missed being there last year in 2015 (when I decided to do the CIM road marathon instead that same day as I was chasing the Olympic trials time). It seems like the only two times I’ve raced TNF it’s been pouring down rain and the course turns into a “mud fest.” In 2014 they altered the course so it was 51.5 miles (instead of the traditional 49.5) but it had about 600′ less climbing. It think it’s a fair course though, as long as people don’t get lost. It’s mostly very runnable and fast, but there are some beautiful singletrack sections, a couple techy sections, and still 10,000-11,000 feet of climbing. The competition is usually quite deep as well with the top 10 more closely bunched than any other ultra!
Further out, you’ve talked about going back to UTMB in 2017. What is it about that race holds so much appeal?
Oh lots of reasons! For one, it’s a beautiful mountain course and I believe it’s the largest and most watched 100-miler in Europe. The competition is also top notch and that is always a draw for me. The other main reason is that I DNF’d there last year because I fell at mile 42 and banged my knee bad enough that I needed stitches. So I really want to try go the full distance, redeem myself, and see the second half of the course this time around! Finally, I want to be able to prove to myself that I can finish a 100-miler strong. I’ve had issues so far, so it would be a nice challenge to try to put together a race I can be proud of on a big stage.
You’re a strong anti-doping crusader, and regularly pay to get your own blood tested, and then publicly share the results of that testing. How long have you been doing this, and how often do you do this?
I’ll admit I pay to get my own blood tested a lot because I’m mainly checking my iron, vitamin D, and B12 levels most of the time. I want to make sure I’m eating a balanced diet and not getting deficient on anything or overtraining. So it’s kind of something I’d do 4-5 times a year during hard training and racing anyway. I’ve done this for like the past 6 years. Along with that though, I always get a CBC (complete blood cell count) and other types of “baseline” panels. It’s a pretty simple blood test and unfortunately it doesn’t prove I’m clean. What it does prove is that my red blood cell count is pretty consistent though (as well as hematocrit values). Not a real “bio passport” per se, but it shows consistency. I would be perfectly comfortable releasing years of blood data because my hematocrit is always between about 44-47. For guys on EPO I think that their numbers would spike a lot higher at times…at least from their baseline. The thing with me is transparency….I have nothing to hide! Test me anytime, any place, anywhere…and look at all of my training on Strava. If I could afford it right now I’d post more elaborate, actual drug tests (but they still wouldn’t be good enough because they wouldn’t be real surprise tests). I dream of a day that USADA (or some other anti-doping agency) knocks on my door and startles me and makes be take a real surprise drug test on the spot 5 weeks out before my next key race. When that finally happens, I think real progress in this “fight for a clean sport” has been made.
Particularly after the strong response to the new Clean Sport Collective, I’m just kind of surprised that no one else in the mountain, ultra, or trail running world has followed your lead to also start getting their blood tested regularly, and sharing the results of their tests. Actually, maybe no one else in professional running even does this. So I’m sure part of it is the cost, but why do you think no one else has also started doing it? Should others be more willing to do this?
First off I think the sport of MUT running has a lot more doping with PEDs than most people think…especially at the top elite end. I mean just last year a guy in the top 10 at UTMB was busted for EPO on a race day test (note: you’d have to be totally reckless to trip a positive on a race day test that you know is coming in advance!). Unfortunately it is actually hard to prove one is “clean” and it is hard to prove one is doping. Dopers beat tests still (especially race day ones), but it puts pressure on them…just like the community can. Right now MUT running is like the “wild west” because there is hardly any testing going on and the performance gains can be huge with high volume, high intensity training and “superhuman” recovery. Inherently I think doping is a “people problem” tied up in ego, money, greed, insecurity, and corruption. I’ll tell you this: people don’t think there is enough money and incentive on the line in the sport of MUT running to justify using a powerful PED like EPO…well in my opinion and experience there is plenty of incentive! I believe drugs don’t cost as much as people think either. There are international travel perks, there are big, lifestyle-changing financial rewards and bonuses with sponsorship contracts, and there is the ego boost of gaining fans and breaking records or personal bests (or even Strava segments for that matter).
I think with the Clean Sport Collective, it is a great social media campaign to spread awareness and garner support for the cause. A lot of people joked about it and blew it off, but to me it is serious and something I was proud to pledge too. The fake tattoo was a symbol that represents something meaningful in my mind. The athlete pledge on their site has a “athlete pro” clause to sign that makes one liable for a $25,000 payment if they test positive for PEDs. That is a real risk and consequence. Furthermore, I think (I hope) that it would be hard to say the pledge on video and post it to a bunch of social media followers and totally lie about being a clean athlete. As much as dopers may lie and deceive the community, I’d still like to believe that they would have a hard time actually taking this pledge out-loud, signing the clause, and making a big public statement about it. It takes accountability and fostering a culture that says “hey, cheating is not okay…this is not healthy mentally and physically and it sets a bad example for future generations of runners.”
As far as testing and the costs go, ITRA [International Trail Running Association] has started the QUARTZ program which actually provides free blood testing (and regular blood testing) for top athletes in the program (athletes are notified to participate based on their ITRA ranking worldwide, with top athletes getting this testing paid for. They notify me when they want a blood sample (I’ve done 3 this year and it’s all been between big races) and what tests they want done. One time they tested for reticulocytes which I think is a better than just the basic blood cell count. It’s not a total “surprise test” per se, and it’s not establishing a true bio passport (I think), but it’s start. The best thing is that we can publicly post these results online for all to see (on their website). Unfortunately last I checked only 6 of the top-ranked ITRA men and women combined chose to actually do this. Again, it doesn’t prove we’re clean, but it shows that a few of us are willing to be a bit more transparent. I don’t understand why more top-ranked MUT runners don’t even do this. It’s pretty basic, and I think it’s really a bare minimum kind of obligation for a sponsored athlete. I appreciate that ITRA has given us this opportunity. I’d like to see actual surprise, comprehensive drug tests in the future though!
If I remember right, you’re a life-long vegetarian. What’s on your Thanksgiving menu?
Yeah, pretty much born and raised vegetarian…so that’s like 31 years now! I’ve tried turkey over the years at times, but don’t really have a palate for it. We also tend to shy away “Tofurky.” Main food dishes always include things like mashed potatoes, fruits, and breads and lots of pie! I also indulge in some tasty adult beverages (i.e. red wine and/or some high quality sipping beers).
What’s your favorite thing in the Runner Box?
The Runner’s Box has a bunch of tasty (and healthy) treats in it! So far my favorite had been the Phive “organic superfood” bar. It was a nice combo of fruits and nuts and seeds that was chock full of nutrients and a overall balanced flavor.
Thanks Sage, and good luck at TNF 50!
“Leave the research to us, and we’ll leave the training to you,” says Runner Box. The Runner Box is a subscription-based service that delivers a “box” of runner-friendly goodies to you every other month, items like gels, bars, and other accessories hand-picked to add to your running. Many items are new to the market, and new items are expected with each box. A great service for yourself, the boxes also make great gifts and are often themed around holidays.
Previous “The Runner Box” Colorado Runners of the Month:
October 16 – Sarah Pizzo
September 16 – Clare Gallagher
July 16 – Addie Bracy
May 16 – Tabor Scholl
April 16 – Amanda Basham
February 16 – Alia Gray
November 15 – Ali Williams
October 15 – Neely Gracey
September 15 – Timmy Parr
August 15 – Andy Wacker
July 15 – Lanie Szuch
June 15 – Joe Gray
May 15 – Brittni Hutton
April 15 – Andy Rinne
March 15 – Justin Ricks
February 15 – Laura Thweatt