Anthony Portera

135 Mile Ultra Running Specialist - 3x Badwater 135 & 2x Brazil 135 finisher

Inspirational Runners Series on RunKino.com

[2009.07.13] Tony Portera running the first of his four Badwater Ultramarathons.
I first interacted with the ultra legend known as Tony Portera back in 2010 while preparing for my very first 100 mile ultramarathon, the inaugural Beast of Burden Summer 100. My friends Marco Cheung, Rick Thiounn (opted for the 24 hour race), & I had signed up and had no idea the torment and indescribable journey we were about to embark on, a distance that is a mere jog for Tony. On the Marathon Maniacs calendar, I noticed that Tony had also registered and contacted him. We met up pre-race and he was supportive through out the race. Tony went on to finish the 100 in an impressive sub-24 time of 22:47:14 while none of us (Marco - DNF at Mile 62.5, Rick - 50 miles, & I - DNF at Mile 93) made it up to 100 miles.

Tony willingly took on an ultra running mentor role, keeping in touch and providing me with invaluable ultra running tips. Two months after my failed first attempt, we both ran the 2010 Javelina Jundred where I managed to finish, but with badly blistered feet (so bad that I needed to be in a wheelchair at the airport when returning home). Again, Tony was there to provide me with advice on how to cope with the pain and quickly recover, by using an epsom salt + hyrdrogen peroxide (substitutable with witch hazel) solution that acts as a magical potion to revive mangled feet.

I would continue to see Tony at successive 100's and during these races, he would offer up tidbits of his ultra running wisdom in helping me cope with various ailments that naturally arise from running ultras, from hamstring strains (2010 Umstead) to heat exhaustion (2011 Beast of Burden Summer 100). In the brief time I have known Tony, he has gone on to finish an impressive 7 more 100's, 2011 Brazil 135 (part of a record breaking 350 mile Caminho Da Fé pilgrimage journey), & 2011 Badwater 135.

Not only has Tony demonstrated a laudable ultra running track record (his first 100 was less than 4.5 years ago at the 2007 Grand Teton 100 on 2007/09/01, and he has finished all 19 of the 100 & 135 mile races he has attempted), he has been a noble ambassador of the sport, supporting the Challenged Athletes Foundation and raising over $100,000 for the charitable foundation through his various fundraisers. I look up to Tony greatly, am very thankful for his compassionate support, and aspire to be as kind and as helpful as he has been to our fellow ultra runners and to one day follow in his footsteps to be accepted into and complete his favorite all-time race: the Badwater Ultramarathon.

Two days ago, Tony learned the good news that he has been accepted into his 4th consecutive Badwater race, receiving one of 90 coveted spots. It is a testament to how well-respected and inspirational of a runner and human being he is.

And now, as the very first runner of RunKino.com monthly "Inspirational Runners" feature, I present to you Anthony "Badwater / Brazil 135" Portera:


BACKGROUND INFO
Name: Anthony (Tony) Portera
Hometown: White Plains, NY
Current Location: White Plains, NY
Age: 40
Occupation: Attorney
Blog / Website: http://www.irunultras.com
Facebook Fan Page: IRunUltras.com
Twitter: @irunultras
Videos: Tony Portera on Vimeo
Press Articles:
1.) "A Long Run Across The Desert", The Journal News (Westchester, NY) (2009/07/12)
2.) "Portera Survives Badwater Ultramarathon", The Journal News (Westchester, NY) (2009/07/28)
3.) "Tony Portera to Run 350-mile Caminho Da Fé", iRunFar.com (National) (2011/01/17)
4.) "Brooks ID Member Portera Goes for Three-peat at Badwater", Brooks Sports (National) (2011/07/06)
Running Clubs: Marathon Maniacs #1060
Sponsors: Brooks, Phix Energy Drink, & Drymax Socks

[2012.01.19] Tony Portera's Bling: 100miler and 135miler Buckles!

RUNNING HISTORY
First Marathon: 2004 Twin Cities Marathon (MN), age 33
Total Marathons: 22
Total Ultras: 46 (19 100+ milers)
Total Marathons+Ultras: 68
Marathon PR: 3:40:16, 2007 Long Island Marathon (NY)
100-Mile PR: 19:24:46, 2010 Umstead 100 (NC)
135-Mile PR: 39:59:14, 2011 Badwater Ultramarathon (CA)
24-Hr PR: I haven’t taken a stab at one yet, but I’d love to.
Training Miles / Week: It depends on several factors, including what type of training (base vs. core vs. recovery, etc...) and what race I’m preparing for.  It can be anywhere from 40 to 100 miles per week.


LIKES
Favorite Charities / Running Causes: Challenged Athletes Foundation
Favorite Running Books:
1.) Death Valley Ultras: The Complete Crewing Guide by Theresa Daus-Weber and Denise Jones
2.) Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons by Bryon Powell
3.) Running on Empty by Marshall Ulrich
4.) The Death Valley 300 by Richard Benyo
Favorite Running Websites: Besides irunultras.com..... :) There are probably too many to list.
Favorite Quote: "The episodes in life that last so many years in memory are often measured in fleeting minutes as they happen. In minutes, this won’t last very long, but the memories sure will."

[2010.08.21] Rick Thiounn, Marco Cheung, Tony Portera, & Hideki Kinoshita
pre-race at the inaugural Beast of Burden Summer 100.

QUESTIONS
1.) Describe your life before running.
I started running in 2004 at the age of 33, but it wasn’t until 2008 when I became serious about it and, in particular, the 100-mile distance. I had a fairly normal childhood, traveled a bit as my family moved here and there due to Dad’s job, went to college, then law school where I met my best friend and wife, and had two amazing daughters.


2.) What prompted you to start running, and how old were you at the time?
2004. I was 33 and 205 pounds (today I’m typically between 160-165 pounds). My oldest daughter had just turned 3 and my youngest was going to be 2 later in the year. I drank a lot of beer, especially on Saturday’s and Sundays during the football season. I just wanted to get in shape and be active as my kids grew up, but I had no idea it would balloon into what it has become today. There were two guys in my neighborhood that were into running – Ira Zaroff and Peter Hirsh. We started meeting every morning before work for training runs. Peter was a seasoned marathoner. Ira and I were just starting out. So, we picked a marathon and decided to go for it. Ultimately, Ira and I began reading about ultrarunning...Dean Karnazes book, Ultramarathon Man. And I heard about this race called the Badwater Ultramarathon. Then the fun began.


3.) Why do you love running and what keeps you motivated to continue running?
There are so many things that I love about running. It is so serene, providing hours and hours of time for reflection. It is challenging, and tests the limits of human endurance, pushing the human mind and body in unique ways. It can be so defeating at times, but yet so rewarding and educational. Running brings out a hodgepodge of emotions – anxiety, elation, despair, disappointment, hope – but, ultimately, it is a great facilitator of the triumph of the human spirit.

What keeps me motivated to continue running? For one, the desire to continue to have the great learning experiences that running has already provided. And then, there are the people (many have become friends) that I have met through running. Their accomplishments, their drive, their unwillingness to accept defeat and to always move forward.....they are all heroes to me, and they keep me motivated to always strive to be better – better in running and better in life.


4.) What running gear and nutritional products do you prefer?
On the gear side, I’ll try just about anything. Brooks and Saucony have been my shoes of choice for the last several years. Drymax Socks. Nathan handhelds. The new UltrAspire packs looks great, but I haven’t gotten my hands on one yet. On the nutrition side, primarily Hammer Nutrition products – Hammer Gels, Heed and Perpetuem. For a recovery drink, I really like Ultragen.


5.) Describe your first marathon experience and did you envision running any more marathons after that?
It was the 2004 Twin Cities Marathon. I was 33. I loved it and hated it at the same time, but was ecstatic when I crossed the finish line (4:07:33). At the time, it was the most difficult thing I had done in my life from an endurance perspective. When I finished, I’m certain I said “no mas”....but I would do 4 more in 2005 before getting into ultrarunning.


6.) What are your Top 5 favorite races, marathon-distance or longer, and why?
For me, there really is only one - the Badwater Ultramarathon. It is grueling, deflating, and full of despair, yet it is so unexplainably life-affirming, rewarding, reflective, and full of triumph. It is a race and a place where the ordinary can become extraordinary. A place where you can drift off into a state where you are one with your surroundings. The event is so well organized.....the race staff and volunteers are amazing and provide an experience like no other I have seen.

2009 Badwater Video from Tony Portera on Vimeo
http://vimeo.com/6135159.

If I had to list 4 more, Brazil 135 would be next on the list. What a fantastic location for a 135-mile race, in Brazil on the Caminho Da Fe. I got to see so much out there that I wouldn’t have seen but for this race – the surroundings.....the people.....all amazing.

3 more.....I’d probably go with Umstead 100, Javelina 100 and the Walt Disney World Marathon. Umstead and Javelina simply because they are such well put-on events with great people (and I’ve done quite well at each). Disney because my family is a Disney family. We went 7 years in a row (missing for the first time in 2012) and just love it there.


7.) What is your proudest running accomplishment?
You would probably think I would say finishing the Badwater Ultramarathon – I’ve done so 3 times (2009, 2010 and 2011). Well, actually, it is not finishing it but the honor of being accepted 3 times that I consider my proudest accomplishment, followed of course by completing the race. Also, in January of 2011 I, along with friends Chris Roman and Jarom Thurston, ran the entire length of Brazil’s Caminho Da Fe (about 340 miles, including running the Brazil 135 in 55 hours straight in the middle) to raise funds and awareness for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. That was an amazing experience for an amazing cause.


8.) Describe your biggest setback in running and how did you bounce back from that experience?
I’ll go with obstacles, the biggest of which for me is finding the time to “fit it all in” while being a good husband and father. It is often tough to try to find time in the day for everything. Wake-up is around 4 AM on week days...training done by 6:30 AM...then off to work an hour later.


9.) Who have been influential in your running career?
The people that I have met on this incredible running journey are the most influential. Each and every person has their own story, their own demons, and their own triumphs. It is really amazing to see so many folks out there giving it all they have, and each one of them has had a unique impact on my own running career. On the mentor side, it is amazing how many runners have offered their help and advice. Over the course of time I’ve received guidance from superstars such as Lisa Smith-Batchen, Bryon Powell, Jamie Donaldson, Dan Rose, Rick Gaston, Andy Jones-Wilkins, Matt Hart, Jill Perry, David James, Phil McCarthy, Ray Zahab, Chris Roman, Charlie Engle, and many more. Many times that guidance/advice comes right in the middle of a 100-miler! It is simply amazing how this community helps other runners out. Just amazing.


10.) Do you use running to give back in any sort of way and are there any particular runners that you mentor?
Absolutely. As always, we raise funds and awareness for the Challenged Athletes Foundation, and our 2012 fundraising effort will kickoff soon. I’m always happy to give my advice and share my experiences through “coaching”, and have worked with a few folks over the last year or so. My email box is always open. Pacing and crewing....love it. For me, there is nothing more rewarding than helping someone strive to reach their goals.


FINAL WORDS
Feel free to add anything else, give thanks, or shout outs.
Shout-outs and thank-yous would take pages and pages to write, but I will say this – never stop striving to be a better person, whether it be a better runner, friend, parent, son/daughter, etc.... Always have faith, even in times that may seem hopeless. Always move forward, one step at a time, and live each second of life as if it was the last.

Marathon #21: 2009 NYRR Knickerbocker 60K Ultramarathon (2009/11/21)

[As of 2012, the Knickerbocker 60K has been renamed as the "NYC 60K".]

I have attempted 7 different ultras and finished 5 of them (in the ultra world the DNF rate is ridiculously high) in 5 states over very varied terrain and surfaces (and I am currently writing entry en-route to my 8th ultra attempt in my 6th state, the Javelina Jundred 100 in Arizona).  I can easily say that Knickerbocker 60K (37.2 miles) is the easiest ultra I have attempted, by far.  It is even easier than trail 50Ks, which are 10K shorter in distance.  Why is it, do you ask?  The K60K is run along entirely on pavement, which is very rare.  The only other "all pavement / mostly pavement" ultras I can only think of, are the Comrades Marathon (actually an 89K / 56mi ultra) in South Africa, the Mother Road 100 in Oklahoma, the TATUR Midnight Madness 50 also in Oklahoma, the Back on My Feet 20in24 Lone Ranger Ultramarathon in Philadelphia, and the insane Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race in Jamaica, Queens, New York.  Additionally, the K60K is run over familiar territory (all those from NYC have run Central Park countless times).  The Park is so close with no need to wake up extra early to drive, just take the subway there.  Your friends & family don't have to go out of their way to come cheer.  Finally, the short 4mi loops mean you have easy access to your drop bag.  In fact, you have access to it once per every 40-something minutes!  However, one disadvantage of a multi-looped course is that mentally it is very easy to wussy out and call it quits.  You are back where you started and don't need to hitch a ride to the finish line, or walk to the next aid station to DNF.  One time I had to spend an extra hour climbing a mountain just to freaking DNF myself!

I remember leading up to my K60K, I was really nervous about it.  If you think about it, it's practically a marathon (26.2mi) + another half (well, 11mi instead of 13.1mi).  But really, it's not all that bad.  Just remember what I mentioned: The Knickerbocker is an all-road race (no portion is on trails) over the very familiar Central Park lower 4mi loop (no Harlem Hill, which is the most difficult part of the park).  I ended up completing the race in a time of 6:49:13 (11:00mm).  The race featured a nice intimate gathering of ultra running purists.  There's no big prize money to be had in this race.  There are no bragging rights to running a fast 60K because it is such an unconventional distance.  The course is not glamorous and the race doesn't even provide a finisher's medal (instead you receive a plastic paper weight).  The race entry fee is a mere $25 for New York Road Runners members.  Basically, the race attracts those who want to run an ultra on a November Saturday morning, just for the sake of running.

I arrived a bit early and was able to chat with my Marathon Maniacs trio of Front Runners NY friends whom I met at Steamtown: Tim Guscott (#1539), Richard Ervais (#243), & Zander Ross (#627), along with a Maniac I met while running the Hamptons Marathon: Guy Klarfeld (#942) whose wife is a Half Fanatic.  I met Karl Leitz (#714) for the first time during this pre-race chit chat downtime.  He's one tall Maniac, but not George Tchakanakis (#1333) tall.  I also got to see my PoweredByDimSum (PBDS) teammates, namely a couple of my friends from back in the day who I have never had the chance to run with: Marco Cheung and Jackie Choi!  I have known Marco since high school through our friend Ryo, and I grew up with Jackie since our middle school years in NJ.  This race also reunited me with ultra madman, Johnny Rodriguez Jr. of NJ, the fearless leader of the Crash and Burn Ultrarunners!  Rick Thiounn, Lucimar Araujo, Thomas GojiYerba, and I first met him at the finish of the Turkey Swamp 50K in Freehold, NJ, back in August.  I remembered him because he told us a crazy story where he tricked his son into running his first ultra, by convincing him to join good old pops on a jog, which turned out to be a 50K along the treacherous Appalachian Trail ("the AT")!  Along the K60K course, Johnny introduced me to his buddy Frank Harczuk who, like me, was also setting a distance PR with this 60K.

At Aid Station #2, I met Maniac David Lin (#1520), who was volunteering for the race.  I recognized him from the Asbury Park Relay Marathon, which was held for the first time only a month prior to K60K.  He was kind enough to mention me and my 14 marathons in 13 weeks fundraiser for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) in his Running to Dinner blog entry on K60K!

The race starts off with a mini out & back, to tack on 1.2 miles before embarking on the 9x 4mi loops.  It's a weird distance of 1.2mi + 36mi = 37.2mi = 60K.  Why did NYRR choose a race distance of 60K over a typical 50K ultra distance beats me.  NYRR has never explained this.

So you'll run a dizzying 9 loops.  You'll be on your feet for a long time and will start losing count of these loops.  Make sure to keep count and verify with the volunteers that they have the same lap count as you do.  Each time you go through the chute, confirm with them, "That was lap 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 (for the last one, you'll be sprinting) for me, right?"  You definitely don't want them to mess up and have to end up running an extra loop!

Everybody gets to have a drop bag a little past the start, just south of Engineer's Gate (Central Park East Drive & E 90th St).  Don't worry, your stuff is pretty safe.  I had my wallet & cell phone in there and nobody took it.  If you officially check-in your belongings with NYRR, they will keep it under a tent, but will NOT allow you access to your gear at all during the race, so don't do it.  If you do check-in anything, choose to check-in your valuables.

In the drop bag, pack emergency worst case scenario stuff like extra socks & sneakers, additional shirts (I changed into 3 shirts, but not because I was super sweaty or disgusting; I was just trying to be a Brian Hsia and represent 3 different causes, which were the Maniacs/PBDS/PanCAN), a poncho, an anti-blister kit, Kinesio tape, BodyGlide/Vaseline/NipGuards, packets of your fav electrolyte drink mixes, your fav ultra foods like Granola bars/bananas (I think NYRR gives bananas)/etc, etc.

Be prepared to change gear in case of rain/hail/sleet/snow.  Also, the race usually starts off VERY cold.  We were blessed with very unusually moderate temperatures, so runners busted out speedy times.  It's the same weekend as the Philadelphia Marathon, and you all know that Philly is a cold weather race that is afflicted with black ice at water stations and frozen water in the water cups.

There are two aid stations.  One is at the start (which is also the finish).  That one has food and flat Coke (yum).  Not sure why, but to me flat soda tastes awesome during ultras.  Take advantage of the food!  This is not a marathon.  You need to eat and constantly fuel yourself.  Think outside the bounds of a traditional 26.2mi race.  Eating stuff like pretzels and potato chips are okay and actually encouraged!  Your body needs the extra salt to re-salinate after all the sodium lost due to sweat (just feel your face after a race and notice the caked on layer of salt).  If you don't salt up, you WILL cramp, and cramp badly.  You also run the risk of developing hyponatremia!  I like to take a packet of salt/a couple SaltStick capsules/pinches of rock salt prior to the race and after every 10 to 13.1 miles.  Some ultras even have super salty chicken broth, which rocks, but as I recall K60K does not.

Along these lines, you need to replenish certain minerals such as magnesium and potassium.  Hammer Nutrition's Endurolytes capsules (I take 2 to 3 per hour, 4 if I'm really desperado) or even a banana does the trick.  In my "Ultra Tips" posting I mention these various salt + mineral products.

As with a 26.2 miler, you still will need to carboload prior to the race. I particularly like to carb up the 2 days prior to a race and not just the night before.

So the other aid station on the west side of the park, at about 2 miles apart, is just a regular fluids aid station with water & Gatorade and cheering fans + volunteers.  There is no food here.  At the main start line food aid station, feel free to stop and eat and take a short break to munch on stuff.  You don't need to feel pressured to shove food in your face and keep moving.  But do NOT sit down.  You stiffen up if you do and it makes starting up again hellish.

As for pace, don't be a fool and go out too fast.  Do not run your marathon PR pace at any point. You will pay for such foolishness.  For example, my marathon PR is an exact 9min/mile pace, and for the K60K I ended up averaging an 11min/mile, but that included a lot of walking up hills.  I don't have a general rule of thumb, but dropping down a minute from your PR pace would be a wise choice.  I cannot stress enough about starting off slowly.  Going out too fast is an appetite for crash & burning and that's no fun.  Run, cramp, shuffle, walk, run, cramp, shuffle, walk, ... is no way to enjoy a race.  I've been there too many times.

You run around the lower 4mi loops CW (clockwise).  This means Cat Hill is no longer a hill. But you do you have the rollers on the westside (what were those hills called?).  So strategize wisely.  It is totally okay to walk the hills on ultras, even if you're not tired.  Sometimes it's just not worth tiring yourself out by climbing them.  And funny or not, sometimes walking is almost as fast as shuffling up a hill, with much less energy exhausted.

You are running around a lot in a loop and constantly turning in a single direction, which would be the right hand direction.  As such, this puts uneven stress on one side of your body.  It doesn't help that the inner course at Central Park is cambered/camphered/sloped/angled/cantilevered/whatever the correct term is for this (I still don't know what the proper term is), so don't run a tight circle or worry too much about running tangents.  I tried to do this and my right ankle hurt a lot after the race!

To whoever reads this Knickerbocker 60K race report, you probably did so in preparation for your race.  Many runners use the K60K as their foray into ultra running.  If this includes you, best of luck!  Don't let the K60K race be your last ultra.  Try a trail ultra out.  It will be a lot more fun and scenic, and at the same time more rewarding yet challenging.  You'll then understand why us ultra runners simply love this sport!