Though Mother Nature cut short Shamzi Alkaff’s Moab 240 run this year, he wouldn’t trade the experience, especially since he ran the same trails that made him fall in love with trail running.

Anyone who follows the trail running scene has likely seen the images and videos that came out of Utah last week during the Moab 240. More than 100 started the run, but none finished after severe storms and winds washed away aid stations and stranded runners.

Shamzi was part of the group that ran this year’s race, including several chasing Triple Crown records.

I met Shamzi earlier this summer during a training run at San Antonio’s Babcock Powerlines hosted by the Extra Credit run community. I believe that when you run the powerlines, you’re bound to find someone training for something; in this case, I was right.

Shamzi came to San Antonio by way of Fort Collins, Colorado. A college swimmer, some IRONMAN efforts eventually led him to trail running, and he gradually checked off 100K and 100-mile attempts. Naturally, the road led Shamzi to the 200-mile distance.

We chat about how he found trail running, what volunteering at the Leadville 100 taught him, and his “unfinished business” with the 200-mile distance. Plus, is he planning to complete Moab next year?

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