Saturday, December 6th I had the pleasure of toeing the line at the North Face Endurance Challenge 50k being held up in the Marin Headlands area (this race turned out to be a 50k+, as they told us at the start line that the distance was somewhere between 33-34 miles, not the standard 31...ahh well, at least they didn't charge us extra for the bonus miles!!!). Actually, there were four distances available to runners - 50 miles, 50k, 1/2 marathon, and 10k. The 50 mile race was billed as the "championship," the final race in a series of events held across the country throughout the year. The top male and female finishers would take home $10,000 - the biggest payday in ultrarunning! As such, there were some fast folks lining up for the chance to get paid.
The start was near Rodeo Beach (actually, the start was from Fort Barry), and the 50k course took runners through Tennessee Valley, Muir Beach, and out to Pantoll before turning around and heading back on various trails, including a section of the Dipsea Trail. The views were gorgeous as the day was clear and sunny, though a bit windy in some areas. Cool temperatures made for ideal running conditions, and The North Face did a good job of marking the course and stocking the aid stations with supplies and volunteers.
I started out fairly conservatively, which was not typical of most of my races. About the nine mile mark we started on a long climb gaining about 1,500 feet over four miles. Up till then I was trading places with three friends running together, and just before the climb they passed me. I decided it was a good time to push my uphill pace a bit and attached myself to the back of their "train." They set a comfortable pace and before I knew it we were at the top, at the Pantoll aid station. A little bit before the top, though, I came up on a friend from the Santa Cruz Track Club, Diane Delucchi, who was looking strong. I found out later that she was having a tough time early on, but I would have never known from seeing her steady pace going up that hill. We exchanged cheers for one another – it’s always nice to get a little motivational bump from a friend on the trail.
Speaking of friends, I saw Carol Cuminale at a couple of the aid stations, and she always had a cheer for me as I came through. She was going to be pacing Diane later in her 50 mile quest, and was out meeting her at some aid stations to make sure she had what she needed in the early goings.
Just before arriving at the Pantoll aid station I was running alongside another guy and we started chatting. At one point he took a look at me and asked my age, which I was more than happy to share. He indicated we were in the same age group (40-49), and that he believed there was only one other person in our age group ahead of us. I was somewhat surprised at this, and figured he was being a bit optimistic. As we entered the aid station, I saw him veer off to the drop bag area, while I continued to the tables to get my water bottle filled and grab some food. I was back out on the trail within about a minute.
The next section was a blast, as we lost most of the elevation we had just gained (ain't it always like that?!?) running through the Steep Ravine section, next to a beautiful creek. This was a very technical section of trail, and you really had to pay attention here or you were bound to take a tumble and risk losing some teeth, or skin, or something! Before long, the trail headed back up, then down, then up, then down...there really wasn't much in the way of flat spots on this run - the overall elevation gain for the 50k was about 6,900'.
Winding around here and there, we eventually ended up back in Muir Beach and started a long, steep, grueling climb. This one kicked me in the stomach, so-to-speak. As I got to the top, I had a stitch under my ribcage that pestered me for a little while until it finally went away. I was getting a bit tired (imagine that). From here on out, I ran (if you can really call it that) the downs and what little flats there were, and walked as fast as I could muster on the ups. I passed a few people, and was passed by a few people, but managed to keep up steady forward progress. Hitting the last aid station, the final couple miles (except for the last half mile) were down hill. Though my stomach was a little sloshy, I ran as best my legs would let me, and sprinted the final 800. I crossed the finish line in 6:09, which I was quite pleased with, and immediately looked for a seat.
The North Face had a little "expo" at the finish area, with a nice spread of food. I spent some time chatting with people and sharing stories of the day before my appetite kicked in. After shoveling some food down, I wandered over to check the results, mainly to see who won the big prize in the 50 miler. To my utter amazement I finished in 19th place overall, and 2nd in my age division! I couldn't believe it. Now, I'm a decent runner, not really speedy, but I do posses pretty good endurance, determination and motivation - but 2nd?!? Then I realized why - most of the folks I would typically run against in my age division were in the 50 miler (and another 50k race being held in Woodside), so that left a little softer field. At any rate, I'll take a 2nd place finish any way I can get it, and am not only happy with it, but proud, too. I also got some extra stuff for the age division placement - thanks North Face!
As always, the ultra community was fun and supportive throughout the day. It was great to see all the spectators out along the course cheering the runners on. The North Face did a great job with this event, and if anyone is looking for a fun entry into trail running, or ultrarunning, this could be a good opportunity to give it a go. From what I understand, they will be having the championship event here again in 2009 around the same time. I think I may just have to run it again. Who knows, maybe I can improve my...time? ;-)
Showing posts with label trail running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trail running. Show all posts
Thursday, December 11, 2008
2008 Quad Dipsea
I first started trail running around 11 years ago, and my first trail race was The Dipsea Race. While training for it, I heard about the Double Dipsea and Quad Dipsea races. After running the Dipsea the first time I thought, man, I just don't know about running that beast two, much less four times! But it stuck in my head.
Last year, when I decided I wanted to run an ultra, I remembered the Quad Dipsea and thought to myself that I would really like to give it a try someday. Well, this year I vowed to make that happen. I even emailed the race director early this year to inquire about when race registration would open so I would make sure I wouldn't miss it. I wanted in! And I got in. It wouldn't surprise me if I was one of the first to register, as I hit Active.com as soon as I got the notification from the RD that registration was open.
Gettin my stuff ready.
Hangin with Will Gotthardt before the start.
Race day dawned clear and unseasonably warm. As we gathered around the starting area in Mill Valley I ran into some friends and had a chance to chat. I ran into Kate Morejohn and her daughter Keturah (who just got engaged, congrats Keturah!), and her son Justin. If I remember correctly, this was Justin's first ultra, and he rocked it, finishing in under 5 hours!!! There are some running genes in that family. Justin's wife Sara was there rooting on her husband and dad-to-be, as Sara was about ready to give birth to their first child. In fact, her due date was the day of the race so all were ready to bail if necessary. Fortunately, their son held off a few days to make his grand entrance. Kate's husband, I recently found out, shot a few videos of the race and those have been posted on the Quad Dipsea website. Check em out if you get a chance.
Of course, Carol Cuminale was there. We were chatting as the starting horn sounded, and soon enough we were on our way...to the first set of stairs. The Dipsea Trail is notorious for its' stairs. 671 start the trail off on the Mill Valley side (no, I didn't count them, but someone did at some point). Up, up and away we went. After the stairs, the climbing doesn't end. You keep going up. But at some point you begin to go down - into Muir Woods. Only to go back up. Then down again. Finally ending up at Stinson Beach. At which point you turn around and head back to whence you came.
Carole Cuminale, my friend and ultra mentor. She is also taking me under her race directing wing, as I am going to help her with the Nisene Marks Marathon and Half Marathon this next June.
While everyone seems to mention the Mill Valley sides' stairs, and have counted them, in my opinion the Stinson Beach side is tougher going back up, and there just has to be more stairs. No doubt, it's tough going all along this course. The Dipsea Trail is 7.1 miles one way, so the Quad covers 28.4 miles and has over 9,200' of climbing. Which means 9,200' of quad busting descent. I think the name refers to this fact as much as the number of times one must traverse the course.
As is typical for me, I started out too fast, doing the first half in just over 2.5 hours. Towards the latter half of the third leg my stomach soured, and I slowed considerably. The final climb out of Stinson was very tough, and along the way I figured out my problem - too much sugary stuff and not enough plain water. GU's and sweet energy drink made my stomach feel bad, and I really had a craving for plain water, but with only one bottle, and it filled with the energy drink, I would have to wait until the aid station to remedy the situation.
I finally reached the aid station and chugged some water as I took a seat for a break. A very helpful volunteer filled my bottle and checked that I was ok. After a few minutes I felt much better and hit the trail, ready to finish. Amazing what a little water can do!
I was able to run most of the way to the finish, only slowing at a couple uphill sections and taking my time on the stairs going down into Mill Valley. I didn't want to do a header and tumble at that point, as my quads were feeling the burn by that point. I managed to finish in 5:51, coming in just shy of my expected target of 6 hours. My wife was volunteering at the finish line so it was nice to get a hug and a smile from her after I crossed the line. She was still "on the job" so I hung out, grabbed something to eat, and cheered in runners as they finished and chatted with some friends. I met another ultra blogger, Rick Gaston, who came up to me and introduced himself. I have seen him at a couple events, and have read his blog for a little while now. He is a pretty speedy guy, and really nice. The ultra community is just chock full 'o nice people - it's one of the things I really like about going to races.
Fin, finally! Now get me a chair.
Well, another challenge I've stuck in my craw for the future is to run all three in a calendar year. The hardest one to get into is The Dipsea Race, which fills most of the race positions through a lottery. Though if you write a good enough sob story, you may be "let in," from what I understand. I'll have to check into that.
This is a beautiful trail, and The Dipsea Race is the oldest trail race in the country - first run in 1905! While the Quad doesn't have quite the same history, it began in 1983, some history was made this year. The longstanding course record, set in 1992 by Carl Anderson, was broken this year by a young guy named Erik Skaggs, who finished in 3:52:16, beating Carl's record by about 13 seconds. Quite a day.
Last year, when I decided I wanted to run an ultra, I remembered the Quad Dipsea and thought to myself that I would really like to give it a try someday. Well, this year I vowed to make that happen. I even emailed the race director early this year to inquire about when race registration would open so I would make sure I wouldn't miss it. I wanted in! And I got in. It wouldn't surprise me if I was one of the first to register, as I hit Active.com as soon as I got the notification from the RD that registration was open.
Race day dawned clear and unseasonably warm. As we gathered around the starting area in Mill Valley I ran into some friends and had a chance to chat. I ran into Kate Morejohn and her daughter Keturah (who just got engaged, congrats Keturah!), and her son Justin. If I remember correctly, this was Justin's first ultra, and he rocked it, finishing in under 5 hours!!! There are some running genes in that family. Justin's wife Sara was there rooting on her husband and dad-to-be, as Sara was about ready to give birth to their first child. In fact, her due date was the day of the race so all were ready to bail if necessary. Fortunately, their son held off a few days to make his grand entrance. Kate's husband, I recently found out, shot a few videos of the race and those have been posted on the Quad Dipsea website. Check em out if you get a chance.
Of course, Carol Cuminale was there. We were chatting as the starting horn sounded, and soon enough we were on our way...to the first set of stairs. The Dipsea Trail is notorious for its' stairs. 671 start the trail off on the Mill Valley side (no, I didn't count them, but someone did at some point). Up, up and away we went. After the stairs, the climbing doesn't end. You keep going up. But at some point you begin to go down - into Muir Woods. Only to go back up. Then down again. Finally ending up at Stinson Beach. At which point you turn around and head back to whence you came.
While everyone seems to mention the Mill Valley sides' stairs, and have counted them, in my opinion the Stinson Beach side is tougher going back up, and there just has to be more stairs. No doubt, it's tough going all along this course. The Dipsea Trail is 7.1 miles one way, so the Quad covers 28.4 miles and has over 9,200' of climbing. Which means 9,200' of quad busting descent. I think the name refers to this fact as much as the number of times one must traverse the course.
As is typical for me, I started out too fast, doing the first half in just over 2.5 hours. Towards the latter half of the third leg my stomach soured, and I slowed considerably. The final climb out of Stinson was very tough, and along the way I figured out my problem - too much sugary stuff and not enough plain water. GU's and sweet energy drink made my stomach feel bad, and I really had a craving for plain water, but with only one bottle, and it filled with the energy drink, I would have to wait until the aid station to remedy the situation.
I finally reached the aid station and chugged some water as I took a seat for a break. A very helpful volunteer filled my bottle and checked that I was ok. After a few minutes I felt much better and hit the trail, ready to finish. Amazing what a little water can do!
I was able to run most of the way to the finish, only slowing at a couple uphill sections and taking my time on the stairs going down into Mill Valley. I didn't want to do a header and tumble at that point, as my quads were feeling the burn by that point. I managed to finish in 5:51, coming in just shy of my expected target of 6 hours. My wife was volunteering at the finish line so it was nice to get a hug and a smile from her after I crossed the line. She was still "on the job" so I hung out, grabbed something to eat, and cheered in runners as they finished and chatted with some friends. I met another ultra blogger, Rick Gaston, who came up to me and introduced himself. I have seen him at a couple events, and have read his blog for a little while now. He is a pretty speedy guy, and really nice. The ultra community is just chock full 'o nice people - it's one of the things I really like about going to races.
Well, another challenge I've stuck in my craw for the future is to run all three in a calendar year. The hardest one to get into is The Dipsea Race, which fills most of the race positions through a lottery. Though if you write a good enough sob story, you may be "let in," from what I understand. I'll have to check into that.
This is a beautiful trail, and The Dipsea Race is the oldest trail race in the country - first run in 1905! While the Quad doesn't have quite the same history, it began in 1983, some history was made this year. The longstanding course record, set in 1992 by Carl Anderson, was broken this year by a young guy named Erik Skaggs, who finished in 3:52:16, beating Carl's record by about 13 seconds. Quite a day.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Quicksilver 50 mile Race Report
Saturday, May 10th I did my first 50 mile run - the Quicksilver 50 Mile Endurance Run in south San Jose, California. I grew up in the area and spent a lot of time hiking with friends, catching snakes, and later, in high school, doing things our parents just wouldn't want to hear about. ;-) So when my brother told me a friend of his had signed up for it, and he was thinking about it and wanted to know if I would run it too, I said sure, let's do it. Unfortunately, due to injury, both of them couldn't do the run.
I trained pretty well for this run, logging quite a few training runs in the high 20 to low 30 mile range, along with a couple 50k races in the previous two months as well - the final one two weeks before the big day. My taper week went well too, logging just two fairly short distance runs with the last one an "easy" tempo run the Wednesday before the race. I was feeling prepared, and excited to push myself running a new distance. I had set 3 goals for myself: 1. finish; 2. finish in under 11 hours for a Western States qualifier; and 3. my "stretch" goal - finish in under 10 hours. I was pretty confident of meeting the first two goals; as for the third - well, that's why it's a stretch goal. I figured if I ran a smart run, and things went well, I had a chance of meeting the under 10 hour goal.
The race started at 6am, which meant my wife, Lori, and I had to leave the house by 4:15am in order to get there with enough time to for me to check in, get my number and have some time to all the little things necessary to get myself ready to run (for longer than I have ever run at one time). That meant waking up around 3:30am. Uggg! I'm not one to go to bed early, but with that kind of wake up time, I knew it was either that, or a really crappy night of (non) sleep. Funny, though, I awoke just a bit before my alarm went off, so getting out of bed was no problem. Coffee was already made (whoever first put an alarm mechanism on a coffee maker should be hailed as one of the greatest human beings of all time), and I jumped in the shower for a quick rinse to help with the waking process. I wolfed down my typical pre-race breakfast of whole wheat toast with peanut butter, raisins and a banana, and put the dog out back (poor girl had to endure a whole day - darkness to darkness - all alone). We were out the door in time and on our way.
Arriving at the Mockingbird Entrance to Quicksilver County Park at a little after 5am, the parking lot was busy and almost full. We parked and went to the check in area. The air was cool, but not cold and people were dressed in a wide variety of layers from shorts and singlets to full fleece coverage complete with stocking caps and gloves.
While in line I heard a familiar voice go by in the dark and Carol Cuminale - a member of the track club I belong to (Santa Cruz Track Club) - walked by. I said hi, introduced her to Lori, and we chatted for a couple minutes. Carol has been doing ultras for a while, and she does a lot of them. The weekend before she ran the Miwok 100k, sustaining a bit of a knee injury when she fell around mile 5. She was signed up for the 50 mile race, but changed that morning to the 50k. She had also signed up for the Ohlone 50k the weekend after. Talk about tough! Her picture should be next to the word in the Oxford Dictionary, if you were to ask my opinion (and even if you weren't to ask, it should still be there). We wished each other well, and went our ways. I got my bib and we returned to the car.
There was still about 40 minutes to start time, and as it was just a bit chilly, we climbed back in the car and got the heater going. I continued to fiddle with my gear, pinned my bib to my shorts, drank more water, and went to the bathroom a couple more times (a good sign I was hydrated well at least for the beginning of the race!). I also just stared out the window a bit, imagining my day, picturing the scenery I would run by and how I would feel. I wasn't nervous, just excited about this new venture. I wanted it to begin. I wanted to be running.
I got out once again to hit the bathroom (I typically go a LOT in the mornings anyway, and fortunately this morning was no exception, at least until the race started). After getting back to the car, I did a stretching routine making sure to hit all the major spots that have ever given me grief, then stretching them again. It was about time, so I grabbed my gear, and Lori and I walked to the start area where everyone was
gathering. It was about to begin.
All the runners crowded onto the dirt fire road behind the start line, and after a few words, and a minute to wait until the "official" start time, the go signal was given and we were off. I was on the road beginning my first 50 mile run! I was happy, and had a big grin on my face. I was also trying my best to not get caught up in the early adrenalin rush which often causes me to start fast (said as though I'm the only one that happens too - yeah right). The first couple miles are generally uphill, though not too steep. I did walk a couple sections, but ran most of it. The first turn came around 3 miles in, at a point only a couple tenths of a mile from the starting area, which allowed some friends, family and supporters to make a short walk to cheer us on. Passing by, I made an offhand comment asking "What place am I in" which drew some good laughs, as I certainly was in no way close to the front.
We turned onto single track, which we would be on for about 6 miles. The early morning light was beautiful, and the hillsides still had a fair amount of green grass, and plenty of wildflowers. Sunlight streamed through oak trees in places to create a warm, soft light that was magical. We wound our way along, and I passed the first aid station at about an hour in. After the single track, we turned onto fire road, which we would be on for almost the entire rest of the run (only one other short section of single track remained, run twice, in the final 19 mile stretch).
The next 10 or so miles had a fair amount of uphill to it. Passing through another aid station, I paused briefly to grab a little food. I had already been drinking some Cytomax energy drink that had been working well for me in training, and of which I had brought two bottles with me. I had also eaten a GU. I really wanted to make sure I was eating and drinking well, and had even started in on electrolyte supplements. On the way out of the aid station, I struck up a conversation with another runner, and he and I ran together for some time. He had run quite a few ultras, including a number of 100's, and was regaling me with an aid-station-by-aid-station description of the Western States 100 course. It was entertaining, but he was also running a little faster than I wanted to, so after he finished his description, I took the opportunity to "relieve" myself in two important ways, if you get the drift.
I finished the long uphill, and while on the way down I "ran" into a guy who had been kind enough to run part of a training run on the course a month earlier with one of the other guys who was supposed to be running that day (but had hurt his back) and myself, giving us valuable course info and guiding. His name was Mike, and we ran together for a while, all the way down, around some old Quicksilver mines (a site I was well familiar with as friends and I had spent a lot of time in that particular area as kids hunting for snakes and lizards, and drinking beer later in high school), and then back up the hill. Again, I could tell that Mike could run faster than I, so I told him I needed to walk at one point and he should go ahead. Mike went ahead, and I walked for a few minutes before picking up the pace to a run.
After my third trip through the Dam Overlook aid station, I felt a twinge in my right calf. Uh oh, I thought. I know what that is, and immediately popped a couple electrolyte pills, and drank some water. Cramps are not fun, and I was hoping I could head them off at the pass, but apparently, cramps had a plan of their own - one well thought out and executed.
The course at that point was heading up a long uphill section, after which a fairly good downhill section then a "nice" section of ups and downs into the finish of the 50k section of the race. The last two miles are really quite brutal, with some short but really steep ascents followed by equally steep descents. On fresh legs they are difficult; on tired legs they are many other things. I saw a number of people with cuts and scrapes on their legs, arms, hands, and a few on their heads from falls on these downhills. I made sure to be careful, and didn't push the pace through there. Partly because I had been getting some good cramps in both calves, but mostly my right one. In fact, coming into the 50k finish area aid station, my calves were really cramping up, so I decided to take a few minutes to take care of myself.
Coming into the aid station I saw a photographer on the side of the trail, and as I passed I noticed him taking quite a few pictures of me. Cool, I thought, I should have at least one decent pic of me at the race! A moment later, I noticed him running after me and just off my right shoulder. That, I thought, was pretty odd - I had never had a photographer run after me to take another photo. What the hell was this?!? As I looked over, I then realized why...it was my brother (guess I get a little tunnel vision when I run, apparently)! I laughed, said hi, and explained my initial confusion and failure to say hi to him, which gave him a good laugh too.
I got to the aid station in about 5:15 or so, which was a bit faster than I thought I would be able to do, but besides the cramping calves, I felt fairly good. At the aid station, my wife Lori, my parents, and my brother all helped me out. It was obvious I was having some issues with my legs, and Lori started to massage them a bit. My parents and brother got me some food and filled my water bladder with ice and water. We chatted a bit as I took some time to recharge and let my calves settle. I ended up taking about a 20 minute rest. Heading back out for the final 19 miles, my dad walked a bit with me and gave me some wonderful encouragement - telling me how proud he and my mom were of me and how impressed they were of what I was doing. Great things to hear at that point and I was glad to have them all there, it really helped my spirits.
I was now getting to new running territory. Heading out for the final 19 we followed the same initial route as the start then veered off to follow a part of the course we had run nearing the end of the 50k, which was mostly uphill for a number of miles. I had to walk some sections I had run earlier, and it seemed my calves were on a 20 or so minute schedule of cramping. I would pop a couple electrolyte pills and drink some water, and in a minute or so I could resume running or power walking. This continued through the rest of the race.
At one point I came across another runner who was in obvious pain and distress, which I immediately recognized as cramping. I asked if he had any electrolytes, and he said no. I quickly pulled out my supply (I brought way more than I would need, just in case) and got him a couple and told him to keep up with some fluid. He was doing the 50k, and wasn't too far from the finish, so I think he was able to make it in ok.
At the next aid station I pulled in to refill my water bladder. There was a runner there who was off to the side really puking his guts out. He looked pretty bad, and the aid station volunteers were talking amongst themselves saying this guy shouldn't be allowed to go on. One of them pulled him aside after he emptied him stomach, saying he should seriously consider dropping. The guy said he had never DNF'ed, and wasn't about to today. He left just before I finished my stuff, and I passed him on the trail and offered encouragement.
The next aid station came quickly, and I passed right through and headed into the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve section of the course to the turnaround. As I was running on this section, I kept expecting to hit the turnaround after rounding every corner. It seemed as though it would never come! I kept an eye on my watch, and with each passing minute I felt my chances of a sub-10 hour finish slipping by, thinking that there would be no way I could retrace the path back to the finish area in the time I had remaining.
Finally, thankfully, I got to the turnaround. I took a few minutes to grab some food and drink some water, and get some ice in my water bladder for the trip back out of Sierra Azul. While there, one of the volunteers happened to mention that there was a net elevation loss of about 1000 feet back to the finish. It had taken me about 2:20 to get out to the turnaround, and I had about 2 hours left to make a sub 10 hour finish. I just found my motivation. I told my cramps that I had a new weapon against them - motivation to finish in sub 10, to which they replied "Bring it on, buddy!"
I hit the trail, and picked up my pace considerably. It felt good to stretch my stride out, at times. At others it was really tough, but manageable. When the cramps would hit, I would have to slow down or walk, get some electrolytes and water, and pick it back up as soon as possible. I also started to just take electrolytes every 15 minutes, and that helped keep them in check a lot better. I even managed to pass a couple people in this section!
I stopped at the next aid station to refill my water and grab a little food. A few people I had earlier passed now passed me as they didn't stop. I headed back out, and pushed through the next section to the last aid station. I struggled a few times, having to walk a couple sections that I really wanted to run, but with full sun exposure heating me up, I didn't want to risk really overheating myself at that point.
Coming up to the final aid station I started to veer to the right, thinking we were heading back the same way we came out and not sure I could finish this last section in the time I had left in order to get in under 10 hours. Part of me was already letting go of that goal, and I was alright with it. This was my first 50 miler and finishing was a big accomplishment. And, I was pretty certain that, barring any major mishap, I would come in under 11 hours which would give me a qualifying time to apply for Western States in 2009! I was happy with that, certainly.
Just as I was starting to head to the right, a volunteer noticed and redirected me and another runner to the trail to the left of the aid station. She informed us both that the way to the finish was on the left trail, and the finish line was only 2.5 miles away! I couldn't believe it. At no other time have I been happier of my lack of course knowledge. Looking at my watch I quickly realized that I could crawl from there and pretty much finish in under 10 hours! Needless to say, I was quite elated, excited, ecstatic...not only would I finish in under 10 hours, I would finish in substantially less than 10 hours. I picked up the pace a bit.
Another runner and I were playing a bit of yo-yo the last few miles, and I had just passed her. We still had the dreaded, fun Ups and downs that we had coming in at the 50k finish to go. Heading up one of the steep sections, she passed me and I had to comment to her about how strong she was going up these hills. She said she just wanted to get into the finish and get it over with. We ended up chatting for the rest of the way in, keeping each other company and helping to keep our minds off the steep ups, downs, and pain in our legs. As we hit the final flat section coming in to the finish, she kept looking at her watch then said "If we push it, we can finish in under 9:15," to which I replied "Lead the way!"
As we neared the finish corral, my parents were waiting about 200 yards out and when they saw me coming, my dad literally sprinted out in front to alert Lori and my brother. I think they were all a bit surprised at me coming in at that point, not expecting me for a little while longer.
My new friend and I ran through the chute, and I finished a pace behind her not wanting to finish before someone who had helped me push through that last section and really had pulled me in to the finish with a great time. We high-fived and congratulated each other, and then my family came up, congratulated me and were very excited. Carol Cuminale came over too, and she was just great, saying she was really impressed with how well I did, and that she thought I looked good coming in. I was really happy, and proud of what I had been able to accomplish. And my calves had their last parting shot, too, cramping just 15 yards from the finish line and continuing for a couple minutes until I had a chance to settle in to a chair and get myself taken care of.
We hung around for a while, talking with some other people, cheering other runners as they came in, and I just soaked it all in and let the day sink in. I had just run the furthest distance I had ever done, and exceeded all my goals! I had some struggles, some ups and downs, but had persevered and accomplished something I had trained quite some time for, and had looked forward to for some time as well. After a half hour or so, I even got hungry and got some of the famous Quicksilver BBQ. They don't lie when they say it's good BBQ. I didn't have any ice cream or strawberry shortcake, as we had plans at my parents house for an early mother's day celebration, but it looked good.
And remember the guy I mentioned who was puking and looking pretty bad, and the aid station volunteers were encouraging to drop? Well, he finished, and looked pretty good, too. I went over to offer him my congratulations on persevering and finishing. The guy is tough, no doubt about that.
The next couple days I was sore, as would be expected, particularly my right calf which was cramping the worst of the two. My quads weren't too bad, and by the Tuesday after my legs were feeling pretty good, with only minor soreness in my right calf. I went to my track club workout Wednesday evening, as I didn't want to miss my chance to share my race results with the club. And I did my first recovery run, too. I managed to run a nice easy 4.5 miles around the track, including a half mile barefoot (I started running some barefoot a month ago to help strengthen my feet).
I'm back to running a fairly normal schedule this week, and feel great. There is no doubt I still have things to work out in training - I need to hydrate better on long runs, and I also need to do a better job of managing my electrolyte balance. The cramping calves really sucked big time, and had I not had that problem I most likely would have finished in under 9 hours. Something to shoot for next time, I guess. I think I could have also done a better job eating, though I never felt like I was bonking.
But all that aside, I am very, very happy with my first 50 mile race and the results. I am also looking forward to the next one, and the next one...and eventually, a 100k and 100 mile run. I really love running long distances, the challenges, the struggles, and what you can learn about yourself and what you can share with other people.
Thanks to the Quicksilver Running Club for putting on a great event in a beautiful place. Thanks to all the great volunteers who took time out of their lives to help all the runners - you are what makes these events happen and no runner could do it without your generosity. Thanks to my wife Lori, who was my crew chief and helped me get ready, helped me get through the 50k aid station, and helped me for the next couple days as I recovered. I KNOW I couldn't have done it without her and owe her a lot. And thanks to my brother and parents who came out to support me and help out - your assistance and encouragement meant a lot and lifted my spirits immeasurably.
I trained pretty well for this run, logging quite a few training runs in the high 20 to low 30 mile range, along with a couple 50k races in the previous two months as well - the final one two weeks before the big day. My taper week went well too, logging just two fairly short distance runs with the last one an "easy" tempo run the Wednesday before the race. I was feeling prepared, and excited to push myself running a new distance. I had set 3 goals for myself: 1. finish; 2. finish in under 11 hours for a Western States qualifier; and 3. my "stretch" goal - finish in under 10 hours. I was pretty confident of meeting the first two goals; as for the third - well, that's why it's a stretch goal. I figured if I ran a smart run, and things went well, I had a chance of meeting the under 10 hour goal.
The race started at 6am, which meant my wife, Lori, and I had to leave the house by 4:15am in order to get there with enough time to for me to check in, get my number and have some time to all the little things necessary to get myself ready to run (for longer than I have ever run at one time). That meant waking up around 3:30am. Uggg! I'm not one to go to bed early, but with that kind of wake up time, I knew it was either that, or a really crappy night of (non) sleep. Funny, though, I awoke just a bit before my alarm went off, so getting out of bed was no problem. Coffee was already made (whoever first put an alarm mechanism on a coffee maker should be hailed as one of the greatest human beings of all time), and I jumped in the shower for a quick rinse to help with the waking process. I wolfed down my typical pre-race breakfast of whole wheat toast with peanut butter, raisins and a banana, and put the dog out back (poor girl had to endure a whole day - darkness to darkness - all alone). We were out the door in time and on our way.
Arriving at the Mockingbird Entrance to Quicksilver County Park at a little after 5am, the parking lot was busy and almost full. We parked and went to the check in area. The air was cool, but not cold and people were dressed in a wide variety of layers from shorts and singlets to full fleece coverage complete with stocking caps and gloves.
While in line I heard a familiar voice go by in the dark and Carol Cuminale - a member of the track club I belong to (Santa Cruz Track Club) - walked by. I said hi, introduced her to Lori, and we chatted for a couple minutes. Carol has been doing ultras for a while, and she does a lot of them. The weekend before she ran the Miwok 100k, sustaining a bit of a knee injury when she fell around mile 5. She was signed up for the 50 mile race, but changed that morning to the 50k. She had also signed up for the Ohlone 50k the weekend after. Talk about tough! Her picture should be next to the word in the Oxford Dictionary, if you were to ask my opinion (and even if you weren't to ask, it should still be there). We wished each other well, and went our ways. I got my bib and we returned to the car.
There was still about 40 minutes to start time, and as it was just a bit chilly, we climbed back in the car and got the heater going. I continued to fiddle with my gear, pinned my bib to my shorts, drank more water, and went to the bathroom a couple more times (a good sign I was hydrated well at least for the beginning of the race!). I also just stared out the window a bit, imagining my day, picturing the scenery I would run by and how I would feel. I wasn't nervous, just excited about this new venture. I wanted it to begin. I wanted to be running.
I got out once again to hit the bathroom (I typically go a LOT in the mornings anyway, and fortunately this morning was no exception, at least until the race started). After getting back to the car, I did a stretching routine making sure to hit all the major spots that have ever given me grief, then stretching them again. It was about time, so I grabbed my gear, and Lori and I walked to the start area where everyone was
gathering. It was about to begin.
All the runners crowded onto the dirt fire road behind the start line, and after a few words, and a minute to wait until the "official" start time, the go signal was given and we were off. I was on the road beginning my first 50 mile run! I was happy, and had a big grin on my face. I was also trying my best to not get caught up in the early adrenalin rush which often causes me to start fast (said as though I'm the only one that happens too - yeah right). The first couple miles are generally uphill, though not too steep. I did walk a couple sections, but ran most of it. The first turn came around 3 miles in, at a point only a couple tenths of a mile from the starting area, which allowed some friends, family and supporters to make a short walk to cheer us on. Passing by, I made an offhand comment asking "What place am I in" which drew some good laughs, as I certainly was in no way close to the front.
We turned onto single track, which we would be on for about 6 miles. The early morning light was beautiful, and the hillsides still had a fair amount of green grass, and plenty of wildflowers. Sunlight streamed through oak trees in places to create a warm, soft light that was magical. We wound our way along, and I passed the first aid station at about an hour in. After the single track, we turned onto fire road, which we would be on for almost the entire rest of the run (only one other short section of single track remained, run twice, in the final 19 mile stretch).
The next 10 or so miles had a fair amount of uphill to it. Passing through another aid station, I paused briefly to grab a little food. I had already been drinking some Cytomax energy drink that had been working well for me in training, and of which I had brought two bottles with me. I had also eaten a GU. I really wanted to make sure I was eating and drinking well, and had even started in on electrolyte supplements. On the way out of the aid station, I struck up a conversation with another runner, and he and I ran together for some time. He had run quite a few ultras, including a number of 100's, and was regaling me with an aid-station-by-aid-station description of the Western States 100 course. It was entertaining, but he was also running a little faster than I wanted to, so after he finished his description, I took the opportunity to "relieve" myself in two important ways, if you get the drift.
I finished the long uphill, and while on the way down I "ran" into a guy who had been kind enough to run part of a training run on the course a month earlier with one of the other guys who was supposed to be running that day (but had hurt his back) and myself, giving us valuable course info and guiding. His name was Mike, and we ran together for a while, all the way down, around some old Quicksilver mines (a site I was well familiar with as friends and I had spent a lot of time in that particular area as kids hunting for snakes and lizards, and drinking beer later in high school), and then back up the hill. Again, I could tell that Mike could run faster than I, so I told him I needed to walk at one point and he should go ahead. Mike went ahead, and I walked for a few minutes before picking up the pace to a run.
After my third trip through the Dam Overlook aid station, I felt a twinge in my right calf. Uh oh, I thought. I know what that is, and immediately popped a couple electrolyte pills, and drank some water. Cramps are not fun, and I was hoping I could head them off at the pass, but apparently, cramps had a plan of their own - one well thought out and executed.
The course at that point was heading up a long uphill section, after which a fairly good downhill section then a "nice" section of ups and downs into the finish of the 50k section of the race. The last two miles are really quite brutal, with some short but really steep ascents followed by equally steep descents. On fresh legs they are difficult; on tired legs they are many other things. I saw a number of people with cuts and scrapes on their legs, arms, hands, and a few on their heads from falls on these downhills. I made sure to be careful, and didn't push the pace through there. Partly because I had been getting some good cramps in both calves, but mostly my right one. In fact, coming into the 50k finish area aid station, my calves were really cramping up, so I decided to take a few minutes to take care of myself.
Coming into the aid station I saw a photographer on the side of the trail, and as I passed I noticed him taking quite a few pictures of me. Cool, I thought, I should have at least one decent pic of me at the race! A moment later, I noticed him running after me and just off my right shoulder. That, I thought, was pretty odd - I had never had a photographer run after me to take another photo. What the hell was this?!? As I looked over, I then realized why...it was my brother (guess I get a little tunnel vision when I run, apparently)! I laughed, said hi, and explained my initial confusion and failure to say hi to him, which gave him a good laugh too.
I got to the aid station in about 5:15 or so, which was a bit faster than I thought I would be able to do, but besides the cramping calves, I felt fairly good. At the aid station, my wife Lori, my parents, and my brother all helped me out. It was obvious I was having some issues with my legs, and Lori started to massage them a bit. My parents and brother got me some food and filled my water bladder with ice and water. We chatted a bit as I took some time to recharge and let my calves settle. I ended up taking about a 20 minute rest. Heading back out for the final 19 miles, my dad walked a bit with me and gave me some wonderful encouragement - telling me how proud he and my mom were of me and how impressed they were of what I was doing. Great things to hear at that point and I was glad to have them all there, it really helped my spirits.
I was now getting to new running territory. Heading out for the final 19 we followed the same initial route as the start then veered off to follow a part of the course we had run nearing the end of the 50k, which was mostly uphill for a number of miles. I had to walk some sections I had run earlier, and it seemed my calves were on a 20 or so minute schedule of cramping. I would pop a couple electrolyte pills and drink some water, and in a minute or so I could resume running or power walking. This continued through the rest of the race.
At one point I came across another runner who was in obvious pain and distress, which I immediately recognized as cramping. I asked if he had any electrolytes, and he said no. I quickly pulled out my supply (I brought way more than I would need, just in case) and got him a couple and told him to keep up with some fluid. He was doing the 50k, and wasn't too far from the finish, so I think he was able to make it in ok.
At the next aid station I pulled in to refill my water bladder. There was a runner there who was off to the side really puking his guts out. He looked pretty bad, and the aid station volunteers were talking amongst themselves saying this guy shouldn't be allowed to go on. One of them pulled him aside after he emptied him stomach, saying he should seriously consider dropping. The guy said he had never DNF'ed, and wasn't about to today. He left just before I finished my stuff, and I passed him on the trail and offered encouragement.
The next aid station came quickly, and I passed right through and headed into the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve section of the course to the turnaround. As I was running on this section, I kept expecting to hit the turnaround after rounding every corner. It seemed as though it would never come! I kept an eye on my watch, and with each passing minute I felt my chances of a sub-10 hour finish slipping by, thinking that there would be no way I could retrace the path back to the finish area in the time I had remaining.
Finally, thankfully, I got to the turnaround. I took a few minutes to grab some food and drink some water, and get some ice in my water bladder for the trip back out of Sierra Azul. While there, one of the volunteers happened to mention that there was a net elevation loss of about 1000 feet back to the finish. It had taken me about 2:20 to get out to the turnaround, and I had about 2 hours left to make a sub 10 hour finish. I just found my motivation. I told my cramps that I had a new weapon against them - motivation to finish in sub 10, to which they replied "Bring it on, buddy!"
I hit the trail, and picked up my pace considerably. It felt good to stretch my stride out, at times. At others it was really tough, but manageable. When the cramps would hit, I would have to slow down or walk, get some electrolytes and water, and pick it back up as soon as possible. I also started to just take electrolytes every 15 minutes, and that helped keep them in check a lot better. I even managed to pass a couple people in this section!
I stopped at the next aid station to refill my water and grab a little food. A few people I had earlier passed now passed me as they didn't stop. I headed back out, and pushed through the next section to the last aid station. I struggled a few times, having to walk a couple sections that I really wanted to run, but with full sun exposure heating me up, I didn't want to risk really overheating myself at that point.
Coming up to the final aid station I started to veer to the right, thinking we were heading back the same way we came out and not sure I could finish this last section in the time I had left in order to get in under 10 hours. Part of me was already letting go of that goal, and I was alright with it. This was my first 50 miler and finishing was a big accomplishment. And, I was pretty certain that, barring any major mishap, I would come in under 11 hours which would give me a qualifying time to apply for Western States in 2009! I was happy with that, certainly.
Just as I was starting to head to the right, a volunteer noticed and redirected me and another runner to the trail to the left of the aid station. She informed us both that the way to the finish was on the left trail, and the finish line was only 2.5 miles away! I couldn't believe it. At no other time have I been happier of my lack of course knowledge. Looking at my watch I quickly realized that I could crawl from there and pretty much finish in under 10 hours! Needless to say, I was quite elated, excited, ecstatic...not only would I finish in under 10 hours, I would finish in substantially less than 10 hours. I picked up the pace a bit.
Another runner and I were playing a bit of yo-yo the last few miles, and I had just passed her. We still had the dreaded, fun Ups and downs that we had coming in at the 50k finish to go. Heading up one of the steep sections, she passed me and I had to comment to her about how strong she was going up these hills. She said she just wanted to get into the finish and get it over with. We ended up chatting for the rest of the way in, keeping each other company and helping to keep our minds off the steep ups, downs, and pain in our legs. As we hit the final flat section coming in to the finish, she kept looking at her watch then said "If we push it, we can finish in under 9:15," to which I replied "Lead the way!"
As we neared the finish corral, my parents were waiting about 200 yards out and when they saw me coming, my dad literally sprinted out in front to alert Lori and my brother. I think they were all a bit surprised at me coming in at that point, not expecting me for a little while longer.
My new friend and I ran through the chute, and I finished a pace behind her not wanting to finish before someone who had helped me push through that last section and really had pulled me in to the finish with a great time. We high-fived and congratulated each other, and then my family came up, congratulated me and were very excited. Carol Cuminale came over too, and she was just great, saying she was really impressed with how well I did, and that she thought I looked good coming in. I was really happy, and proud of what I had been able to accomplish. And my calves had their last parting shot, too, cramping just 15 yards from the finish line and continuing for a couple minutes until I had a chance to settle in to a chair and get myself taken care of.
We hung around for a while, talking with some other people, cheering other runners as they came in, and I just soaked it all in and let the day sink in. I had just run the furthest distance I had ever done, and exceeded all my goals! I had some struggles, some ups and downs, but had persevered and accomplished something I had trained quite some time for, and had looked forward to for some time as well. After a half hour or so, I even got hungry and got some of the famous Quicksilver BBQ. They don't lie when they say it's good BBQ. I didn't have any ice cream or strawberry shortcake, as we had plans at my parents house for an early mother's day celebration, but it looked good.
And remember the guy I mentioned who was puking and looking pretty bad, and the aid station volunteers were encouraging to drop? Well, he finished, and looked pretty good, too. I went over to offer him my congratulations on persevering and finishing. The guy is tough, no doubt about that.
The next couple days I was sore, as would be expected, particularly my right calf which was cramping the worst of the two. My quads weren't too bad, and by the Tuesday after my legs were feeling pretty good, with only minor soreness in my right calf. I went to my track club workout Wednesday evening, as I didn't want to miss my chance to share my race results with the club. And I did my first recovery run, too. I managed to run a nice easy 4.5 miles around the track, including a half mile barefoot (I started running some barefoot a month ago to help strengthen my feet).
I'm back to running a fairly normal schedule this week, and feel great. There is no doubt I still have things to work out in training - I need to hydrate better on long runs, and I also need to do a better job of managing my electrolyte balance. The cramping calves really sucked big time, and had I not had that problem I most likely would have finished in under 9 hours. Something to shoot for next time, I guess. I think I could have also done a better job eating, though I never felt like I was bonking.
But all that aside, I am very, very happy with my first 50 mile race and the results. I am also looking forward to the next one, and the next one...and eventually, a 100k and 100 mile run. I really love running long distances, the challenges, the struggles, and what you can learn about yourself and what you can share with other people.
Thanks to the Quicksilver Running Club for putting on a great event in a beautiful place. Thanks to all the great volunteers who took time out of their lives to help all the runners - you are what makes these events happen and no runner could do it without your generosity. Thanks to my wife Lori, who was my crew chief and helped me get ready, helped me get through the 50k aid station, and helped me for the next couple days as I recovered. I KNOW I couldn't have done it without her and owe her a lot. And thanks to my brother and parents who came out to support me and help out - your assistance and encouragement meant a lot and lifted my spirits immeasurably.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Quicksilver 50 mile training
I have been busy lately training for my first 50 mile run - the Quicksilver 50 coming up this Saturday, May 10th. This race is held in the foothills around south San Jose, where I grew up. I used to hike with friends and catch snakes in the area as a kid, so have many fond memories of the trails there.
It can be hot in them thar hills, which is why many people around the Bay Area like QS for a Western States training run. It also has some decent hills, with elevation gain around 8,500' or so.
My training has gone well, and I am feeling very excited about running my first 50 miler. I am reasonably confident of hitting my goals: first - to finish; second - finish in under 11 hours to qualify for the Western States lottery; and third - I would like to finish in under 10 hours. While the third goal may be a stretch, I think it's good to have goals that make you reach a bit.
I did run a 50k recently - PCTR's Big Basin which had about 6,100' of elevation gain - and finished that in just over 6:30. And it was more than 50k for me, as I took a wrong turn on one of the loops and added a couple miles, and at least a half hour to my time. Gotta love bonus miles!
With that in mind, and considering I felt pretty good at the finish, I think my third goal is within reach as long as I make sure to hydrate and eat enough. My body is ready for the distance, I just have to do the right things at the right time and let my training take me to the finish line.
It can be hot in them thar hills, which is why many people around the Bay Area like QS for a Western States training run. It also has some decent hills, with elevation gain around 8,500' or so.
My training has gone well, and I am feeling very excited about running my first 50 miler. I am reasonably confident of hitting my goals: first - to finish; second - finish in under 11 hours to qualify for the Western States lottery; and third - I would like to finish in under 10 hours. While the third goal may be a stretch, I think it's good to have goals that make you reach a bit.
I did run a 50k recently - PCTR's Big Basin which had about 6,100' of elevation gain - and finished that in just over 6:30. And it was more than 50k for me, as I took a wrong turn on one of the loops and added a couple miles, and at least a half hour to my time. Gotta love bonus miles!
With that in mind, and considering I felt pretty good at the finish, I think my third goal is within reach as long as I make sure to hydrate and eat enough. My body is ready for the distance, I just have to do the right things at the right time and let my training take me to the finish line.
2008 Way Too Cool 50k Race Report
This race report is long overdue, obviously, since the race was early this past March. But better late than never. I'll add a couple photos soon, once I have a chance to resize them.
It all began early last December, on a Sunday morning, as people across the land were frantically trying to log in to their Active.com accounts, hoping to be one of the few, the proud, the randomly lucky who were able to gain entry to the Way Too Cool 50K trail race. Having filled the previous year in just over 7 minutes, my wife and I were at the ready. I was logged in, and she was futzing with her account when she told me, more than 5 minutes before 8am (registration was supposed to open at 8am PST), that she had just registered for the race and received an email confirmation. I was on it, and within a minute was checking my email for the confirmation. We were both in! Unfortunately, for those who waited until 8am to log in to Active.com, the 450 available slots filled quickly (just over 11 minutes this year) and many were left out. Active.com was actively thrashed on many online discussion forums for having opened up the registration "early." And rightfully so.
WTC is in the Sierra foothills east of Auburn and follows trails along and near the American River. There is about 3,600' of elevation gain (and equal amount of elevation loss), and a couple of pretty killer hills - both fairly late in the course. Nothing like a nice steep climb at mile 25 to keep things interesting! The hills were green, and fortunately the streams were low so crossing wasn't much of a problem. I did manage to get one foot wet twice, but with the nice temps my shoes dried quickly.
Way Too Cool was my second 50K race, and my wife's first. We drove up Friday afternoon to pick up our race packets at the Auburn Running Company, and had dinner before retiring early for the night at a local motel. I was glad to not have to drive up the morning of the race, only to run then drive back home. It was enough just to have to drive home!
The weather really held out, as the day dawned clear and bright. Not too cold, either. We arrived in Cool around 45 minutes before start time, what we thought would be on the early side. Wrong about that one. We ended up parking along a road about 1/3 - 1/2 mile from the starting area. No problem, this should be a good way to stretch the legs out both before and after. We did the ritualistic porta-potty line thing, then milled around until the start. Way Too Cool is a popular race, and with Montrail sponsoring it, and the top 3 men and women getting a free pass to the Western States 100, it was bound to bring out some pretty fast runners. And did it ever. Last year's Ultrarunners of the Year - Nikki Kimbal and Scott Jurek - were on hand with a whole host of folks who have won a wide variety of races. Over 450 people toed the line, and we were off at 8 am.
It didn't take long for runners to stretch out over a pretty long area, and after a short time on pavement, we turned onto a trail and I felt the trail mojo. I really do love running on dirt, and enjoy the race atmosphere, though it tends to cause me to start a little too fast. And it seems the chatting that goes on during trail races is not only more common, but friendly and often helpful, too.
The first aid station came up pretty quickly, and since I was doing well supply-wise I blew right through. Two things I was careful about for this race was to make sure I drank more water, and also take electrolyte replacements regularly. My first 50K - last December - and some of my long training runs leading up to the race, had not gone well, and after some research and consideration felt pretty confident I just wasn't replacing my electrolytes or hydrating properly. This time, I was determined to double the electrolyte intake, and keep drinking.
And it seemed to be working, by the second aid station, about 14 miles in, my hydration pack was ready for a refill and I was feeling good. I scarfed down a few brownies and a PB&J square, and off I went. This was a killer section - a six mile loop that brings you back to the same aid station. And also the steepest decent, followed, naturally, by the steepest (and longest) ascent. So basically, you thrash your quads running down the steep downhill, then peg your heart rate going up the ascent. Nothing like hitting mile 20 after that combo.
I again refilled my water (hooray for no dehydration!), and ate some more brownies and a PB&J square. One of the things I love about trail races and ultras, they have some good vittles at aid stations. I was still feeling good, too. No stomach problems like on recent training runs, and the legs and abdomen were, so far, cramp free unlike my first 50K. I was happy, looking at the last third of the race, and pleased with my time. Even with a pretty big slowdown, I could still crush my previous 50k time, though realistically, it shouldn't be hard as the first one was a disaster - with hydration and electrolyte problems alluded to previously.
Now, looking at a map of the course or an elevation profile on the website is one thing. Actually being out on the course, especially a "hill" at about mile 25, is another. I have come to believe that previous course knowledge is a good thing. Helps you plan your run a little better. Funny what a hill at 25 miles can teach you.
I think I just may have been pushing it a bit too hard, to try to finish in a time that I soon came to realize wasn't possible. Unfortunately, I realized that just after hitting the top of the hill and I just didn't have a whole lot left in the tank. I tried to eat a bit at the second to last aid station, but couldn't eat much then. I just refilled my water and hit the trail. I managed to run alright for a while, but definitely noticed a slow down, and by the time I hit the last aid station I just wanted to get to the finish line so I blew through that one again.
The last section has a nice little climb as well, and I found myself walking a good portion of it. Whenever the trail would level out, or go downhill I would run; whenever it was even hinting at an uphill, I was walking. Luckily, the finish area was all flat. And it was a good thing that I had decided to not stop at the last aid station. Coming in to the final stretch before the finish line, I could see the clock just about to turn over to 4:59. I managed to finish in less than 5 hours, and take more than an hour off my previous time! I was very happy, and not just because of my time...I could take a seat and rest. I hung out at the finish area for a few minutes, and then made my way to the car. As for the stretching the legs walking the 1/3 mile to the car after the race...I would have much rather the car been closer and did some standard stretching.
I changed clothes and rested for a bit before heading back to the finish area to wait for my wife. While waiting, I noticed a gentleman who had set up a chiropractor’s table, and was offering to make you a "well adjusted human being" for $1! That was a deal I couldn't pass up, as I had a bit of pain in my neck/upper back area. As I as watching him finish up with another person, I thought he looked familiar. When it was my turn I told him he looked a lot like Gordy Ainsleigh, to which he replied "That's because I am." I had a great back adjustment, and a nice conversation with the man who started the Western States 100 Mile Run. So far it's been a great day!
I meandered over to the finish area a little before the 7 hour mark. My wife always downplays her running, and had predicted an 8 hour-ish finish. Her work had been pretty busy lately, and she had not been feeling well with a sore throat, so she was a bit concerned about running up against the cut-off times. Well, I'm glad I decided to get there early, because she managed to run a fantastic 7:11 in her first ultramarathon, or for that matter, her first race distance longer than a half-marathon! Well, what a day indeed - we had both run well and had a great time. The race was well organized, the volunteers were magnificent, and the atmosphere was fun.
I try to take away a few lessons from each race, as there is always something to learn from each one. I know I could have done a better job hydrating and fueling during this race, even though I felt pretty good throughout, and managed to do a much better job than my first ultra and a number of my recent training runs. I also better understand the value of course experience and how it can help in planning a better strategy. Overall, Way Too Cool turned out to be a great day all the way around. I hope to run it again, and can highly recommend it to anyone thinking about trying to get in.
Good luck, and happy running!
It all began early last December, on a Sunday morning, as people across the land were frantically trying to log in to their Active.com accounts, hoping to be one of the few, the proud, the randomly lucky who were able to gain entry to the Way Too Cool 50K trail race. Having filled the previous year in just over 7 minutes, my wife and I were at the ready. I was logged in, and she was futzing with her account when she told me, more than 5 minutes before 8am (registration was supposed to open at 8am PST), that she had just registered for the race and received an email confirmation. I was on it, and within a minute was checking my email for the confirmation. We were both in! Unfortunately, for those who waited until 8am to log in to Active.com, the 450 available slots filled quickly (just over 11 minutes this year) and many were left out. Active.com was actively thrashed on many online discussion forums for having opened up the registration "early." And rightfully so.
WTC is in the Sierra foothills east of Auburn and follows trails along and near the American River. There is about 3,600' of elevation gain (and equal amount of elevation loss), and a couple of pretty killer hills - both fairly late in the course. Nothing like a nice steep climb at mile 25 to keep things interesting! The hills were green, and fortunately the streams were low so crossing wasn't much of a problem. I did manage to get one foot wet twice, but with the nice temps my shoes dried quickly.
Way Too Cool was my second 50K race, and my wife's first. We drove up Friday afternoon to pick up our race packets at the Auburn Running Company, and had dinner before retiring early for the night at a local motel. I was glad to not have to drive up the morning of the race, only to run then drive back home. It was enough just to have to drive home!
The weather really held out, as the day dawned clear and bright. Not too cold, either. We arrived in Cool around 45 minutes before start time, what we thought would be on the early side. Wrong about that one. We ended up parking along a road about 1/3 - 1/2 mile from the starting area. No problem, this should be a good way to stretch the legs out both before and after. We did the ritualistic porta-potty line thing, then milled around until the start. Way Too Cool is a popular race, and with Montrail sponsoring it, and the top 3 men and women getting a free pass to the Western States 100, it was bound to bring out some pretty fast runners. And did it ever. Last year's Ultrarunners of the Year - Nikki Kimbal and Scott Jurek - were on hand with a whole host of folks who have won a wide variety of races. Over 450 people toed the line, and we were off at 8 am.
It didn't take long for runners to stretch out over a pretty long area, and after a short time on pavement, we turned onto a trail and I felt the trail mojo. I really do love running on dirt, and enjoy the race atmosphere, though it tends to cause me to start a little too fast. And it seems the chatting that goes on during trail races is not only more common, but friendly and often helpful, too.
The first aid station came up pretty quickly, and since I was doing well supply-wise I blew right through. Two things I was careful about for this race was to make sure I drank more water, and also take electrolyte replacements regularly. My first 50K - last December - and some of my long training runs leading up to the race, had not gone well, and after some research and consideration felt pretty confident I just wasn't replacing my electrolytes or hydrating properly. This time, I was determined to double the electrolyte intake, and keep drinking.
And it seemed to be working, by the second aid station, about 14 miles in, my hydration pack was ready for a refill and I was feeling good. I scarfed down a few brownies and a PB&J square, and off I went. This was a killer section - a six mile loop that brings you back to the same aid station. And also the steepest decent, followed, naturally, by the steepest (and longest) ascent. So basically, you thrash your quads running down the steep downhill, then peg your heart rate going up the ascent. Nothing like hitting mile 20 after that combo.
I again refilled my water (hooray for no dehydration!), and ate some more brownies and a PB&J square. One of the things I love about trail races and ultras, they have some good vittles at aid stations. I was still feeling good, too. No stomach problems like on recent training runs, and the legs and abdomen were, so far, cramp free unlike my first 50K. I was happy, looking at the last third of the race, and pleased with my time. Even with a pretty big slowdown, I could still crush my previous 50k time, though realistically, it shouldn't be hard as the first one was a disaster - with hydration and electrolyte problems alluded to previously.
Now, looking at a map of the course or an elevation profile on the website is one thing. Actually being out on the course, especially a "hill" at about mile 25, is another. I have come to believe that previous course knowledge is a good thing. Helps you plan your run a little better. Funny what a hill at 25 miles can teach you.
I think I just may have been pushing it a bit too hard, to try to finish in a time that I soon came to realize wasn't possible. Unfortunately, I realized that just after hitting the top of the hill and I just didn't have a whole lot left in the tank. I tried to eat a bit at the second to last aid station, but couldn't eat much then. I just refilled my water and hit the trail. I managed to run alright for a while, but definitely noticed a slow down, and by the time I hit the last aid station I just wanted to get to the finish line so I blew through that one again.
The last section has a nice little climb as well, and I found myself walking a good portion of it. Whenever the trail would level out, or go downhill I would run; whenever it was even hinting at an uphill, I was walking. Luckily, the finish area was all flat. And it was a good thing that I had decided to not stop at the last aid station. Coming in to the final stretch before the finish line, I could see the clock just about to turn over to 4:59. I managed to finish in less than 5 hours, and take more than an hour off my previous time! I was very happy, and not just because of my time...I could take a seat and rest. I hung out at the finish area for a few minutes, and then made my way to the car. As for the stretching the legs walking the 1/3 mile to the car after the race...I would have much rather the car been closer and did some standard stretching.
I changed clothes and rested for a bit before heading back to the finish area to wait for my wife. While waiting, I noticed a gentleman who had set up a chiropractor’s table, and was offering to make you a "well adjusted human being" for $1! That was a deal I couldn't pass up, as I had a bit of pain in my neck/upper back area. As I as watching him finish up with another person, I thought he looked familiar. When it was my turn I told him he looked a lot like Gordy Ainsleigh, to which he replied "That's because I am." I had a great back adjustment, and a nice conversation with the man who started the Western States 100 Mile Run. So far it's been a great day!
I meandered over to the finish area a little before the 7 hour mark. My wife always downplays her running, and had predicted an 8 hour-ish finish. Her work had been pretty busy lately, and she had not been feeling well with a sore throat, so she was a bit concerned about running up against the cut-off times. Well, I'm glad I decided to get there early, because she managed to run a fantastic 7:11 in her first ultramarathon, or for that matter, her first race distance longer than a half-marathon! Well, what a day indeed - we had both run well and had a great time. The race was well organized, the volunteers were magnificent, and the atmosphere was fun.
I try to take away a few lessons from each race, as there is always something to learn from each one. I know I could have done a better job hydrating and fueling during this race, even though I felt pretty good throughout, and managed to do a much better job than my first ultra and a number of my recent training runs. I also better understand the value of course experience and how it can help in planning a better strategy. Overall, Way Too Cool turned out to be a great day all the way around. I hope to run it again, and can highly recommend it to anyone thinking about trying to get in.
Good luck, and happy running!
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
2008 Race Schedule
Well, I've been looking at all kinds of races for 2008, and have come up with quite a few that I am interested in, though won't do all of them. I may also add a few here and there, depending on other travel/vacation plans. Here are the ones I'm looking at:
1/13/08 - PCTR Angel Island 25K. I ran this last September and what a great run it is. Fabulous views of the SF Bay all around, and a fun place to go. I probably won't try to race this one, as I'm still struggling a bit with injury.
2/2/08 - PCTR Woodside 50K. I have to run this one, as my first attempt 12/1/07 (my first ultramarathon) didn't go so well, and I really think I can run a much better time. PCTR has also started a race series for 2008 and I'm hoping I can muster a few finishes with points by the end of the year.
2/16/08 - Western States Training Run #1. I may try to run this, only because I would like to get out on the WS trail and begin to become familiar with it. Someday, I hope to run Western States, and there is no time like the present to start to get to know it.
3/8/08 - Way Too Cool 50K. - Both my wife Lori and I are in this one. Sounds like a fun time, though from what I have read it tends to be somewhat crowded.
3/22/08 - PCTR Pirates Cove 50K. This is a maybe on my schedule and depends on whether I decide to run the next one on the list (and how I'm feeling after Way Too Cool).
3/22/08 - Rucky Chucky 50K. This one covers part of the Western States trail as well. Additionally, it is part of the Ultrarunner.net race series and I wouldn't mind participating in that.
4/19/08 - Sunsweet Tehama Wildflowers 50K. I have done some fishing on the Sacramento River in this area, and it is beautiful. This race is also part of the Ultrarunner.net race series.
4/27/08 - PCTR Big Basin 50K. I was supposed to run this as my first ultra last September, but got a nasty cold the week before that knocked me out. Since I live close by, this is a no-brainer.
5/3/08 - Miwok 100K. One of my primary goals this year is to run a qualifier for Western States so I can throw my name in the hat for 2009 and this one would give me that opportunity. This is still a question mark for me, as I'm on the fence about doing a 100 Km. before doing a 50 miler. I have heard so much about the course though, that I really would like to run this one. I'll have to make up my mind soon, as registration opens in less than a week and it fills fast.
5/10/08 - Quicksilver 50M. If I bail out of doing Miwok, then this will be my first opportunity to run a WS qualifier. This race is run in an area I used to hike (and go searching for snakes with my friends) as a kid. My parents still live in the area, so even if I don't do this one this year, I will run it sometime just because it is in "my neighborhood."
5/24-26/08 - Western States Training Run #2. Not sure if I will do this, but it sounds like a fun time and great way to learn a significant part of the trail. Also, I may try to pace someone, and if so, I will need to know the course.
6/14/08 - PCTR Santa Cruz 50K. I ran this last year as my first trail race since I ran the Dipsea twice in the late 1990's. I also do a lot of my regular runs on parts of this course, and live just down the road from Henry Cowell Redwood State Park. Again, this is a no-brainer for me.
7/5/08 - PCTR Angel Island (not sure what distance, though). Lori and I really liked the Angel Island run last September, so even though we are running this in January, I wouldn't mind going back again (and again, and...). Not sure what distance, though, as I am looking at doing the Tahoe Rim Trail (not sure what distance there, also) and I may not want to push things too much.
7/12/08 - Siskiyou Out Back 50K. Again, this is a bit of a question mark due to other race interests. I love the Ashland, Oregon area and would love to get back up there, as it has been awhile since I have visited there. If I do go, I would probably try to take a couple extra days to go do a little fishing up on the Rogue River, or shoot east a bit and fish the Williamson River (great hexigenia limbata hatch going on this time of the year on the Williamson River - brings big trout up top and they can get stupid with the floating buffet going by every evening :-)).
7/19/2008 - Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M/100M. All the race reports I read on this one have made it sound like a fantastic race. And the scenery, well, how can you go wrong up in the Tahoe area? This also has the benefit of being part of the Ultrarunner.net series, as well as being the national championship for both USATF and RRCA for the 100M trail distance, so there will be lots of speedy folks to watch and cheer on along the way. Not sure about the distance I will do if I go.
8/3/08 - San Francisco Marathon. This is on my list because Lori is planning to run this, so I will be up there to support her in whatever way I can. This will be her first marathon. Kinda funny, since she will have already done an ultra if everything works out well and she is able to finish the Way Too Cool 50 Km. in March that we are signed up for.
8/9/08 - PCTR Headlands Hundred (50M/100M). This may be my first 100 miler, though I am not sure I want to push myself that far this year. It will depend on how things go earlier in the summer and how I am feeling. If I don't do the 100M, then maybe the 50M. Again, I have heard so much about the course and this race in particular - and you can't go wrong with a PCTR run, as Wendell and Sarah (and Aaron) put on great runs/races (in beautiful places).
9/6/08 - PCTR Redwood Park (not sure about distance). Another question mark run. Depends on lots of things. I have heard lots about the great trails in the Oakland/East Bay area and this would be a great way to learn about some of them.
9/20/08 - Sierra Nevada Endurance Run. Yet another question mark. Sounds like a great place and race, and it is part of the Ultrarunner.net race series. Guess it depends on whether I have any points in the series, and how I am feeling. This is done in conjunction with the Rio del Lago 100M race, which is also part of the Ultrarunner.net race series.
10/5/08 - PCTR Carmel Valley (not sure on distance). I ran the 25K race in October 2007, and while I did well, it kicked my ass. I would like to go back and see if I perform better on those brutal climbs and descents.
10/25/08 - Whiskeytown 50K. This race is held in the mountains east of Redding, along Clear Creek. A beautiful area, I almost ran this in 2007, but decided not to as it would have been on the front end of a week + long camping trip that Lori and I took up to the McCloud River and we didn't want to start off all sweaty and stinky (we got stinky enough as it was). We will most likely do the camping trip again (it has become an annual trip for us) and so may just time it for the start of that.
11/8/08 - PCTR Stinson Beach (no link yet, and not sure on distance). This is a question mark, but I would like to run at least one more PCTR run before the end of the year, depending on how I am feeling and where I am points-wise in their race series.
11/22/08 - Quad Dipsea. A beautiful course, no doubt, and challenging. I have run the Dipsea twice, back in the late 1990's, and would love to do the quad - just for the sheer brutality of the climbs and descents.
12/20/08 - PCTR Rodeo Beach (no link yet, and not sure on distance). Again, this is a question mark, but it would be a nice distraction from all the holiday shenanigans going on.
So there it is, for all to scrutinize and hold me accountable for. Kinda scary. A number of them are question marks as I just can't say for sure that I'll be able to do some of them. And a few are in there as options if I don't do others. But still, there are a total of 24 races on the list. No way I'm doing them all, but I hope to be able to do quite a few of them.
Happy New Year to all, and I hope you have a healthy and trail running filled 2008!
1/13/08 - PCTR Angel Island 25K. I ran this last September and what a great run it is. Fabulous views of the SF Bay all around, and a fun place to go. I probably won't try to race this one, as I'm still struggling a bit with injury.
2/2/08 - PCTR Woodside 50K. I have to run this one, as my first attempt 12/1/07 (my first ultramarathon) didn't go so well, and I really think I can run a much better time. PCTR has also started a race series for 2008 and I'm hoping I can muster a few finishes with points by the end of the year.
2/16/08 - Western States Training Run #1. I may try to run this, only because I would like to get out on the WS trail and begin to become familiar with it. Someday, I hope to run Western States, and there is no time like the present to start to get to know it.
3/8/08 - Way Too Cool 50K. - Both my wife Lori and I are in this one. Sounds like a fun time, though from what I have read it tends to be somewhat crowded.
3/22/08 - PCTR Pirates Cove 50K. This is a maybe on my schedule and depends on whether I decide to run the next one on the list (and how I'm feeling after Way Too Cool).
3/22/08 - Rucky Chucky 50K. This one covers part of the Western States trail as well. Additionally, it is part of the Ultrarunner.net race series and I wouldn't mind participating in that.
4/19/08 - Sunsweet Tehama Wildflowers 50K. I have done some fishing on the Sacramento River in this area, and it is beautiful. This race is also part of the Ultrarunner.net race series.
4/27/08 - PCTR Big Basin 50K. I was supposed to run this as my first ultra last September, but got a nasty cold the week before that knocked me out. Since I live close by, this is a no-brainer.
5/3/08 - Miwok 100K. One of my primary goals this year is to run a qualifier for Western States so I can throw my name in the hat for 2009 and this one would give me that opportunity. This is still a question mark for me, as I'm on the fence about doing a 100 Km. before doing a 50 miler. I have heard so much about the course though, that I really would like to run this one. I'll have to make up my mind soon, as registration opens in less than a week and it fills fast.
5/10/08 - Quicksilver 50M. If I bail out of doing Miwok, then this will be my first opportunity to run a WS qualifier. This race is run in an area I used to hike (and go searching for snakes with my friends) as a kid. My parents still live in the area, so even if I don't do this one this year, I will run it sometime just because it is in "my neighborhood."
5/24-26/08 - Western States Training Run #2. Not sure if I will do this, but it sounds like a fun time and great way to learn a significant part of the trail. Also, I may try to pace someone, and if so, I will need to know the course.
6/14/08 - PCTR Santa Cruz 50K. I ran this last year as my first trail race since I ran the Dipsea twice in the late 1990's. I also do a lot of my regular runs on parts of this course, and live just down the road from Henry Cowell Redwood State Park. Again, this is a no-brainer for me.
7/5/08 - PCTR Angel Island (not sure what distance, though). Lori and I really liked the Angel Island run last September, so even though we are running this in January, I wouldn't mind going back again (and again, and...). Not sure what distance, though, as I am looking at doing the Tahoe Rim Trail (not sure what distance there, also) and I may not want to push things too much.
7/12/08 - Siskiyou Out Back 50K. Again, this is a bit of a question mark due to other race interests. I love the Ashland, Oregon area and would love to get back up there, as it has been awhile since I have visited there. If I do go, I would probably try to take a couple extra days to go do a little fishing up on the Rogue River, or shoot east a bit and fish the Williamson River (great hexigenia limbata hatch going on this time of the year on the Williamson River - brings big trout up top and they can get stupid with the floating buffet going by every evening :-)).
7/19/2008 - Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M/100M. All the race reports I read on this one have made it sound like a fantastic race. And the scenery, well, how can you go wrong up in the Tahoe area? This also has the benefit of being part of the Ultrarunner.net series, as well as being the national championship for both USATF and RRCA for the 100M trail distance, so there will be lots of speedy folks to watch and cheer on along the way. Not sure about the distance I will do if I go.
8/3/08 - San Francisco Marathon. This is on my list because Lori is planning to run this, so I will be up there to support her in whatever way I can. This will be her first marathon. Kinda funny, since she will have already done an ultra if everything works out well and she is able to finish the Way Too Cool 50 Km. in March that we are signed up for.
8/9/08 - PCTR Headlands Hundred (50M/100M). This may be my first 100 miler, though I am not sure I want to push myself that far this year. It will depend on how things go earlier in the summer and how I am feeling. If I don't do the 100M, then maybe the 50M. Again, I have heard so much about the course and this race in particular - and you can't go wrong with a PCTR run, as Wendell and Sarah (and Aaron) put on great runs/races (in beautiful places).
9/6/08 - PCTR Redwood Park (not sure about distance). Another question mark run. Depends on lots of things. I have heard lots about the great trails in the Oakland/East Bay area and this would be a great way to learn about some of them.
9/20/08 - Sierra Nevada Endurance Run. Yet another question mark. Sounds like a great place and race, and it is part of the Ultrarunner.net race series. Guess it depends on whether I have any points in the series, and how I am feeling. This is done in conjunction with the Rio del Lago 100M race, which is also part of the Ultrarunner.net race series.
10/5/08 - PCTR Carmel Valley (not sure on distance). I ran the 25K race in October 2007, and while I did well, it kicked my ass. I would like to go back and see if I perform better on those brutal climbs and descents.
10/25/08 - Whiskeytown 50K. This race is held in the mountains east of Redding, along Clear Creek. A beautiful area, I almost ran this in 2007, but decided not to as it would have been on the front end of a week + long camping trip that Lori and I took up to the McCloud River and we didn't want to start off all sweaty and stinky (we got stinky enough as it was). We will most likely do the camping trip again (it has become an annual trip for us) and so may just time it for the start of that.
11/8/08 - PCTR Stinson Beach (no link yet, and not sure on distance). This is a question mark, but I would like to run at least one more PCTR run before the end of the year, depending on how I am feeling and where I am points-wise in their race series.
11/22/08 - Quad Dipsea. A beautiful course, no doubt, and challenging. I have run the Dipsea twice, back in the late 1990's, and would love to do the quad - just for the sheer brutality of the climbs and descents.
12/20/08 - PCTR Rodeo Beach (no link yet, and not sure on distance). Again, this is a question mark, but it would be a nice distraction from all the holiday shenanigans going on.
So there it is, for all to scrutinize and hold me accountable for. Kinda scary. A number of them are question marks as I just can't say for sure that I'll be able to do some of them. And a few are in there as options if I don't do others. But still, there are a total of 24 races on the list. No way I'm doing them all, but I hope to be able to do quite a few of them.
Happy New Year to all, and I hope you have a healthy and trail running filled 2008!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
My First Ultramarathon – the PCTR Woodside 50K (actually, 49.6K, but who's really counting...besides me?!?)
A few words can sum up my first ultramarathon experience - mistakes, pain, and hard lessons learned. Pretty much in that order.
The day dawned cold - the coldest yet this fall. I woke early in order to get something to eat early enough to allow proper digestion. I snuck around quietly as my wife and her co-worker, visiting from out of town, had fallen asleep on the couch out in the living room. They had to work on a project that required a midnight - 4am shift, so they would not be joining me for the race. I was bummed about that, but completely understood. I wouldn't want to go to a race if I had to work those hours either. After grabbing some breakfast and a little coffee, I hit the road to pick up my brother and head to the race. Only one problem so far, but a problem I ignored: my morning tinkle was pretty dark. Seems I didn't hydrate well enough the day/evening before. No problem, I thought to myself, I'll be alright. It just means I won't have to pull over every 20 minutes like I have had to on some of my longer training runs.
Mike (my bro) and I got to Huddart Park early - the park wasn't open yet but a line of others had already formed. We waited a few minutes until the gates opened then followed the line down to the parking area. After parking, we stayed in my truck to keep warm and started getting our stuff ready. We made a quick trip to the bathroom, did a little stretching, and then headed up to the start area. Within a few minutes we were off.
We started out at a pretty good pace, and soon enough were headed up the long climb to the first aid station. After about a half hour or so I asked Mike if he had had any water. I drank a little, but still wasn't even thinking much about hydration as an issue. The climb wasn't too hard, and we maintained a good, though comfortable pace. It was cold and it felt good to maintain the pace to keep the body temp up. I was sweating a fair amount pretty early on, a clue that I managed overlook.
Huddart Park, in San Mateo County, is a beautiful park. I had never been there before, but living in the Santa Cruz Mountains, I am familiar with the general look and feel - Redwood forest with tall trees and steep hillsides. Lots of little dry creek beds that can turn into raging torrents with a few good winter storms. Soft redwood duff underfoot makes the trails a real pleasure to run on. And the smell - there is nothing quite so pleasing as the earthy, rich, fecund smell of a Redwood forest.
We reached the first aid station (which was also the fourth), at the top of the first long climb, and blew right through it. We both had hydration packs, a little food, and Hammer Endurolytes electrolyte caps so no need to stop yet. On the way up, though, I had some odd feelings in the middle part of my abdomen, almost like a stitch, but across the entire mid section. I chalked it up to "clenching" the muscles, though thought it strange as I had never experienced this before. Again, another clue that I ignored, but turned out to be a precursor of things to come.
Between the first and second aid stations the trail flattened out mostly, with a few rolling sections. We maintained a pretty good pace and both felt good. The trail here ran just below Hwy. 35 - Skyline Blvd. - which runs along a ridge line between the San Francisco Bay area and the Pacific coast. This is another beautiful section of trail, mostly single track. The wind was a bit stronger here and at times really cut through. Good thing we were moving well, or else it would have been quite cold. Cloud cover had moved in up here, so sunlight, even if it could have penetrated the forest canopy, was non-existent.
We made the second aid station (which was also the third) in the top ten, and stopped to refill Mike's water bladder and get some food. We chatted with the volunteers for a few minutes, and a couple other runners passed through. No problem, we weren’t trying to hit any place goal, as this being our first ultramarathon we just wanted to enjoy ourselves and finish. Up to this point I had taken one electrolyte cap and had a little water, along with the food. I was feeling pretty good, though by now I was feeling a little something in a few areas in my legs. Areas I had never felt anything in before. Still, I didn't recognize these as warning signs.
The trail out of the second aid station was mostly downhill until the midpoint of the race, where there was a loop and then followed the same trail back to the second (now third) then fourth (initially the first) aid station. We were now in Wunderlich Park, and it has the same terrain as Huddart. It was here that I started to have issues that I would recognize as dehydration - an elevated heart rate on uphill sections that I shouldn't have struggled with. I had to slow down and walk. Still, I didn't drink enough water. I took an electrolyte cap, and had some water, but not enough. This would prove to be a big mistake that I would pay for big time later.
So we walked, and here and there ran. After a while, I told Mike to go ahead. He insisted on keeping together, and I appreciated that. But a little while later I insisted he go on ahead, as I was holding him back. I assured him I would be fine, and would be able to finish. Or, if I experienced a complete meltdown, would make the decision to drop. He went ahead.
It wasn't long before the trail started to flatten out again, and I was able to start a good shuffle/slow run. I ended up catching up to him at the next aid station as he stopped to get water and some food.
By this time I was having issues in my calves, thighs, neck, shoulders, mid-abdomen, and lower back. My lower back was quite painful, and upon reaching the third aid station I sat on the ground to stretch it some. Immediately my left calf cramped badly. Uh oh, not only was I dehydrated (I had only taken one leak so far, which is unheard of for me), my electrolytes were way off. I quickly got out an electrolyte capsule and took it, then got up, moved around, and had a couple pieces of potato with salt to help further remedy that situation. Unfortunately, I didn't hang around long and force myself to re-hydrate too.
After walking so much I was cold, and being in a fair amount of pain, I just wanted to get to the finish so I could get some warm clothes on and rest. The thought of dropping out had crossed my mind a few times, but I figured I could make it back faster if I continued on and finished. I told myself to just push through the pain and cold - you can do it!
Continuing on, my thoughts were pretty much focused on three things: pain, cold, and finish line. On the way to the final aid station I encountered a few other runners. As is typical of trail runners, we exchanged a few words of encouragement for each other. I love the trail/ultra running community for this. It is such a wonderful thing to know that others will support, encourage, and show genuine concern for you during a race.
I continued to alternate between walking (mostly) and shuffling – if it remotely resembled an uphill I was walking. I tried to drink water, and continued to take an electrolyte cap every so often. The water wasn't going down easy, as my stomach just wasn't feeling all that good and I didn't want to really push it and puke, as I felt that may exacerbate the dehydration issue. Another error in judgment.
I finally reached the last aid station and just pushed through. I did have to stop though, just after, to give myself a bit of a rest and try to stretch my back a little, which was still in a lot of pain.
The final stretch from the last aid station to the finish was mostly downhill, which under normal circumstances I would have blasted down. Not this time. Between my screaming back and my vastus medialis muscles (the muscles just above the knees on the front inside of the thigh), I just couldn't move faster than a shuffle at best, and was forced to walk a fair amount. Occasionally, I had to stop to rest. If I could have rolled myself down the rest of the way, I would have. Anything but walking/running seemed better at that point.
A few fellow runners stopped to check that I was alright and didn't need serious assistance – one even offered me his last vitamin “I” (Ibuprofen). I was again heartened by their courtesy and concern for a fellow runner. We all did a bit of yo-yo on the way down, as they were not in the best condition either, and we continually encouraged each other and checked in to make sure things were not deteriorating too much.
After what seemed an interminably long time, I finally heard the sounds of the assembled people at the finish line. I had made it. I crossed the finish to cheers, and fell to the ground happy to be done. I picked myself up as Mike came over, and we gave each hearty congratulations and a big hug. He had some struggles of his own, with his left knee giving him a fair amount of grief towards the end, but finished in 5:33:58! Incredible! I finished in 6:01:50.
We had done it - persevered through pain and other challenges to finish, and we were both happy and proud to have done so. It was a good day.
I quickly went down to my car to get some warm clothes, water and some Hammer Recoverite mix, to help with the recovery process (I have used this previously after long runs, and really feel it helps significantly with recovery). I hobbled back up to the finish area (of course, there had to be a little hill to climb from the parking area to the finish area!) to get a little food, though wasn’t very hungry. Mike and I talked with Sarah (of Pacific Coast Trail Runs) and a few other people for a little while, all of whom congratulated us on completing our first ultra. PCTR gives out a nice coaster for those who finish their first ultramarathon, so we picked those up along with the race t-shirts. I paid a little extra to get the Patagonia Capilene 1 race t-shirt, as they are really comfortable and make a great running shirt.
I learned some important lessons during this run. Some lessons that I obviously learned the hard, painful way. First of which was – I need to pay better attention to hydration. I thought I had a pretty good handle on how I need to hydrate, and have never experienced the issues I did during this race. The clues that I ignored were plain to see, but in my concern about stopping too often to pee, and overconfidence in my knowledge of my needs, I overlooked the other side of the issue - dehydration and the adverse effects that has on ones' body and performance. I also need to pay more attention to my electrolyte needs. This was my longest run ever, and while I have taken electrolyte capsules during many of my longer training runs (20 - 23 miles), I had never experienced cramping and didn't recognize many of the early symptoms.
I had hoped to finish in the low 5 hour range, and even thought that if I had a good day - maybe finish in under 5 hours. Obviously, the mistakes I made put those goals way out of reach. But I am wiser, and now have a much better understanding of what I need and how my body works. This knowledge will help me to be a better and smarter runner in the future - as long as I pay better attention and put into practice what I have learned (no guarantees there, but I can hope, can’t I???). I also learned that I can do the distance, and can push myself pretty far. Though I am no stranger to pushing myself, it has been some time since I had to deal with this level of adversity.
I feel I left a lot of time out on that course, and if I can take the knowledge gained through the pain and struggles of my first ultra into my next, I know I can improve.
My thanks and appreciation go out to: Sarah and Wendell of PCTR for all the work they did to put on this race - I had a great time even though I hurt like never before; the volunteers who offered encouragement and advice, and themselves persevered through wind and cold, always with a smile; and the many fellow runners who encouraged me, and offered assistance and showed concern for my well being. Thank you all for making this such a memorable experience.
Postscript:
Upon returning home, I expected to have to call my wife to come help me out of my truck and inside the house. But when I got home, my back wasn't sore, and I was able to get out of my car and my legs actually felt pretty good! By evening, most of the pain was gone, and only a little residual soreness was left - truly a sign that my problems were due to dehydration and an imbalance of electrolytes. And the next day (Sunday), I actually felt well enough that I could have gone for a run, if I hadn't put myself under a self-imposed moratorium on running for a few weeks in December to allow for recovery of some long-nagging issues.
The day dawned cold - the coldest yet this fall. I woke early in order to get something to eat early enough to allow proper digestion. I snuck around quietly as my wife and her co-worker, visiting from out of town, had fallen asleep on the couch out in the living room. They had to work on a project that required a midnight - 4am shift, so they would not be joining me for the race. I was bummed about that, but completely understood. I wouldn't want to go to a race if I had to work those hours either. After grabbing some breakfast and a little coffee, I hit the road to pick up my brother and head to the race. Only one problem so far, but a problem I ignored: my morning tinkle was pretty dark. Seems I didn't hydrate well enough the day/evening before. No problem, I thought to myself, I'll be alright. It just means I won't have to pull over every 20 minutes like I have had to on some of my longer training runs.
Mike (my bro) and I got to Huddart Park early - the park wasn't open yet but a line of others had already formed. We waited a few minutes until the gates opened then followed the line down to the parking area. After parking, we stayed in my truck to keep warm and started getting our stuff ready. We made a quick trip to the bathroom, did a little stretching, and then headed up to the start area. Within a few minutes we were off.
We started out at a pretty good pace, and soon enough were headed up the long climb to the first aid station. After about a half hour or so I asked Mike if he had had any water. I drank a little, but still wasn't even thinking much about hydration as an issue. The climb wasn't too hard, and we maintained a good, though comfortable pace. It was cold and it felt good to maintain the pace to keep the body temp up. I was sweating a fair amount pretty early on, a clue that I managed overlook.
Huddart Park, in San Mateo County, is a beautiful park. I had never been there before, but living in the Santa Cruz Mountains, I am familiar with the general look and feel - Redwood forest with tall trees and steep hillsides. Lots of little dry creek beds that can turn into raging torrents with a few good winter storms. Soft redwood duff underfoot makes the trails a real pleasure to run on. And the smell - there is nothing quite so pleasing as the earthy, rich, fecund smell of a Redwood forest.
We reached the first aid station (which was also the fourth), at the top of the first long climb, and blew right through it. We both had hydration packs, a little food, and Hammer Endurolytes electrolyte caps so no need to stop yet. On the way up, though, I had some odd feelings in the middle part of my abdomen, almost like a stitch, but across the entire mid section. I chalked it up to "clenching" the muscles, though thought it strange as I had never experienced this before. Again, another clue that I ignored, but turned out to be a precursor of things to come.
Between the first and second aid stations the trail flattened out mostly, with a few rolling sections. We maintained a pretty good pace and both felt good. The trail here ran just below Hwy. 35 - Skyline Blvd. - which runs along a ridge line between the San Francisco Bay area and the Pacific coast. This is another beautiful section of trail, mostly single track. The wind was a bit stronger here and at times really cut through. Good thing we were moving well, or else it would have been quite cold. Cloud cover had moved in up here, so sunlight, even if it could have penetrated the forest canopy, was non-existent.
We made the second aid station (which was also the third) in the top ten, and stopped to refill Mike's water bladder and get some food. We chatted with the volunteers for a few minutes, and a couple other runners passed through. No problem, we weren’t trying to hit any place goal, as this being our first ultramarathon we just wanted to enjoy ourselves and finish. Up to this point I had taken one electrolyte cap and had a little water, along with the food. I was feeling pretty good, though by now I was feeling a little something in a few areas in my legs. Areas I had never felt anything in before. Still, I didn't recognize these as warning signs.
The trail out of the second aid station was mostly downhill until the midpoint of the race, where there was a loop and then followed the same trail back to the second (now third) then fourth (initially the first) aid station. We were now in Wunderlich Park, and it has the same terrain as Huddart. It was here that I started to have issues that I would recognize as dehydration - an elevated heart rate on uphill sections that I shouldn't have struggled with. I had to slow down and walk. Still, I didn't drink enough water. I took an electrolyte cap, and had some water, but not enough. This would prove to be a big mistake that I would pay for big time later.
So we walked, and here and there ran. After a while, I told Mike to go ahead. He insisted on keeping together, and I appreciated that. But a little while later I insisted he go on ahead, as I was holding him back. I assured him I would be fine, and would be able to finish. Or, if I experienced a complete meltdown, would make the decision to drop. He went ahead.
It wasn't long before the trail started to flatten out again, and I was able to start a good shuffle/slow run. I ended up catching up to him at the next aid station as he stopped to get water and some food.
By this time I was having issues in my calves, thighs, neck, shoulders, mid-abdomen, and lower back. My lower back was quite painful, and upon reaching the third aid station I sat on the ground to stretch it some. Immediately my left calf cramped badly. Uh oh, not only was I dehydrated (I had only taken one leak so far, which is unheard of for me), my electrolytes were way off. I quickly got out an electrolyte capsule and took it, then got up, moved around, and had a couple pieces of potato with salt to help further remedy that situation. Unfortunately, I didn't hang around long and force myself to re-hydrate too.
After walking so much I was cold, and being in a fair amount of pain, I just wanted to get to the finish so I could get some warm clothes on and rest. The thought of dropping out had crossed my mind a few times, but I figured I could make it back faster if I continued on and finished. I told myself to just push through the pain and cold - you can do it!
Continuing on, my thoughts were pretty much focused on three things: pain, cold, and finish line. On the way to the final aid station I encountered a few other runners. As is typical of trail runners, we exchanged a few words of encouragement for each other. I love the trail/ultra running community for this. It is such a wonderful thing to know that others will support, encourage, and show genuine concern for you during a race.
I continued to alternate between walking (mostly) and shuffling – if it remotely resembled an uphill I was walking. I tried to drink water, and continued to take an electrolyte cap every so often. The water wasn't going down easy, as my stomach just wasn't feeling all that good and I didn't want to really push it and puke, as I felt that may exacerbate the dehydration issue. Another error in judgment.
I finally reached the last aid station and just pushed through. I did have to stop though, just after, to give myself a bit of a rest and try to stretch my back a little, which was still in a lot of pain.
The final stretch from the last aid station to the finish was mostly downhill, which under normal circumstances I would have blasted down. Not this time. Between my screaming back and my vastus medialis muscles (the muscles just above the knees on the front inside of the thigh), I just couldn't move faster than a shuffle at best, and was forced to walk a fair amount. Occasionally, I had to stop to rest. If I could have rolled myself down the rest of the way, I would have. Anything but walking/running seemed better at that point.
A few fellow runners stopped to check that I was alright and didn't need serious assistance – one even offered me his last vitamin “I” (Ibuprofen). I was again heartened by their courtesy and concern for a fellow runner. We all did a bit of yo-yo on the way down, as they were not in the best condition either, and we continually encouraged each other and checked in to make sure things were not deteriorating too much.
After what seemed an interminably long time, I finally heard the sounds of the assembled people at the finish line. I had made it. I crossed the finish to cheers, and fell to the ground happy to be done. I picked myself up as Mike came over, and we gave each hearty congratulations and a big hug. He had some struggles of his own, with his left knee giving him a fair amount of grief towards the end, but finished in 5:33:58! Incredible! I finished in 6:01:50.
We had done it - persevered through pain and other challenges to finish, and we were both happy and proud to have done so. It was a good day.
I quickly went down to my car to get some warm clothes, water and some Hammer Recoverite mix, to help with the recovery process (I have used this previously after long runs, and really feel it helps significantly with recovery). I hobbled back up to the finish area (of course, there had to be a little hill to climb from the parking area to the finish area!) to get a little food, though wasn’t very hungry. Mike and I talked with Sarah (of Pacific Coast Trail Runs) and a few other people for a little while, all of whom congratulated us on completing our first ultra. PCTR gives out a nice coaster for those who finish their first ultramarathon, so we picked those up along with the race t-shirts. I paid a little extra to get the Patagonia Capilene 1 race t-shirt, as they are really comfortable and make a great running shirt.
I learned some important lessons during this run. Some lessons that I obviously learned the hard, painful way. First of which was – I need to pay better attention to hydration. I thought I had a pretty good handle on how I need to hydrate, and have never experienced the issues I did during this race. The clues that I ignored were plain to see, but in my concern about stopping too often to pee, and overconfidence in my knowledge of my needs, I overlooked the other side of the issue - dehydration and the adverse effects that has on ones' body and performance. I also need to pay more attention to my electrolyte needs. This was my longest run ever, and while I have taken electrolyte capsules during many of my longer training runs (20 - 23 miles), I had never experienced cramping and didn't recognize many of the early symptoms.
I had hoped to finish in the low 5 hour range, and even thought that if I had a good day - maybe finish in under 5 hours. Obviously, the mistakes I made put those goals way out of reach. But I am wiser, and now have a much better understanding of what I need and how my body works. This knowledge will help me to be a better and smarter runner in the future - as long as I pay better attention and put into practice what I have learned (no guarantees there, but I can hope, can’t I???). I also learned that I can do the distance, and can push myself pretty far. Though I am no stranger to pushing myself, it has been some time since I had to deal with this level of adversity.
I feel I left a lot of time out on that course, and if I can take the knowledge gained through the pain and struggles of my first ultra into my next, I know I can improve.
My thanks and appreciation go out to: Sarah and Wendell of PCTR for all the work they did to put on this race - I had a great time even though I hurt like never before; the volunteers who offered encouragement and advice, and themselves persevered through wind and cold, always with a smile; and the many fellow runners who encouraged me, and offered assistance and showed concern for my well being. Thank you all for making this such a memorable experience.
Postscript:
Upon returning home, I expected to have to call my wife to come help me out of my truck and inside the house. But when I got home, my back wasn't sore, and I was able to get out of my car and my legs actually felt pretty good! By evening, most of the pain was gone, and only a little residual soreness was left - truly a sign that my problems were due to dehydration and an imbalance of electrolytes. And the next day (Sunday), I actually felt well enough that I could have gone for a run, if I hadn't put myself under a self-imposed moratorium on running for a few weeks in December to allow for recovery of some long-nagging issues.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Trail Running "Emergency"
So, I recently had my first trail running "emergency." Nothing serious, mind you, but an emergency nonetheless.
It was last week. I was trying to get in a couple hours after work, and before heading over to a high school football game that the son of one of my work mates was playing in. I work about 5 minutes from the Forest of Nicene Marks, of which I have written of before, so it's pretty easy for me to get in a nice run there after work (or before, if I could get my lazy butt out of bed early enough). I figured I could easily run up a trail an hour or so and then come back, do a quick change, and not be too late for the game.
Everything started out great. I was feeling good, running well and enjoying the forest scenery. We have had a little rain lately here in the Santa Cruz area so the Redwood forests are wet and beautiful. The particular route I took starts on a fire road, but after a short time I took a turn on single track. I'm cruising uphill, everything going well though after about 30 minutes I feel like maybe I need to get rid of some water instead of just taking it in - not unusual for me as I have highly efficient kidneys (at least that is how I like to think of it). I pull off the trail to relieve myself but quickly realize this could turn into a multi-event situation. No problem, just knock everything back, I think, and finish the run. Then relief can be had without problem.
Well, while I told myself this it seems as though some parts didn't get the memo. A few minutes later the first cramps start - you know those ones that practically double you over. It's basically your GI system saying "HEY, we're here and just want to remind you in case you had forgotten!" At this point, maybe 35 - 40 minutes in, I'm just hoping to get to 45 minutes and then turn around. There's an outhouse near a picnic area a little over halfway back to my truck, I tell myself. I can make it there and take care of business.
I turn around at 42 minutes.
At about 45 minutes - I know this because I'm really taking a hard look at my watch, by this point, to realistically estimate my time situation here - I have to stop to walk, as whatever is going on won't let me run. More watch checking and time calculating. I start to run again. I stop running to walk again. I start running again, only off trail behind some trees.
Explosiveness followed. Though I did make it to as suitable an area as can be hoped for given the circumstances. Fortunately it was late afternoon on a weekday and pretty much no one was on the trail.
Now maybe most of you carry TP with you on runs. I don't. Have never needed it on a run. Until now. I do keep it with me while on fishing trips. And hiking trips. And hunting trips. Basically anytime I'm going to be away from my vehicle for more than a couple hours as I have needed it many a time. Except for running. That is going to change.
High up in a Redwood forest, there is an amazing lack of broadleaf plants or trees. Down by the creeks there can be quite a few. But higher up on the hills there are none. At least where I was. Thank god for the fern. The ancient fern. I have found that the tips of a few sword ferns, doubled over, can, in an emergency, provide enough "coverage" to clean things up just enough to not embarrass oneself getting back to your vehicle. Don't get me wrong, it's certainly not ideal and not as squeezable as Charmin. But it's much better than nothing, and those consequences.
I felt fine after, got rid of the problem right then. I continued back, though, eager to finish the "cleansing" process at the nearest outhouse, which I made in pretty good time (all downhill) :-)
I did make it to the football game. Unfortunately my work mate's son had already played. And it seems the coach of his team is having some troubles cycling kids through the games on a regular basis so I didn't get to see him play. They won, I make it home and everyone lived happily ever after. Or something like that.
Sorry if I offended anyone with this post. It is a part of running, though. And this is a blog about running. Even if you haven't yet (yes, YET!) experienced this aspect of running, I'm sure you know stories. Well, as least now you do.
It was last week. I was trying to get in a couple hours after work, and before heading over to a high school football game that the son of one of my work mates was playing in. I work about 5 minutes from the Forest of Nicene Marks, of which I have written of before, so it's pretty easy for me to get in a nice run there after work (or before, if I could get my lazy butt out of bed early enough). I figured I could easily run up a trail an hour or so and then come back, do a quick change, and not be too late for the game.
Everything started out great. I was feeling good, running well and enjoying the forest scenery. We have had a little rain lately here in the Santa Cruz area so the Redwood forests are wet and beautiful. The particular route I took starts on a fire road, but after a short time I took a turn on single track. I'm cruising uphill, everything going well though after about 30 minutes I feel like maybe I need to get rid of some water instead of just taking it in - not unusual for me as I have highly efficient kidneys (at least that is how I like to think of it). I pull off the trail to relieve myself but quickly realize this could turn into a multi-event situation. No problem, just knock everything back, I think, and finish the run. Then relief can be had without problem.
Well, while I told myself this it seems as though some parts didn't get the memo. A few minutes later the first cramps start - you know those ones that practically double you over. It's basically your GI system saying "HEY, we're here and just want to remind you in case you had forgotten!" At this point, maybe 35 - 40 minutes in, I'm just hoping to get to 45 minutes and then turn around. There's an outhouse near a picnic area a little over halfway back to my truck, I tell myself. I can make it there and take care of business.
I turn around at 42 minutes.
At about 45 minutes - I know this because I'm really taking a hard look at my watch, by this point, to realistically estimate my time situation here - I have to stop to walk, as whatever is going on won't let me run. More watch checking and time calculating. I start to run again. I stop running to walk again. I start running again, only off trail behind some trees.
Explosiveness followed. Though I did make it to as suitable an area as can be hoped for given the circumstances. Fortunately it was late afternoon on a weekday and pretty much no one was on the trail.
Now maybe most of you carry TP with you on runs. I don't. Have never needed it on a run. Until now. I do keep it with me while on fishing trips. And hiking trips. And hunting trips. Basically anytime I'm going to be away from my vehicle for more than a couple hours as I have needed it many a time. Except for running. That is going to change.
High up in a Redwood forest, there is an amazing lack of broadleaf plants or trees. Down by the creeks there can be quite a few. But higher up on the hills there are none. At least where I was. Thank god for the fern. The ancient fern. I have found that the tips of a few sword ferns, doubled over, can, in an emergency, provide enough "coverage" to clean things up just enough to not embarrass oneself getting back to your vehicle. Don't get me wrong, it's certainly not ideal and not as squeezable as Charmin. But it's much better than nothing, and those consequences.
I felt fine after, got rid of the problem right then. I continued back, though, eager to finish the "cleansing" process at the nearest outhouse, which I made in pretty good time (all downhill) :-)
I did make it to the football game. Unfortunately my work mate's son had already played. And it seems the coach of his team is having some troubles cycling kids through the games on a regular basis so I didn't get to see him play. They won, I make it home and everyone lived happily ever after. Or something like that.
Sorry if I offended anyone with this post. It is a part of running, though. And this is a blog about running. Even if you haven't yet (yes, YET!) experienced this aspect of running, I'm sure you know stories. Well, as least now you do.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Good Runs
Fall is here, though you wouldn't necessarily know it by the last couple weekends around Northern California. Beautiful weather - crisp mornings warming to comfortable afternoons and clear skies. Both Lori and I ran in a couple of Pacific Coast Trail Run runs the last two weekends. Angel Island on Saturday, September 29th, and Carmel Valley today - October 7th.
Lori had been battling a cold for a little over a week up until yesterday, and didn't run her planned race last weekend at Angel Island. She still ran a good 8k and felt alright. Today, she ran the 8k at Carmel and was feeling good and was pleased with her time.
I had not planned on running either of these races, but changed my plans, stayed in town and joined Lori for both. The Angel Island run was a great day. The weather could not have been better, and the 25k course had us doing three loops around the island, each progressively higher with the final loop ending at the summit. Lori and I had to leave early for the drive to Tiburon, but it went by quickly with no traffic, and crossing the Golden Gate bridge in the early morning is nice, especially with the incredibly clear air. You could see everything!
Once at the ferry station in Tiburon (one of the cool features of this run is having to take the ferry over to Angel Island) we got our bib numbers and milled around with everyone else waiting to catch a ride over the the island. Everyone pitched in and helped load the race gear and supplies onto, and off the ferry and over to the start area. Within a few minutes, Wendell had the 25k and 50k runners up to the line for instructions.
After a short level section, the trail took a sharp turn up. After a short distance a section of stairs replaced the trail. After the stairs the course wound along a paved road, through old, abandoned buildings left over from Angel Island's era as an immigration station (I believe). I ended up running next to a nice guy and we started to chat about all kinds of things, lots about the fantastic views (did I mention how clear the air was???) and we ended up running nearly the entire race within a few yards of each other. On the first loop, we actually missed a turn as we both were staring out at the view of San Francisco. Fortunately, a few other runners behind us alerted us to our mishap, and we quickly corrected our mistake.
The race really flew by, and before I knew it, we were at the summit - with yet another fantastic view of the entire San Francisco Bay - and only a downhill to go to the end. Ken, the guy I was running with, picked up the pace and we really attacked the remaining trails. I must say that it was fantastic to have run with him, as it really taught me that I can be a lot more aggressive than I have been in training. We crossed the line a few seconds apart. I posted a cool 2:09:04 for 6th place (results)! I couldn't believe it. Top ten!
After, Ken and I talked for a few minutes, congratulating each other on a great run and enjoying the beautiful day. Lori met me, and we hung out at the finish area for a while before catching the ferry back to Tiburon. An afternoon in San Francisco topped off the day, and what a great day it was.
The Carmel Valley run today was another gorgeous day. A bit on the chilly side at the start, it warmed up nicely. I ran the 25k again, taking Lori's spot in the 17k and upgrading to the 25 late last week. Actually, Lori was not going to run, but had been feeling sick all week and since I was staying in town instead of going hunting and camping, I took her spot. She actually did race day registration and did the 8k since she was feeling better.
Since I had run well the week before at Angel Island, I was looking forward to how this run would end up. While the distance is the same, the nature of the course is quite a bit different. Carmel Valley has twice the elevation (just over 4k), and that elevation is MUCH steeper! As in really steep. To the point that quite a few sections were not runnable. At least by me. I did see one woman running a a pretty good section of it (I think she was wearing a Wonder Woman suit, but not sure as she flew by me on the uphill). I had worked out some rough times based on last years 33k times so Lori would know an approximate time to expect me.
The smile on Wendell's face told me what I wanted to know about the hills on this course. He had a devilish smirk when referencing the "real fun" that begins for the 25k and 50k runners after the first aid station. The smirk understated what lay ahead. The uphill I mentioned above that I didn't run...that was the smirk. It was ridiculous steep. And went on for a while. A few sections had to be at least a 50 degree slope and probably more. I'm still awed by "Wonder Woman" running up it. Damn. That is some serious fitness.
The downhill was equally steep, and certainly required control and quads to keep from taking a tumble. This run was definitely going to introduce me to any and all little used muscles in my legs, butt, abdomen and some other areas of my body. I felt this run a lot more than Angel Island, and on the last big uphill was passed by one person running the 50k, and one running the 25k. Dammit man. Within a mile-and-a-half and I get passed. The elevation had taken its' toll, and I couldn't keep up.
My time was 2:37:11. Good for 4th place (I think, I didn't want to bother the time keeper too much so I only took a quick look at the time sheet)! I am very happy with this. I still can't believe it. I had actually beat my best case time prediction by a few minutes. Turns out the 25k person who passed me near the end was the women's first place winner. She looked really strong there at the end and picked up her pace to the finish, as did the guy who was running the 50k. Really cool to see.
All-in-all, I am ecstatic about the past two races and learned a lot from them. I have some good things to focus on in training, and both Lori and I really like the race scene with Pacific Coast Trail Runs - lots of really nice people and well organized "races."
Lori had been battling a cold for a little over a week up until yesterday, and didn't run her planned race last weekend at Angel Island. She still ran a good 8k and felt alright. Today, she ran the 8k at Carmel and was feeling good and was pleased with her time.
I had not planned on running either of these races, but changed my plans, stayed in town and joined Lori for both. The Angel Island run was a great day. The weather could not have been better, and the 25k course had us doing three loops around the island, each progressively higher with the final loop ending at the summit. Lori and I had to leave early for the drive to Tiburon, but it went by quickly with no traffic, and crossing the Golden Gate bridge in the early morning is nice, especially with the incredibly clear air. You could see everything!
Once at the ferry station in Tiburon (one of the cool features of this run is having to take the ferry over to Angel Island) we got our bib numbers and milled around with everyone else waiting to catch a ride over the the island. Everyone pitched in and helped load the race gear and supplies onto, and off the ferry and over to the start area. Within a few minutes, Wendell had the 25k and 50k runners up to the line for instructions.
After a short level section, the trail took a sharp turn up. After a short distance a section of stairs replaced the trail. After the stairs the course wound along a paved road, through old, abandoned buildings left over from Angel Island's era as an immigration station (I believe). I ended up running next to a nice guy and we started to chat about all kinds of things, lots about the fantastic views (did I mention how clear the air was???) and we ended up running nearly the entire race within a few yards of each other. On the first loop, we actually missed a turn as we both were staring out at the view of San Francisco. Fortunately, a few other runners behind us alerted us to our mishap, and we quickly corrected our mistake.
The race really flew by, and before I knew it, we were at the summit - with yet another fantastic view of the entire San Francisco Bay - and only a downhill to go to the end. Ken, the guy I was running with, picked up the pace and we really attacked the remaining trails. I must say that it was fantastic to have run with him, as it really taught me that I can be a lot more aggressive than I have been in training. We crossed the line a few seconds apart. I posted a cool 2:09:04 for 6th place (results)! I couldn't believe it. Top ten!
After, Ken and I talked for a few minutes, congratulating each other on a great run and enjoying the beautiful day. Lori met me, and we hung out at the finish area for a while before catching the ferry back to Tiburon. An afternoon in San Francisco topped off the day, and what a great day it was.
The Carmel Valley run today was another gorgeous day. A bit on the chilly side at the start, it warmed up nicely. I ran the 25k again, taking Lori's spot in the 17k and upgrading to the 25 late last week. Actually, Lori was not going to run, but had been feeling sick all week and since I was staying in town instead of going hunting and camping, I took her spot. She actually did race day registration and did the 8k since she was feeling better.
Since I had run well the week before at Angel Island, I was looking forward to how this run would end up. While the distance is the same, the nature of the course is quite a bit different. Carmel Valley has twice the elevation (just over 4k), and that elevation is MUCH steeper! As in really steep. To the point that quite a few sections were not runnable. At least by me. I did see one woman running a a pretty good section of it (I think she was wearing a Wonder Woman suit, but not sure as she flew by me on the uphill). I had worked out some rough times based on last years 33k times so Lori would know an approximate time to expect me.
The smile on Wendell's face told me what I wanted to know about the hills on this course. He had a devilish smirk when referencing the "real fun" that begins for the 25k and 50k runners after the first aid station. The smirk understated what lay ahead. The uphill I mentioned above that I didn't run...that was the smirk. It was ridiculous steep. And went on for a while. A few sections had to be at least a 50 degree slope and probably more. I'm still awed by "Wonder Woman" running up it. Damn. That is some serious fitness.
The downhill was equally steep, and certainly required control and quads to keep from taking a tumble. This run was definitely going to introduce me to any and all little used muscles in my legs, butt, abdomen and some other areas of my body. I felt this run a lot more than Angel Island, and on the last big uphill was passed by one person running the 50k, and one running the 25k. Dammit man. Within a mile-and-a-half and I get passed. The elevation had taken its' toll, and I couldn't keep up.
My time was 2:37:11. Good for 4th place (I think, I didn't want to bother the time keeper too much so I only took a quick look at the time sheet)! I am very happy with this. I still can't believe it. I had actually beat my best case time prediction by a few minutes. Turns out the 25k person who passed me near the end was the women's first place winner. She looked really strong there at the end and picked up her pace to the finish, as did the guy who was running the 50k. Really cool to see.
All-in-all, I am ecstatic about the past two races and learned a lot from them. I have some good things to focus on in training, and both Lori and I really like the race scene with Pacific Coast Trail Runs - lots of really nice people and well organized "races."
Monday, September 17, 2007
PCTR's Big Basin Trail Run Report
I didn't run this one, as I have a cold that just won't give up. Damn thing has parked itself in my upper respiratory system, and I have this annoying, persistent cough. I haven't run for over a week because of it!
Though I didn't run the race, I was there to support Lori, who ran the 15k. This was Lori's first trail race, and definitely the biggest elevation gain for a run she has done, race or not. Here is a short report.
We got to the race area in plenty of time, and everything was well organized, as seems to be the case for the PCTR races that we have been to. Lori got her bib, and I let them know I wasn't running. The weather was perfect for a run, with fog hanging over the park keeping things cool, but not cold. The weather the last few days in the Santa Cruz mountains has been stellar - warm days and nights that get crisp. Classic late-summer, early-fall weather.
I kept an eye out for my friend Doug, who was signed up for the 15k too. I was also hoping to have a chance to meet another local trail runner and blogger - Addy. Alas, I was not to see either.
While waiting around the check-in area, I saw a woman with one of the Nathan hydration packs on. I have wanted to check one of these out, but have yet to find them in a store locally. After hemming and hawing for a few moments (I can be shy about going up to people I don't know) I approached her to ask her a few questions about the pack and how she liked it. She was very nice and even let me try it on. Though small for me, I did get a general idea of how if felt, and I definitely want to check them out further. Turns out the woman was none other than local runner and blogger Miki. Thanks, Miki for letting me try your Nathan hydration vest on. Miki had some bad feelings about this race, as past races here didn't treat her well. Unfortunately for Miki, those bad feelings were prescient as she turned her ankle early in the race and had to DNF.
After the start I went for a short hike up the trail the 15k, 25k, and 50k runners took. I wish I had fresh batteries for my camera, as there were a couple places that would have been good to get some photos of runners coming back through. After a while, I meandered over to the aid station between loops to cheer runners on and help direct runners the right way. It wasn't long before the reports stared coming in - yellowjacket or bee stings were a problem. A big problem. Some runners said they had been stung 15 - 20 times! A number of runners dropped right then, said they had been stung too many times and felt bad. Those of us around the aid station tried to encourage runners coming through, and let them know there were no reports of problems on the 10k course, but no one can blame anyone who had to endure the trail of stings for not wanting to repeat that experience.
Lori came through, and finished around 2:17 or so - a really good time and she was happy with the whole thing. She didn't get stung around the areas where most of the problems occurred, but did get stung while going up the cable area near Berry Creek Falls. And, even better, she isn't as sore as she expected, considering the elevation gain.
She is really lovin trail running, something we are both happy about as we can do a little running together from time-to-time. She is even signed up for the PCTR Carmel Valley 17k already! And trying to get me to sign up for the 50k. Not sure I'll take the bait on that one, though. It's got nearly 9,000' of climbing. And I don't know if I want to kill my legs on my first ultra. I'll think about it some more. ;-)
Though I didn't run the race, I was there to support Lori, who ran the 15k. This was Lori's first trail race, and definitely the biggest elevation gain for a run she has done, race or not. Here is a short report.
We got to the race area in plenty of time, and everything was well organized, as seems to be the case for the PCTR races that we have been to. Lori got her bib, and I let them know I wasn't running. The weather was perfect for a run, with fog hanging over the park keeping things cool, but not cold. The weather the last few days in the Santa Cruz mountains has been stellar - warm days and nights that get crisp. Classic late-summer, early-fall weather.
I kept an eye out for my friend Doug, who was signed up for the 15k too. I was also hoping to have a chance to meet another local trail runner and blogger - Addy. Alas, I was not to see either.
While waiting around the check-in area, I saw a woman with one of the Nathan hydration packs on. I have wanted to check one of these out, but have yet to find them in a store locally. After hemming and hawing for a few moments (I can be shy about going up to people I don't know) I approached her to ask her a few questions about the pack and how she liked it. She was very nice and even let me try it on. Though small for me, I did get a general idea of how if felt, and I definitely want to check them out further. Turns out the woman was none other than local runner and blogger Miki. Thanks, Miki for letting me try your Nathan hydration vest on. Miki had some bad feelings about this race, as past races here didn't treat her well. Unfortunately for Miki, those bad feelings were prescient as she turned her ankle early in the race and had to DNF.
After the start I went for a short hike up the trail the 15k, 25k, and 50k runners took. I wish I had fresh batteries for my camera, as there were a couple places that would have been good to get some photos of runners coming back through. After a while, I meandered over to the aid station between loops to cheer runners on and help direct runners the right way. It wasn't long before the reports stared coming in - yellowjacket or bee stings were a problem. A big problem. Some runners said they had been stung 15 - 20 times! A number of runners dropped right then, said they had been stung too many times and felt bad. Those of us around the aid station tried to encourage runners coming through, and let them know there were no reports of problems on the 10k course, but no one can blame anyone who had to endure the trail of stings for not wanting to repeat that experience.
Lori came through, and finished around 2:17 or so - a really good time and she was happy with the whole thing. She didn't get stung around the areas where most of the problems occurred, but did get stung while going up the cable area near Berry Creek Falls. And, even better, she isn't as sore as she expected, considering the elevation gain.
She is really lovin trail running, something we are both happy about as we can do a little running together from time-to-time. She is even signed up for the PCTR Carmel Valley 17k already! And trying to get me to sign up for the 50k. Not sure I'll take the bait on that one, though. It's got nearly 9,000' of climbing. And I don't know if I want to kill my legs on my first ultra. I'll think about it some more. ;-)
Friday, August 31, 2007
Big Basin 50K
I've gone and done it now - actually signed-up for the PCTR Big Basin 50K run. This will be my first ultramarathon, and I am really looking forward to it. Even though I have not trained for this specifically, I'm not concerned about doing the distance. I just want to make sure I don't injure anything! To that end, I will have to try to take it easy and not jump off to a fast start.
My running over the last few months has really been going well. Taking a more relaxed attitude and giving myself time off when my body asks for it really seems to be helping. My ankle injury has more-or-less healed, and the only thing that seems to be giving me grief is my knee, and so far that has been manageable.
It's also great to be able to feel the change in fitness level, and see it as I run certain trails. Two days ago I ran a trail in the Fall Creek section of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. It's about an 8 1/2 mile loop with decent elevation gain. I knocked about 5 minutes off my previous best time for that trail! I was quite pleased with that.
So this weekend I'm going camping up in the Trinity Alps area. I'm planning on getting some nice trail runs in on the trails in the wilderness area. Should be a great time to be up there and hopefully the area I'm planning to be in won't be too crowded. I'll take a few pics for my trip report next week.
Have a great holiday weekend all, happy running, and don't forget the working folks that this holiday is all about.
My running over the last few months has really been going well. Taking a more relaxed attitude and giving myself time off when my body asks for it really seems to be helping. My ankle injury has more-or-less healed, and the only thing that seems to be giving me grief is my knee, and so far that has been manageable.
It's also great to be able to feel the change in fitness level, and see it as I run certain trails. Two days ago I ran a trail in the Fall Creek section of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. It's about an 8 1/2 mile loop with decent elevation gain. I knocked about 5 minutes off my previous best time for that trail! I was quite pleased with that.
So this weekend I'm going camping up in the Trinity Alps area. I'm planning on getting some nice trail runs in on the trails in the wilderness area. Should be a great time to be up there and hopefully the area I'm planning to be in won't be too crowded. I'll take a few pics for my trip report next week.
Have a great holiday weekend all, happy running, and don't forget the working folks that this holiday is all about.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Western States documentary
I recently bought the documentary on the Western States Endurance Run - A Race for the Soul. It was produced by KVIE Public Television. It is pretty cool. I already have Western States as a long-term goal, so seeing this just confirms my desire to attempt it. Even though I have yet to run an ultra, it doesn't hurt to have a long-term goal to keep you motivated. So, I'm willing to check out just about anything remotely related to Western States.
If you haven't seen this, it really gives a pretty good look at what the race is about (at least from my inexperienced point-of-view). Good interviews with a wide range of people involved from volunteers to support crew to racers - from front runners to back-of-packers. The 2 DVD set includes a disk of footage from various aid stations, the river crossing, and the finish line. The only knock I have on it is the music is corny. But that is small potatoes in the grand scheme.
If you are looking for something to provide a little entertainment and motivation, take a look at A Race for the Soul. And if you have any tips on stuff related to WS, even remotely, let me know. I need my fix, man!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Lots o' Activity
This last weekend was a good one for my running. Actually, it was a good weekend for physical activity. I like those kind of weekends.
It started Saturday morning with a big pile of wood in the backyard that has been calling out to me for the past month or so. Since the house we rent has no central air, furnace, or insulation to speak of we get most of our heat in the winter from the wood burning stove in the living room, and a couple small space heaters for times when we are too lazy to start a fire. For the past two winters, we have rounded up our own wood by scanning Craigslist for people trying to get rid of downed trees, asking people in our area who have downed trees on their property if we can relieve them of some of it, and also through wood cutting permits on National Forest land.
Back to the woodpile. So, we have all this wood in the backyard, mostly in sections that have to be cut in half before chopping, which means getting the chainsaw out. Now, I don't mind using a chainsaw, in fact at times I really enjoy it. But I prefer splitting and chopping. It is way more enjoyable, and a lot less loud. It is good, hard work but rewarding - I like to call it "productive destruction!"
Unfortunately, the chains for my chainsaw are dull and that makes that part of the process a bit harder. I got through a fair amount though, and before I completely trashed my arms with the chainsaw I put it down and took a little break. A snack and some water got me a nice second surge, and off to chopping I went. I quartered all the rounds I created with the saw, and called it a good session. I'm not sure how long I spent, but my arms and shoulders were definitely feeling it. Here are the results:
After a nice relaxing afternoon, Lori and I headed down to the train tracks by the San Lorenzo River for a run. We got in about an hour and fifteen minutes - nothing spectacular on this one, except my overall plan. I have been thinking about this for awhile, and after reading Addy's post about her recent weekend of running in Marin and Berkeley, I decided I wanted to get in a two day fairly long run combo in myself. I really think I'm going to be doing the 50k run at PCTR's Big Basin run in the middle of September (there I've said it - I guess it's official now :-)) - which will be my first ultra - and thought it would be good for me to put more miles on the legs over a weekend.
So Saturday afternoon went like a charm. The run I do along the train tracks is fairly flat - probably no more than 300 feet of elevation gain and about 9 miles give or take a little.
Sunday morning was back to Nisene Marks for my current favorite trail run - the Aptos Creek Fire Road to the West Ridge Trail. This time, though, when I came back down to the Aptos Creek Fire Road, I went back up to the trailhead for the Aptos Creek Trail, which added almost 4.5 miles round-trip. Total mileage for the run was about 22.5 which is my longest since I ran my first and only marathon about 10 years ago. I ran a pretty good pace, too, finishing in 3:24. I am very happy with the weekend plan, as I was definitely tired, but my legs recovered quickly. I did have a repeat of this new pain in my right knee, but I really think it is more an overuse issue now. It goes away after a day or so, especially if I ice it and wear my neoprene knee brace/wrap during the day.
My biggest concern now in doing the 50k next month is really about whether I'm pushing too far too fast. Injuries are a drag, and so far I have been pretty good about not overdoing it (something I have done a few times in the past). I don't really have any question about doing the distance, I just want to make sure I can run the next week.
Speaking of which, I haven't had a chance to run this week. Due to work issues, not running/injury issues. Tomorrow...
It started Saturday morning with a big pile of wood in the backyard that has been calling out to me for the past month or so. Since the house we rent has no central air, furnace, or insulation to speak of we get most of our heat in the winter from the wood burning stove in the living room, and a couple small space heaters for times when we are too lazy to start a fire. For the past two winters, we have rounded up our own wood by scanning Craigslist for people trying to get rid of downed trees, asking people in our area who have downed trees on their property if we can relieve them of some of it, and also through wood cutting permits on National Forest land.
Back to the woodpile. So, we have all this wood in the backyard, mostly in sections that have to be cut in half before chopping, which means getting the chainsaw out. Now, I don't mind using a chainsaw, in fact at times I really enjoy it. But I prefer splitting and chopping. It is way more enjoyable, and a lot less loud. It is good, hard work but rewarding - I like to call it "productive destruction!"
Unfortunately, the chains for my chainsaw are dull and that makes that part of the process a bit harder. I got through a fair amount though, and before I completely trashed my arms with the chainsaw I put it down and took a little break. A snack and some water got me a nice second surge, and off to chopping I went. I quartered all the rounds I created with the saw, and called it a good session. I'm not sure how long I spent, but my arms and shoulders were definitely feeling it. Here are the results:
After a nice relaxing afternoon, Lori and I headed down to the train tracks by the San Lorenzo River for a run. We got in about an hour and fifteen minutes - nothing spectacular on this one, except my overall plan. I have been thinking about this for awhile, and after reading Addy's post about her recent weekend of running in Marin and Berkeley, I decided I wanted to get in a two day fairly long run combo in myself. I really think I'm going to be doing the 50k run at PCTR's Big Basin run in the middle of September (there I've said it - I guess it's official now :-)) - which will be my first ultra - and thought it would be good for me to put more miles on the legs over a weekend.
So Saturday afternoon went like a charm. The run I do along the train tracks is fairly flat - probably no more than 300 feet of elevation gain and about 9 miles give or take a little.
Sunday morning was back to Nisene Marks for my current favorite trail run - the Aptos Creek Fire Road to the West Ridge Trail. This time, though, when I came back down to the Aptos Creek Fire Road, I went back up to the trailhead for the Aptos Creek Trail, which added almost 4.5 miles round-trip. Total mileage for the run was about 22.5 which is my longest since I ran my first and only marathon about 10 years ago. I ran a pretty good pace, too, finishing in 3:24. I am very happy with the weekend plan, as I was definitely tired, but my legs recovered quickly. I did have a repeat of this new pain in my right knee, but I really think it is more an overuse issue now. It goes away after a day or so, especially if I ice it and wear my neoprene knee brace/wrap during the day.
My biggest concern now in doing the 50k next month is really about whether I'm pushing too far too fast. Injuries are a drag, and so far I have been pretty good about not overdoing it (something I have done a few times in the past). I don't really have any question about doing the distance, I just want to make sure I can run the next week.
Speaking of which, I haven't had a chance to run this week. Due to work issues, not running/injury issues. Tomorrow...
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Nisene Marks
Last Saturday, after a week of no running due to sickness, my wife and I were able to get out for a nice long run at our new favorite place for long runs - The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park. It really is a cool place, offering a fair amount of both flat and hilly running - with elevations up to 2,600'! It also offers plenty of trails which allow for runs of 20+ miles. It really felt great to get back out and hit the trail after nothing for 5 days. Being sick really sucks.
The loop I've been doing lately is a little over 18 miles, and climbs roughly 2,500'. A couple of weeks earlier I ran this general route, but tried to take a different trail which would have added some distance, but ended up having to turn around as a section of the trail had been lost to a landslide and it was impossible to go around - up or down. Most of the climbing is within the first 7 or so miles, and then the trail follows along a ridgeline for awhile before dropping back down. At a few places the trail offers some great views of the Aptos/Capitola area of the Monterey Bay as long as it's not foggy. Here is the view:
Kinda hard to see, but the middle stretch of blue is the bay, and right on the edge of it and the green is where Aptos and Capitola are. I really need to get a new camera.
A great couple of mile stretch follows this where the trail winds through some great redwood forest - mostly second growth - and I just love the feel and smell of it. The ground is soft with redwood duff, ferns are scattered here and there, particularly close to anything resembling a regular water source, and there is often a fecund smell that pervades the forest - really any redwood forest - that is intoxicating. Especially in the wetter months. Even living in it I don't tire of the smell, feel, and look of a redwood forest. It really is magnificent.
Back to this past Saturday: I had a cool experience as I made my way up the fire road to the top and the lookout point where the pic above was taken. After rounding a bend, I caught sight of a couple of guys on mountain bikes ahead. Not thinking much of it I just continued with my climb, in my own little world. In a few minutes I realized I was catching up to them, and after two more bends in the road I began a long straight stretch. I kicked it up a little and by the end of the straight stretch I passed them! Now, they certainly weren't in "Tour de France" shape, and were definitely older than me (and I'm no spring chicken) but still, I'll take my little victories where I can get em! ;-)
The really great thing about the run didn't have anything to do with my run, though. It was Lori's (my wife) run. She had struggled for a few months with an ankle injury earlier this year, got back to running a month or so ago and ran a great race at the Wharf-to-Wharf (see my post on it here). She is also getting into trail running as a result of her injury and rehab, and it is great to have her along, even if we don't run much together. Well, after a long business trip and a week of being sick, she ran more than 15 miles in about 2:45 including walk breaks!!! That is the longest she has run at one time, and the longest time she has run! She really rocks and I am so proud of her and happy for her. She was sore for a day or so, but felt pretty good and can't wait to get back this next weekend.
Me too.
The loop I've been doing lately is a little over 18 miles, and climbs roughly 2,500'. A couple of weeks earlier I ran this general route, but tried to take a different trail which would have added some distance, but ended up having to turn around as a section of the trail had been lost to a landslide and it was impossible to go around - up or down. Most of the climbing is within the first 7 or so miles, and then the trail follows along a ridgeline for awhile before dropping back down. At a few places the trail offers some great views of the Aptos/Capitola area of the Monterey Bay as long as it's not foggy. Here is the view:
Kinda hard to see, but the middle stretch of blue is the bay, and right on the edge of it and the green is where Aptos and Capitola are. I really need to get a new camera. A great couple of mile stretch follows this where the trail winds through some great redwood forest - mostly second growth - and I just love the feel and smell of it. The ground is soft with redwood duff, ferns are scattered here and there, particularly close to anything resembling a regular water source, and there is often a fecund smell that pervades the forest - really any redwood forest - that is intoxicating. Especially in the wetter months. Even living in it I don't tire of the smell, feel, and look of a redwood forest. It really is magnificent.
Back to this past Saturday: I had a cool experience as I made my way up the fire road to the top and the lookout point where the pic above was taken. After rounding a bend, I caught sight of a couple of guys on mountain bikes ahead. Not thinking much of it I just continued with my climb, in my own little world. In a few minutes I realized I was catching up to them, and after two more bends in the road I began a long straight stretch. I kicked it up a little and by the end of the straight stretch I passed them! Now, they certainly weren't in "Tour de France" shape, and were definitely older than me (and I'm no spring chicken) but still, I'll take my little victories where I can get em! ;-)
The really great thing about the run didn't have anything to do with my run, though. It was Lori's (my wife) run. She had struggled for a few months with an ankle injury earlier this year, got back to running a month or so ago and ran a great race at the Wharf-to-Wharf (see my post on it here). She is also getting into trail running as a result of her injury and rehab, and it is great to have her along, even if we don't run much together. Well, after a long business trip and a week of being sick, she ran more than 15 miles in about 2:45 including walk breaks!!! That is the longest she has run at one time, and the longest time she has run! She really rocks and I am so proud of her and happy for her. She was sore for a day or so, but felt pretty good and can't wait to get back this next weekend.
Me too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
