Sunday, February 13, 2022

Frozen Falls 50k 2022 - Come Back Race from Omicron

February 5

After Hellgate in December, I planned to run the Mountain Mist 50k in January and then probably the Mount Cheaha 50k in February.  However, the Omicron variant had other plans for me.  Starting around January 8th, I started feeling a sore throat.  When I woke up on January 10th, it was clear that I had a serious upper respiratory issue going on.  I tested positive two days later and made the decision that I wasn’t going to race Mountain Mist on January 22nd.  Instead I volunteered for almost eight hours at the finish line to fulfill my volunteering at a race requirement for the Kettle Moraine 100 miler that I am running in June.

After that James Ebert, a co-worker of mine, told me he was running the Frozen Falls 50 miler on February 5th.  I was not excited about a 50 miler coming back from Covid, so instead, James talked me into the 50k option.  So, here I am waiting in my truck for the 7:30am start of the 50k.  James started the 50 miler at 6am.  The temperature is currently about 18 degrees—just a little nippy.  I have decided to start my race with a regular pair of tights, a short-sleeve shirt, two long-sleeve shirts, hat, and gloves.  I have the thermal sleeve on my Camelbak hose, but will have to sip water often to keep it from freezing.

Just getting started in the race
Mile 6.0      1:18:05 (13:01 avg./mile) End of 10k Loop

I don’t know what the starting field for the 50k is, but it isn’t large.  There are about 40
of us shivering with a stiff breeze cutting across the lake.  The race begins, and it takes about 20 minutes before I get feeling back in my hands.  It will take 40 minutes before my toes thaw out.  As it has only been about three weeks since I had the worst of the Covid symptoms, I am starting conservatively.  This first section is a lollipop loop that crosses a suspension bridge coming and going.  The course has a dusting of snow on it, so the bridge crossings are going to be fun.  The aid stations are all unmanned except for the main one at the finish.  I pass this one without stopping.  I like my pace so far, although I was hoping to be closer to 12 minutes per mile.


Mile 11.1    1:02:12 (12:12 avg./mile) Split for Half Marathon Shortcut

In addition to the 50 miler and 50k options, there are also 10k and half marathon options.  This section is flatter than the first section, but there are many blow-downs that have to be maneuvered around, under, and over.  After the blow-downs there is a road section that is a couple of miles.  I make good time on this section, and when I get to the aid station, I look for a small bite to eat.  Lying on the aid station table is an open and half full bag of potato chips—perfect!  I grab the bag and quickly munch down the chips.

Mile 16.5    1:06:08 (12:15 avg./mile) End of First Lap

The mostly flat terrain continues for this section even though the majority of it is beside the lake.  There are several damp spots, but overall the trail is in pretty good shape.  I am around a handful of other runners at this point.  Conversations range from general partnerships and the economy to the current politics in the House and Senate.  Someone thinks that Manchin should be knighted for his recent activities of blocking certain legislation.  I don’t engage in this conversation, but later I ask one of the runners what he does and learn that he is a lawyer.  The distractions that the conversations provide allow the finish line to sneak up on me.  My time through a little over halfway is 3:26, so I hope that I can keep it less than seven hours for the race.  At the aid station, I eat a jumbo hot dog and wash it down with some Tailwind, which I am trying in a race for the first time.  As it seems to have warmed up quite a bit, I shed one of the long-sleeve shirts and change out my hat and gloves for dry ones that are thinner.

Mile 22.5    1:32:12 (15:22 avg./mile) End of 10k Loop

Starting this section, I immediately think that I probably should have stayed with the thicker gloves as my hands are cold.  I hope they warm up like they did after the start of the race.  Going down the steps before the suspension bridge, I roll my right ankle as I was getting off the steps and onto a short dirt section before the bridge.  I grab a railing to keep myself upright as I let out a moderate yelp of pain.  Another runner coming back towards me stops and asks me a couple of times if I am okay.  I assure her that I am fine and that it will feel better as soon as it stops hurting.  Since I roll my right ankle often, it takes less than a mile or so before it stops hurting.  I navigate the rest of this lollipop loop without any more issues.  When I get to this aid station, it is time to refill my Camelbak for the first and (hopefully) only time of this race.  Obviously, this section was slower for me this time, but I am still feeling good about where I am.  I have left all of the runners behind that I was running with before the end of the first lap.  I expected one or two of them to catch up to me, but none have yet.

Suspension Bridge

Mile 27.6    1:07:58 (13:20 avg./mile) Split for Half Marathon Shortcut

Getting through the technical lollipop loop, I now have two goals for this section.  Goal number one is not to roll my right ankle again.  Goal number two is to get to the split before James catches me.  He is on his third lap, while I am on my second.  He got the 1.5 hour head start, and I saw him on the 10k loop.  I figure I had a little less than 30 minutes on him at that point.  No other runners catch me, and I don’t catch any runners either on this section.  As I get to the unmanned aid station, I am thinking it is time for a cup of Coke.  Sitting on the table is a half full can of Coke—perfect once again.  As I grab the Coke and start drinking it, I hear a shout behind me—it is James coming into the aid station.  We trade greetings, and then I say that I will see him at the finish.

Mile 30.5    30:46 (10:37 avg./mile) FINISH

Leaving the last aid station, the split in the course is right there.  The second lap for the 50k is the half marathon course, so I only have about three miles to the finish, whereas James has to run the full 16.5-mile lap each time.  Therefore, I have 2.5 miles less to get to the finish than James does, so I like my chances of getting to the finish line before him.  I push the pace hard on this last section taking the “short-cut” over to the lake in about eight minutes.  Then it is a smooth trail to the finish.  Along the way, I pass a couple of 50-mile runners trying to finish their second laps and then I pass one 50k runner before I get to the finish line.  (The course is a little bit short as it had to be re-routed due to high water.)

Official Finishing Time          6:37:21

20th out of 55 starters (43 finishers)

The finish line is lightly populated as there are not many crews out here today.  I get my medal from the race director and then head over to the food table.  I eat a nice cheeseburger, chocolate chip cookie, and a bag of potato chips while I sit on a rock beside the lake waiting for James to finish.  I don’t have to wait long as he finishes the 50-miler in 8:25:14 in second place.  It is a Huntsville sweep of the top two spots in the 50 miler as Michael Wall takes the win.

After James gets a bite to eat, we walk across the dam and up the hill to where my truck is parked.  We quickly change and head for home. The thermometer in my truck says it is 31 degrees, so it never did get warm today.  This race was an easier 50k than most and was a great race for my comeback from the Omicron variant.  I am really pleased with my time and effort, and it is actually my 9th fastest 50k out of 35 finishes.  The plan for my next race is the Bull Run Run 50-miler on April 9th.  Until then…

Never stop running,

Darin

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