February 7
This
is my second time running this race. I
ran it three years ago, but the course is different this year. The race director sent out an email on Wednesday
indicating the course would be different from what was posted on the
website. The course on the website was
the same course I ran last time. The
good part of the change is that the first lap is 19 miles, and the second lap
is shorter.
This
is my first race since the Hellgate 100k in December. Due to the effort required of me at Hellgate
this year, my recovery has been slower than usual, but I feel good now. The weather forecast is clear blue skies with
temperatures warming to the high 40s.
The temperature at the start is about 32 degrees, and I decide to wear
shorts, long and short sleeve shirts, a buff, and light gloves. There is no opportunity to have a drop bag,
so I have to keep what I start with. I
was going to start with a thin hat and bring the buff in my pack, but then I
decided to just double up the buff to start wearing it like a hat.
Mile
2.6 27:07 (10:26 avg./mile) Four-way
Intersection
There
are three distances of races today—50k, half marathon, and 5k. The half marathoners started the same time as
us 50k runners, and the bibs all look the same.
The only way to know what race someone is running is to ask them. I am tracking behind an older guy, who I
learn is running the half. He asks me if
I want to pass, and I state that I am quite fine with his pace. I got a quick start with the beginning lap
around the parking lot so I don’t have to pass anyone on this first
section. There were a few runners that
passed me, but overall, I like my positioning.
Mile 4.1 16:46 (11:11 avg./mile) Start of South Loop
Another runner or two pass me on this section. One of them was April, who I would learn later is running her first ultra. I am running everything except the steeper uphills at this point in the race. My legs feel great, and I am thinking in my head that a 50k is a “sprint ultra”! Halfway through this short section, my big left toe finds a toe grabber and I hit the dirt for the first time. Hitting the dirt is not bad, but my poor big left toe is killing me. I injured it three years ago landing while skiing, and it still hurts, especially when I stub it.
Mile
8.3 51:48 (12:20 avg./mile) End of
South Loop
I
am still following the older half marathoner for the first half of this
section, but then I leave him behind as he slows down. No worry about being lonely though as there
are plenty of other half marathoners to keep the two-dozen or so of us 50k
runners company. I run most of this
section, continuing to push the gradual uphill sections. There is only one full aid station on this
course. While this aid station is not a
full aid station, there are two ladies working it, and they have fluids and
some snacks. Regardless, I haven’t eaten
anything yet.
Mile
9.5 17:37 (14:41 avg./mile) Four-way
Intersection
As
I started up this section, which is mostly uphill, April passes me again. Apparently, she and a couple of other runners
made a wrong turn and got to run an extra half mile or so. One of those runners is John, who is running
the half marathon. He ran the 50k last
year and says he finished in around 7:20.
I am not sure why he isn’t running the 50k this year as he says he is
scheduled to run a 100 miler in April.
The aid at this stop is water and a few bottles of soda.
Mile
11.2 20:39 (12:09 avg./mile) Full Aid
Station
John
stays with me on this section, and we get to know each other a little
better. His first attempt at a 100 miler
was last year, but he sprained his ankle and when it started significantly
swelling, he dropped out around mile 60.
The conversation is a good distraction as this section is also mostly
uphill, but it has gradual switchbacks that are very runnable. John says he plans to hang out at the finish
and cheer on most of the 50k runners. At
this aid station, there are freshly made, warm quesadillas. I eat two of the quarters and say good bye to
John as he gets to head to the finish.
Mile
14.7 43:03 (12:18 avg./mile) Spur
Turnaround
I
start this section, knowing that there are only 50k runners with me now. Soon after I leave the aid station, I pass a
guy who I was surprised went out as fast as he did. Then a runner catches up to me and says hello
friend. It is April again! She had to stop at the last aid station and
tend to a blister. She is a rather
serious marathon runner with a PR of 3:16.
We run together for the next three miles until she finally decides to
press ahead of me. Along the way, I
learn that she has three boys and totally understands why I am working my race
schedule around my grandsons’ birthdays.
This is a long out and back, so we get to see all of the runners ahead
of us. The two leaders are female, and
both of them look really strong. I count
that I am in 10th place as I near the turnaround where there is just
a jug of water. The 9th place
runner is refilling a bottle, and I pass him at this point.
Mile
18.3 50:01 (13:54 avg./mile) Full Aid
Station
I
lost sight of April rather quickly after she passed me, but there is another
runner ahead who I have seen most of the race.
He is carrying poles, but only uses them on the way back on this section
as most of it is uphill. I keep him in
sight, but I am unable to catch him until after the climb. We are about a mile from the aid station when
he stumbles crossing a bridge. After
asking if he is okay, I pass him and think, I think I am in 8th
place! Pride comes before the fall, and
I fall about 30 seconds after I pass him.
So, he passes me back as it takes me a minute to get to running
again. I caught my big left toe on a
rock, and the rock didn’t move. The fall
didn’t hurt too bad, but the pain in my left toe is excruciating! At the aid station, the guy with the poles is
just leaving and we share a laugh about our falls.
Mile
19.3 13:12 (13:12 avg./mile) End of Lap
1
There
is no aid station here, but the trail to the finish branches off. I mark my time mostly to know how long it
takes me from the aid station as we run this same trail at the end of the race. My overall time is 3:00:13, which I figure is
about as good as I could have hoped for.
Now, I just need to keep pressing to keep my pace up.
Mile
21.4 27:53 (13:17 avg./mile) Four-way
Intersection
Early
in this section, I finally catch back up to the guy with the poles. I follow him, deciding to bide my time as we
are keeping a good pace. As we get to
this aid station, there is a guy there telling us that we are in 8th
and 9th place (This aligns with my count on the out and back
section.), and that 7th place is just ahead of us. Okay, I need to be patient, but this is
exciting to be “racing” this late in an event for a top-10 position.
Mile
22.7 19:58 (15:22 avg./mile) Start of
South Loop
I
passed the guy with the poles as we crossed the road starting this
section. Then the guy in 7th
lets me go by on the first climb. I know
there is another runner behind me that is stalking close as I have heard him
back there the last few miles. I see two
of the front runners coming back from the south loop and then I go to the right
and around the cemetery. Then it is down
a little dirt road to the aid station.
As I am striding down the hill, I roll my chronic right ankle really
good for the first time today. It really
hurts for a minute, but then the pain quickly deadens out.
Mile
26.9 1:04:52 (15:27 avg./mile) End of
South Loop
I
start this section with the goal of conserving my legs and energy, but I also
want to maintain 7th place.
The guy who has been lingering behind me closes in, but doesn’t catch
me. I try several times to open a gap on
him, but each time he covers my surge.
Finally, while walking an uphill section, I start up a
conversation. Andrew is running his
first ultra and is just trying to keep a good pace off of me. This is good.
I should be able to drop him as he tires given this is his first
ultra. He looks to be younger, and I
later learn he is 36. We stick together
the rest of this section, and he decides to go to the aid station table while I
pass right on through.
Mile
28.1 20:42 (17:15 avg./mile) Four-way
Intersection
As
soon as I passed through the last aid station, I hear another runner catching
up to me. It is a lady and she catches
and passes me very quickly on the first climb.
I didn’t even have a minute to consider keeping up with her. I am feeling good though and feel like I am
still making a decent pace. I still
think I am still in 8th place when I stop to water a tree. This pit stop allows Andrew to catch me. I mention to him how quickly the lady went by
us, and he didn’t even see her go by while he was at the aid station
table. This surprises him, and he
decides to go chase her, leaving me in the dust. I get to this aid station now by myself, take
a gulp of Coke from the two-liter bottle and press on for the last few miles.
Mile
29.8 24:27 (14:23 avg./mile) Full Aid
Station
I
run most of the gradual switchbacks while power hiking the steeper
portions. A few switchbacks ahead of me
I glimpse the lady at one point, but Andrew is nowhere in sight. I guess he passed her, but the final results
indicate she finished ahead of him. My
time on this section is four minutes slower than the first lap. When I get to the aid station, I ask the kids
if there is anyone ahead of me that I might catch. Their response is just a laugh, saying the
next runner is over five minutes ahead of me.
Mile
31.1 15:03 (11:35 avg./mile) FINISH
Okay,
I am not likely going to catch 8th place, so I just need to ensure I
don’t give up 9th place. I
run as much of this last section as I can, but I keep an eye behind me in case
there is anyone behind me. Fortunately, no
one is back there, and I move with purpose to the finish. Andrew is walking away from the finish as I
approach the finish line.
Official Finishing Time
6:53:08
10th
out of 25 starters (19 under the 8-hour cut-off)
It is a
beautiful, almost warm day, and I sit at the finish line for about 15 minutes
cheering on the other runners coming in behind me. John, the half marathon runner, is nowhere to
be seen. There is, however, one of the
50k runners that finished over an hour before me hanging out at the
finish. I eat half of a bowl of chili
while chatting with the lady that finished ahead of me, and her two friends
that finished behind me. I was pretty
sure that I won my age group, but this is confirmed by one of the volunteers,
and I win a $20 gift card.
When the
official results are posted, it shows me in 10th place. I guess I missed on my count, but the person
around mile 21 had the same count.
Regardless, it is a top-10 finish, and I am the 6th male
finisher.
My next race
will not be Cheaha as that is Sebastian’s 5th birthday party. Instead, it will be the Bull Run Run 50-miler
in Virginia on April 4th.
Until then...
Never stop
running,
