Way Too Cool 50K 2014 Race Report
Since my 50 miler in early October it's been a less-than-ideal block of training for me. With coaching my daughter's basketball team taking up time on both Saturdays and Sundays and then my dad's recent accident, it's been tough to get in the long runs I had planned. While I was able to keep my frequency up pretty well (for me) with about 4 runs per week, my long runs have peaked out at a handful of 15-17 mile efforts. So heading into my second Way Too Cool 50K I knew I was a bit under-trained, and I was simply hoping that I could rely largely on the aerobic base I built up last year while training for and running three ultras to get me through.
I wasn't able to make it up to Auburn in time on Friday for early check in, so we got to the start line in Cool at about 6:45 AM Saturday to make sure I had plenty of time prior to the 8:00 start. Check in was easy, which left plenty of time to hang out with my
girlfriend and daughter and wait in lines for porta-potties. I ran into my friend and badass ultrarunner Erika, and when I told her about my training concerns she said, "it's only a 50K, you got this!" I then saw another friend of mine who's also an accomplished ultrarunner, and he also gave me the "it's only a 50K" line. While I didn't really have any doubt I would finish the distance, I hoped that they were right in that I could do it well. Of course I had last year's 6:24:13 time in my head, but I was trying to have the mindset of not worrying about that until much later on in the day.
Eight o' clock on the nose we were off, wave one of a two wave start of 1000 runners. I knew from last year that we would hit single track after about a mile of road, so I tried to move up through the field a little bit in the hope that the conga lines I would get stuck in were at least moving along ok. The initial eight mile section is a loop that brings you back through the start area/first aid station, and contains several
water crossings. With the rain we've gotten in the past few weeks I had heard it was pretty deep in places, so I decided to wear my Cascadias for this section and then change into new socks and Hokas at that first aid station. Sure enough the water was pretty deep at times, at least knee deep in one spot, but I was able to plow through knowing I would have dry feet again shortly. The going was slow at times due to being stuck behind people on narrow single track, but I was able to move along well enough. Splits for miles 1-7 were from 9:41-12:56, which analyzing now I see was 3 minutes faster than this stretch last year. I came into the aid station to refill my bottles, changed my shoes, ditched my phone (no more pics), and headed off - giving up that 3 minutes I had gained but with feet that were nice and dry!
Shortly after that initial aid station begins a
pretty big downhill that takes you down to the American River and along rolling fire roads in the canyon for awhile. I felt really good through here and moved pretty well, making good time with splits from 9:49-11:35. That put me at mile 17 about 7 minutes faster than last year. Of course I didn't know that at the time, as while I was checking my splits at each mile, that was really just to make sure I was moving along at a decent pace.
In that 17th mile through mile 20 is the climb back out of the canyon, off the fire road and back onto single track while gaining about 700' - so not too steep but pretty consistent. I hiked and ran this pretty well, but after about a mile section of downhill from 20-21 my legs just died. I knew this was likely to happen with the lack of long runs in my recent training, and in fact told a friend afterward that I was in decent "20-mile shape, not 30-mile shape". I kept chugging along, but for the first time all day I started walking some of the runnable, flatter portions of the trail. I also started thinking about my finishing time. With 12 miles left to go, I did the math of what my time would be if I walked it in at 15:00 miles, and from then on at every mile split I kept track of whether I was gaining or losing time on that. And I was gaining time - 12:21, 12:07, 11:17. Until Goat Hill of course - that 1/3 of a mile, 20% grade that hits in the 25th mile. I slowly trecked up, looking forward to the drop bag I had waiting at the top just for the purpose of ditching my race vest so I could run with just a handheld the rest of the way. By this time of the day it was around 70 degrees, so I was happy to get an ice water dousing from Volunteer Mike (from my buddy Jim's WS100 adventure), and actually picked it up a bit again for the next 2 miles of downhill, some of which was pretty steep and technical.
During this section I also started thinking about my dad and all he's going through, and how he's been stuck in a hospital for three weeks now and (somewhere in his brain, I know) would give anything to be outside doing something active. Much like my last 50 miler I started negotiating with myself when I felt like stopping to walk - "it's ok if I don't beat last year's time, look at all I've been dealing with." This time I thought about what he would say to that kind of thinking, and would pick it up and shuffle along again. I even started tearing up a couple of times, but told myself I had to save that for the finish.
By the time I hit the last climb at mile 28 I was gassed, just didn't have anything left in my legs. I also knew I was going to beat my time from 2013, and I just hiked along as best I could. I finally crested the hill where I could see and hear the finish line, picked it up for one last little burst and crossed the line in 6:11:10 - 13:03 faster than last year. I tapped my chest thinking about my pops as I ran under the banner, saw my girlfriend and daughter straight ahead, had the finishers medal put around my neck - and then just lost it. I slumped to the ground sobbing for a good couple minutes, and as I finally caught my breath realized it's the first time I've let myself do that since my dad's accident. Obviously the emotion of the last three weeks, and the last 6+ hours, all came pouring out of me at once.
Afterward I actually felt pretty good. I have a weird muscular/nerve thing after ultras where my calves and feet spasm and cramp up, but my stomach and everything else was much better than last year - I even managed a beer and a slice of pizza within 20 minutes of finishing, although about 30 minutes later my stomach pretty much shut down and I wasn't able to take in anything for a couple of hours. My hydration and calories were good throughout - GU Brew in the bottles drinking to thirst, potatoes and coke at the aid stations, one gel, and 1/2 of a fruit/chia bar. It was pretty warm so I think it helped that I doused myself with water on 3-4 occasions, and I even opened up a salt tablet and poured it into my mouth at the final aid station as one last preemptive strike to keep from cramping (the pickle-juice/taste of salt theory) - that got an interesting look from a volunteer. While my feet got soaked again at another water crossing around mile 17, I didn't have any issues with blisters or foot pain. It's almost like I'm starting to figure out these ultras a bit!
And of course by Sunday morning I was already thinking about the time I left out there, and thinking about how far below 6:00:00 I can get when I go back again next year.....
.
. Bourbon, brews, and a pack of smokes is not the recipe for a PR. Pretty proud I only took 1 minute longer than the half from two weeks ago. It was my first time in San Diego in about a decade so I opted for living it up over proper race weekend prep. Whoever recommended the Stone Brewing Co thanks, we hit it up for post-race pints & grub. Unbelievable place.
