Saturday 6/21
50k Race Report
Spoiler Alert: I finished. I had blast, and only a few miles were type 2 fun.
Sprang out of bed at 4:25, just before my alarm went off. Enjoyed a giant bowl of peanut butter, banana oatmeal while putting my sandwich, pancakes and other last my items in my vest.
Hubby drove us the beautiful 40 minutes to the starting line, because he is amazing and continued his unwaivering support of this crazy idea of mine.
Arrived at the start area around 6:20. Plenty of time to grab my race number, pre-race coffee and chat with a few other runners around the fire pit. It was a cold morning, about 35F, and even had a few snow flurries at the 5800’ starting area. I had to change my outfit plans and ended up with pants, a long-sleeve shirt, jacket, hat, gloves. Much different from the shorts and T-Shirt I thought I was going to be in. Definitely didn’t feel like the second day of summer!
Now for the actual race, warning to readers, I get detailed with some.. side-effects.
We (74 participants) lined up at the starting line for a send-off count down. There was no starting gun, which I was a bit disappointed with, if I am being picky. Started at 7:00 sharp, and off we all went into the woods.
I had a HR-based pace strategy to keep things under control. Miles 0-5 were <130BPM. The first two miles that simply didn’t happen. Between start excitement, cold, and 6000’ elevation, HR was in the 140s. Still reasonable for a long run, so I did my best to start off painfully slow. Which meant I was walking within the first mile, on the first hill. Happily, the other 20 people around me were doing the same thing. After mile 3, HR started to come down, the course was mostly down hill, I had settled between a few people and was puttering along nicely.
I didn’t see this photographer until after I heard the camera click, I nearly jumped out of my shoes.
Miles 5-10 the sun started to poke out. Finally took off my hat at mile 7 and then jacket at the first aid station, mile 9. Had a bit of stomach distress here, but luckily, there was a trailhead vault toilet next to the aid station. I came prepared with baby wipes and hand sanitizer, boy, was I glad. After that moment, I grabbed some Oreos, potato chips and banana at the aid station and continued trucking down the course.
Miles 10-15 were an out-and-back segment up to beautiful waterfalls. With it being an out and back, I got to see how many people were ahead of me. Some of those folks are FAST. They were already turned around and headed back to aid station 2 (the same as 1). Pretty sure I saw dust trails coming off their shoes. It was both awe-inspiring and slightly demoralizing. I kept my head down and kept on going, their pace was not my pace. Most of the trek to the waterfalls and turn-around point was a steep, rocky section, which meant a lot of walking. View was absolutely stunning. Much to my pleasure, I passed one man I had been behind up to that point, on the hill. On the way back down from the water falls I passed a group of two guys and two ladies I had been playing leap frog with. I never saw those five again. Before aid station 2, I passed one more lady.
Turn around point:
Headed back down:
Mile 16 had aid station 2, which meant a stop for another Oreo, more potato chips, half of my PB,J&Banana sando (I brought my own since that’s how I practiced) and you guessed it, another bathroom stop. After that bathroom stop, I had the lovely volunteers fill half my water flask with Ginger-ale. I cannot believe how much that helped my stomach. It will be a go-to on long runs from now on. And my goodness, watery ginger-ale tastes amazing while running. At this point, I had stopped taking in my gummy candies and dates I was using the first few miles (I was fueling every 2 miles/20-30 minutes). I could almost feel my stomach’s revolting sourness with each bite. Even though I had done plenty of successful, long runs with them, but that day? They were doing me dirty. Sando and soda was going well, so I stuck with that.
Miles 17-24 were some of the longest. I was alone except a few mountain bikers going the other direction (open course). It also had a 1000’ of elevation gain in this segment, up to aid station 3. There was yet another bathroom stop, this time in the middle of the woods. Ginger-ale and bananas had taken the sourness away, but there was still some leftover junk to remove. I never hit an energy “wall” that most people talk about around mile 20. The miles were going slow, but I didn’t bonk. Fueling was going well, and the carb-load for 3 days before had done its magic. Mile 17 is when the muscle tightness started. I was slightly concerned, but just accepted it and kept moving. Amazingly enough, I got a bit of discomfort in my feet and knees, but then it stayed the same, manageable level until mile 26/27.
Mile 25, last aid station before the finish. I had started on my Kodiak Pancakes with banana and PBfit at mile 22. This pancake was then layered with potato chips, an Oreo and washed down with Ginger-ale. Stomach was solid at this point, legs were feeling it, but doing okay. Feet holding steady. I had caught up to a couple that I had been
chasing since aid station 2. As I left aid station 3, the lady said I was cruising and couldn’t believe the pace I was holding. My pace plan was working flawlessly.
Miles 25.2-29.2 four more to go after the last aid station. Time to take the limiter off and release the Alicorn. Which at that point, amounted to hobbling faster. My legs and feet were steadily aching at this point, but still performing quite well. The snow had started to fall again. It never got above 45F, and I was over 5500’ elevation again. The sun had gone behind clouds, and the wind picked up. I was so glad I opted for pants. Also glad I had stubbornly trained all winter long, outside. It prepared me for the day to not be perfect. I caught up to a father/daughter team that was hobbling along and cruised on past them. Me? Passing? I had over-taken a total of 10 people at that point. Go me, I wouldn’t finish last. At mile 27ish, a bobcat ran across the trail in front of me. I was absolutely delighted to see him! I had never seen one in person! So majestic, graceful, and running about 4x the speed I was. Okay, probably 10x the speed I was. One of the highlights of the race. I wanted to take the kitty home, but he was gone before I could blink twice.
Last mile, 2nd longest mile. There was a volunteer at the top of the final decent to the finish, cheering and calling out, “Just .8 to go!”. I got this.. .8. I also had a rabbit (another racer) in front of me to chase. I caught up to him, and chatted for a couple minutes. This was his second 50k and he had done a 50 miler 3 weeks before. Suddenly I didn’t feel so cool catching him. We rounded the final turn together and I caught sight of the finish line tent. I told him to send it and I took off. I gave that last 200 yards all the kick I had left, and crossed the finish line at 6:51:54. I had planned on 7.5 and come in at under 7 hours!
I beat my crew to the finish (hubby and my in-laws had come for a visit) by 20 minutes. There was no service, but luckily, the fire pit was still rocking. I gobbled down the after-race meal, pulled pork sandwich, watermelon, potato chips, cookies and more coffee. I had finished 60 out of 74 people.
2nd Post race meal, pork shank Osso Buco.
Final summary: The course was beautiful, and I get to call the trails I was on my new backyard. My pacing was spot on, fueling was great. I never bonked/hill the “wall”. Overall, It was easier than expected. I had long, training, runs that hurt more. I didn’t even get a blister, thanks to moleskin and Body Glide.
Writing this two days later, I’m sore, tired, and relentlessly hungry.
Hungry for food, mountains, more distance, more dirt.
Hubby and my in-laws were placing bets on what I would want after this race. Sister-in-law said I was one and done. Mother-in-law said I would do another, same distance. Hubby predicted I would go further next time. One of these people knows me better than the others.
I’m already looking for a 50 Miler.
