STORMY 100!

After a half day (Wednesday) of driving from Seattle to Whistler with stops including, but not limited to, Whidbey Island and Squamish, followed by a full day (Thursday) of hiking and adventuring on Blackcomb and Whistler Mountain, Friday morning came early.

(just prior to the start, Rachael probably wanted one last photo just in case)

Rachael & I woke up at 6am with hopes of being on the road by 7am, with an hour of winding, construction worker filled hi-way in front of us, I wasn't willing to take any chances on being on time. All went as planned, and by 8am-ish we were in Squamish with more than enough time to spare. We briefly visited a park on the shores of Howe Sound, located the hotel for future reference, then bummed around near the starting line for a brief bit of time.

(off we go! - photo by one of Thomas Villalon's crew)

At 10am, after a short briefing, I and 29 others (I believe) headed out of the camp ground and down the road. Early on I ran at a very slow comfortable pace, chatting with many as miles ticked off. I enjoyed early parts of the course, especially some of the forest that seemed to completely hide in residential back yards, but for the most part the first 22 miles of so went by quickly and, in truth, felt more like half that distance, I felt fresh and was still raring to go.

(early on with still plenty of (s)miles left... see what I did there... - photo by Bruce Grant)

For the next 8 miles or so, I ran in the company of an alternating group of the same 6 runners, lots of laughs were shared and the time felt less like a race and more like a little jaunt with friends despite the fact that I knew none of them by name. Eventually the little gang did dispersed though and I found my self running alone en route to the Powerhouse aid station. At Power house I once again nibbled and picked on PB&Js, jelly beans, and various other treats, then went off to begin the long trek up 9 mile hill (which in reality is only 6 miles, but still).

(Myself and Thomas, one of 'the gang' easing back down from the University aid station - photo by one of Thomas Villalon's crew)

9 mile hill is 6 miles (I know, I know) of dirt road with plenty of small rock and divots, the majority of the 6 miles is up hill and uncovered, thankfully most of the day was overcast, and thus I was spared by the sun. At the end of 9 mile hill was another aid station, 37 miles into the race, where I was told there would be 'just a little more up hill and then a bunch of down,' as good of news as this was that little bit of up hill sure seemed like a lot more. When the down hill did finally appear the fist good chunk of it was very runnable and very fast but when the Powerhouse plunge came I was forced to pull the e-brake. The plunge is technical, steep, and would scare me to death if I were on a bike (this video does a good job of showing why), though I must admit, with a little more juice in the tank, I bet it was be a blast to rip down it as it was pretty fun still pretty fun some 42 miles in!

As I neared some where around mile 45 or so dusk was beginning to set in and I busted out a flash light. Those first few miles by flash light were a lot of fun but right after the aid station at mile 46.25 I had a moment of dread, it wasn't the dark that was messing with my head, it was the climbing, I was fine with it right there and then but knowing I'd be seeing it again with ~4 miles left made me cringe.

Around 10:30pm I came into the half way point (also the start & finish) greeted by Racahel & a host of wonderful volunteers offering pizza(!!!), coffee(!!!), and a whole other slew of goodies and treats. Rachael fetched my drop bag and filled up my water pack for me as I quickly slipped into a fresh shirt and pair of shorts, I then proceeded to plop down, eat, and chat. After a few minutes Rachael asked me how long I planned on staying, I told her that I knew a few guys were right behind me and that I wanted to wait for them to head out into the dark with. Those two guys, Gilles and John were experienced on the course and great company to run with, we ended up sticking together the entire evening until the sun finally started to reappear. One of the great benefits of running with these two, besides the company, was Gilles wife was working the Perth aid station which meant friendly smiles, Frappuccinos (!), orange juice (!) and many more goodies that I can't swear were available to all runners! I appreciated all 3 of their presence greatly and I hope I made that abundantly clear to them.

I was once again on my own after the 4th pass of the University aid station with nothing of real interest to note between there and the 3rd pass of the Powerhouse aid station. In fact, all I can really recall about those 3+ miles is that at one point I mistook a log for a photographer, Rachael tells me this qualifies as a hallucination, but I think I was just bleary eyed (and that the damn log really looked like a crouched person with camera in hand).

After a quick stint at Powerhouse I once again went to begin the climb up 9 mile hill, just prior to heading up a car pulled over slowly on the dirt road and rolled down the window. I recognized the driver as a runner I had been talking to earlier in the run, I said 'Hi' and asked him if he had already finished (which, at least seemed like a reasonable question at the time), he informed me that, sadly, he had needed to drop due to blisters, I offer my condolences, we wished each other well, and then up I went. During my climb I thought to myself, 'wow those blisters must have been bad, I can't imagine how bad they'd have to be to drop; boy I sure am glad my feet are feeling good.' Famous last thoughts, I now know, with in 15 minutes I could feel numerous hot spots and blisters, and, of course, it seemed with each step I was bound to peg one of them. I began moving slower and slower until, at one point, I looked up and saw another runner a few hundred yards ahead of me, I decided to make it my goal to catch up which I eventually did. That runner was Nate who I stuck with, off and on, almost up until the 2nd plunge, once again, his company and conversation were invaluable!

Once I got back to Powerhouse for the last time I requested some Mole Skin in order to help take some pressure off the blisters. Better than mole skin, I was directed to a search and rescue

volunteer who proceeded to to bandage and wrap my feet as best as possible, though the time it took to do this was a bit longer than I would have liked to stay there, it was the right move and I'm extremely grateful for the help, it made the last 7 miles that much more bearable.

(mile 98 - that counts as a smile, right? - photo by Bruce Grant)

From powerhouse to the finish, things went slowly but I was once again moving with determination, picking up my pace when ever possible and taking stock of the entire experience. As I pined for the finish line, there was a small part of me that wasn't ready for it to be over and a large part that was brimming with joy, but then, there were also my feet...

(finally coming across the finish line - 29:53:05, 21st out of 22 finishers, 29 starters - photo by Rachael)

I came into the finish line 'still smiling' greeted by the cheers of many a fellow Marathon Maniac,various others I've meet through running, and many there to support 'their' runners. The rest of the afternoon/evening was spent eating, talking, eating, drinking, eating, and sleeping (with an ice bath and shower thrown in for good measure).

(all I ever really wanted - photo taken from http://brendaontherun-banffandbeyond.blogspot.com/)

In the end, as much as this was a big deal to me, I walked away with the same feelings I have at the end of most ultras, that was great(!), what fun(!), when do I get to do this again!?! The biggest difference to me is now those thought include other 100 mile races!

Extras:

• Finish time 29:53:05, 21st out of 22 finishers, 29 starters.
• Thank you, thank you, thank you to Rachael for putting up with all of this and so much more, Wendy the race director and all the wonderful volunteers, and to everyone I shared the trails with, I can't wait to run with you all again!
• See more photos from the rest of the Canadian trip here
• STORMY's web site
  

White River 2009

Youch! That's my one word to describe this year's White River 50 Mile Endurance Run... youch...

The day started off in West Seattle dark and early, 2am to be precise, I was out the door by 2:30am meeting up with Matthew in Magnolia to car pool, en route by 3am. We arrived at that race start with only minimal turning around and were soon checked in and toeing the line for the 5:30am early start.

('feasting' at the Buck Creek aid station 27 miles in)

Though I started near the front of the pack of early starters, I did not feel as though I was going out too fast and was able to settle into a reasonable pace fairly quickly. I ran the first 6 or so miles with Eric Barnes whom I could tell was going to be stronger for longer than I had in me, never the less I trailed along and talked with him while I could. Shortly after watching Eric disappear ahead of me my day really began, some where near mile 7 or 8 I started to feel early signs of cramping, though really that's only in retrospect, at the time I just thought it was brief little one-offs. Soon the one-offs added up and before I knew it my quads, thighs, and calves, on both legs, had tensed up to the point that they felt like tree stumps, I did my best to continue moving forward but I must have looked pathetic and ridiculous all at once as I stammered along attempting to move straight legged down the trail. With every bend of a knee either a quad or calve would scream. More than any other time on any other course, I entertained the idea that I may not be able to finish, I wanted to but I knew there was no way if my legs continued to feel the way they did. Thankfully, after hobbling for a short time, I asked another runner if they happened to have any S-Caps, though I hadn't taken them before, I was willing to try anything at that point. Under instruction from the fellow runner, I took 2 right then and there, and with in minutes started to feel better - not 100% by any means, but better. From that point on the race was a battle between electrolytes and cramps, one moment I'd think I was in the clear the next I'd start feeling it again, this made for a long day on the course.

(...coming in for the finish, still smiling 'as always!'...)

I'll spare you the long details, ups and downs, and ins and outs of the rest of the race and just stick with the 'it was a long day' cliche. I will say though, that never have I been happier to have such a catastrophic break down during a race, after all, there I was, 2 weeks out from STORMY learning invaluable lessons that would no doubt aid me in finishing 100 miles. Thanks to White River I stocked up on S-caps (and Clip 2!), and, even more importantly, I got a lot of time on my feet while feeling horrible, I know that sounds unappealing, but the confidence I gained but 'gutting it out' was essential. I knew if I could go that long, feeling that bad, and still finish, that, if nothing else, I might have a chance at STOMRY.(don't be fooled by the clock, remember, I took the early start.. add an hour...)

All photos used above taken by race director John Wallace III.
More photos via Glenn Tachiyama here, here, & here
Finish Time: 12:39:30
151 out of 166 (195 starters)

A tough day...

(To any of you who strictly want to read about running, I apologize but this post will be a little more 'personal' than usual...)

About a week prior to the Green River Marathon I started, once again, toying with the idea of shooting for a 3:30... even went so far as mention it to 2 other 'cowboy' Maniacs (sorry, that's sort of an inside joke). But 'toying with' and really planning on doing it are two different things - my 'toying with' usually means, I do what I always do and hope for the best, and I was content to do that once again, well that is, until Friday morning...

Without going into the full details, I'll just say, I received very unexpected news Friday morning that my friend Stever had died early that morning, losing his one year battle with Leukemia (you may remember, he was my inspiration behind the '13 in 12' this past November through February). Among the million other things in my mind, was the thought that I wouldn't be running the next day, I was fine with that, but as the day progressed I was told by both Stever's wife and mother that I should run. Johanna, Stever's wife phrased it perfectly, she told me 'we have to do what we know how to do, I now how to garden on my hands and knees in the dirt and you know how to run... I'm going to garden tomorrow morning... you should run.' I can't say I was sure it would be the right decision, but never the less, I said I'd do it.

Friday night was a fairly late evening and Saturday morning seemed to come quite early (despite the 8:30am start time). I woke up, put on my shorts and "Stever's Fan Club" t-shirt, and prepared to head out. Once at the starting line I felt very out of place waiting for the race to begin, I couldn't exactly ignore other runners that I know but at the same time, I couldn't really announce 'hey, I'm only kinda, sorta here right now.' I faked my way through a few conversations and waited for the start.

(Stever's Fan Club shirt, only mine is orange)

Once the race began I kept to myself for about a whole 5 minutes, something about running makes me talkative I guess. I said 'hi' to a few familiar maniacs including race director Steve Barrick, and eventually found my self running with *tc (does he go by that name anymore?) and Pete Nicholson (MM # 207), whom I hadn't meet before. *tc blazed ahead after a bout a half mile but Pete and I continued to run the same pace for the first 14 miles, give or take. Pete's company allowed for good conversation, but regardless of what we talked about (mainly running, go figure) my thoughts would always drift back to Stever and his wife and family. Eventually, I just said what was on my mind - poor, Pete, I sure I was sort of a downer - I had to though, verbalizing it only seemed fair, it was that, or I could continue to try and hold a conversation while occasionally zoning out.

(Pete looking strong, me, on the other hand - I'm just keepin' up)

Somewhere around mile 14, Pete told me he was going to peel off and use a rest room, I was fairly confident I'd see him again as he was still running strong and I really had no idea how long these 8 minute miles would last. I continued on, keeping an eye on the Garmin trying my best to stick to the pace. At about mile 17 I caught up with *tc and asked him if he had a 3:30 in him, he said he didn't (he was still recovering from a recent 100 miler) but suggest I try and keep up with the person in front of us for pacing, we wished each other well and I continued on pushing my pace.

(Essential running gear for Saturday 6/6: fake smile & "Stever's Fan Club" t-shirt)

By the time mile 23 came I felt spent, I opted to walk momentarily for just a short break, as will sometimes happen that walk just kept getting longer and longer - 'the next light pole... no, no, the next light pole...' I was literally walking away from the 3:30 goal. I thought long about my next move, I thought about Stever, and, despite not being a spiritual person, I thought to Stever... I thought about all that was going on, then I started to run again... hard.

Miles 24 through 26 were sub 8 minute miles with the final .2 being run at a sub 7 minute mile pace. I felt every step of it. I finished gasping for air and drenched in sweat with a 3:29:39 to show for the effort . As soon as the running stopped the hobbling began, my right foot had cramped up right under my arch, it felt like I had a softball lodged in my foot. I wiggled my way down the beach, took off my socks and shoes, and stood in the sound for a few moments hoping the cold waters might help - it did, but only slightly. I hobbled around a bit more until I was able to arrange a ride home from the ever helpful and friendly Jon Yoon (MM# 467).

That's essentially it, I must admit, I'm at a loss on how to end this post, so I'll instead of a tidy little wrap up, I'll just say this... right now, until June 22nd, the National Marrow Donor Program is offering Marrow Donor Registry kits for free, these kits are simple and give you the opportunity to possibly save a life. Please follow this link, 'click the "Join" button, and GET REGISTERED! - http://www.marrow.org/

Mt Si '09 ('full' report)

(jeeze, maybe it's just that I was raised Catholic, but this feels like some kind of confessional or something...)

After a poor race at Dizzy Daze, I was left feeling burnt out and detached from running, I suspected that this would eventually burn off but as the days went on, I continued to ignore any urges to train. The first week I felt justified, I was angry and frustrated and felt some time away would help. The second week, I first was confused, thinking Mt. Si was that coming weekend (and thus defending it as 'tapering'), then, when I realized the date mistakes, it was just good old fashioned laziness. By the beginning of week 3 of no running, the guilt was finally starting to set in, by the end of that week the desire was back, but, of course, Sunday was the race, so that just meant, 'a little bit longer.' It's a strange feeling standing at the start of a 50 mile race after not having run for 3 weeks solid, it almost feels like your cheating, and I guess in some ways I was... but for the time being, that was gonna have to do.

The start also felt odd with so many of the 'usual suspects' not being there; between McNaughton recovery, Boston the next day, and the next week's Capitol Peaks, there were a whole slew of missing faces. For me, there was very little conversation to be had, a chat here or there, but nothing that lasted more than a half mile.

Despite what I had planned, I still managed to do my first 14 or so miles too fast, but as hard as it is to get going again post bonk, it's quite tough to slow down when you're raring to go. When I hit the aid station at mile 14 I refilled my bottle, grabbed some potatoes, and walked my way from the aid station until I finished eating. Within a mile (at most) my stomach told me the potatoes were not a good idea. The stomach cramps were bad, I knew I needed to get to the next 'rest stop' and the sooner the better...

(Fast forwarding for you, the reader's sake)

...I left the 'rest stop' feeling better, but unfortunately, much more tired than I should have been only ~18 miles in. The rest of the race was fairly uneventful (which is another way of saying, the course was boring me to tears), I walked more than I should have and was looking at the Garmin far too much but in the end, I finished.

I finished faster than I did last year, which I guess counts for something but, despite being kinda sick of the course, I hope to be out there again next year, better trained and eying an 8 hour finish (I know that's a big jump, but I think it's possible). More than anything, I'm just happy to be resurrected...

Now let's go train!

(...and not to down play it by any means, but as usual there are 2 people I need to thank for their constant support, my wife Rachael & my good friend Bob, together, they came from Seattle to see me go by at mile 47 and then watch me finish. After returning home they waited as I bathed, then the 3 of us headed out for burgers, and in my case beer! The promise of seeing the 2 of them at the finish line is always reason enough to get there :-)

Mt. Si '09

I'll get to an actual race report soon enough, but for now, here's the skinny...

50 Miles - 9:05:26 (17 odd minutes faster than last year) - not great, not terrible, and when ever it's not terrible, well, then it's pretty damn great!

Time to saddle up!

Well, since the disappointment that came with Dizzy Daze 'performance,' I had fallen off the proverbial running horse. Yes, some valuable training time was lost BUT, mentally, I'm back, and that's pretty important since Sunday is the Mt. Si 50 Mile.

I probably should be a little more concerned than I am about the time lost but I'm anticipating an alright run on Sunday with plans of beating my time from last year (9:22:53), not necessarily because I'm in better shape, but more so because I know what to expect and have gotten (a little) better at pacing myself.

Like I said though, most importantly, I'm excited to run, something I haven't completely felt since Dizzy Daze, and now, just 2 days out, I'm down right itching to go. So yeah, "saddle up!," "get along little doggies!," and "rawhide!" and all that other good stuff...

See you 50 miles from now!

Dizzy Daze 100K (...err, make that 50K)

Alright, I've put this off long enough... truth be told, I just didn't want to write a post filled with excuses *but* at the same time I wanted to honestly tell it how I saw it... I'm still not really prepared to write an essay thought either, so you get a summarized version...

• the day started early at 5am when I headed out on the first loop with *tc and Shawn, all was well and I enjoyed the company...
• ...around loop 3 the 'regular' starters were beginning to arrive - this is also when I first realized I had forgotten to tape up my, um, 'chest', so I stopped by the car and did so...
• At some point I decided I'd bust out the iPod shuffle - I can't even tell you the last time I listened to music while running - though I don't think it had any impact on my day, I don't foresee myself doing it again anytime soon...
• I ran a loop with Linda, the first lady of the race (ie: race director's girlfriend) which was nice as, at that point, I hadn't had company in quite a while (not counting people passing me)
• around the finish of loop 6 I changed my undershirt because I was soaking wet from the rain - I was also very cold...
• I didn't consider dropping until midway through my 10th loop, even then, it was a fleeting thought that I sort of laughed off
• At the end of loop 10, I jumped in the car, changed my shirt and socks - at that point I was still convinced I was heading out for another 10 loops - in the 10 minutes it took me to change out of my wet clothing and get into fresh stuff a lot of things ran through my mind, more than anything, it occurred to me that the clothing I was putting on was my last set of dry, warm clothing, that also lead my mind to the idea of circling the lake for another (at the VERY least) 5+ hours.
• I got out of the car and checked in with the aid station (still with intentions of going on) - some how it came up (I'm sure questioned by myself) that it appeared there was going to be maybe one 100K finisher... maybe... for some reason that's what got me... I stood around for about 3 minutes sort of talking with the volunteers but really just contemplating what I was going to do... then I just looked to them and said... 'I think I'm gonna call it...' and that was that...
• some how I couldn't wrap my head around being out there another 5+ hours wet, cold, and feeling the way I was...
• after an ice bath, a warm shower, food, and a nap I woke up and looked out the window, it was still shitty out, then I looked at the clock and realized that I'd still be running had I stuck it out... as much as I was disappointed to not be finishing, I was still happy to not be running... it was an odd feeling...

...so here's what I've come to terms with... I did quit, I'm sure I was capable of finishing but mentally I just quit, plain and simple... I'm not proud to say I quit but I still see it as the right choice for me on that particular day... I feel like had I had a proper water proof top I would have at least lasted longer... having the car there every 3.1 miles was a temptation I had a hard time dealing with in the end... I'm glad my next race is further than a 50K, assuming all goes well, 50 mile should reaffirm my confidence.

Is it Saturday yet?

Can we pretend it is?

Please???

Good week of running (so far)...

Sunday - sidewalks/streets - 29 miles (Avg. pace - 9:08/mile)
Monday - rest
Tuesday - sidewalks/streets - 5 miles (Avg. pace - 7:13/mile)
Wednesday - trails - 5.65 miles (Avg. Pace - Garmin batteries died a mile in, but it was relatively slow, I'd guess 8:30/mile )
Thursday - sidewalks/streets - 6 miles (Avg. Pace - 7:35/mile)
Friday (today) - rest

Also, I finally got around to registering for Green Lake Dizzy Daze 100K

And, created another 'race,' the Elliot Bay Ultras 50K & 50 Mile (I'll be running the 50 Mile)

I go around the webz looking to read updated blogs to see the same posts I've read over a week ago and I think to myself 'man, why doesn't anyone update'... POT, KETTLE, BLACK...

Not much to say though, I guess... I've been 'training' with a lot more regularity as of late, that's a good thing. I also have dedicated to running the Green Lake Dizzy Daze 100K so that's pretty exciting. Just to be sure we're on the same page, 100K is a little more than 12 miles further than I've ever run (62 miles +), so yeah, like I said, exciting, but also a little daunting. I'm confident I can cover the distance, but never the less, anytime it's a 'further than ever before' situation I think it's best to go into with a few reservations and a cautious approach, I rather finish slower than I'm capable of than not finish because I attempted to push too hard.

I'm now planning a long run for Saturday since I'm officially 'off the hook' from 'mother-in-law time' this weekend, I'm not sure how long but I'm guessing I'll have plenty of time to log miles... I'll post something sometime next week...

long time

Howdee,

I know it's been a while but that doesn't mean I'm going to post a lot, just a quick catch up...

• Way back on 2/8 I ran the Valentine Marathon, you can read about it here... http://13in12.blogspot.com/2009/02/13.html
• That was #13 of the '13 in 12' - it upped my Maniac status to 7 Stars...
  
• After, I took about a week and a half away from running...
• I'm still getting back into the swing of things at this point...
• I'm thinking my next race will be the Green Lake Dizzy Daze 100K, though I am not yet registered, I hope to be soon...
• On Saturday (2/28) I intend to do a Tiger Mountain 3 Summits run with a few fellow Maniacs

Here's a little collage I made of the '13 in 12'...

WSFA50K

This past Sunday was an all together new experience for me, for this was my first attempt at race directing.

Because of the type of person I am, the majority of the race preparation occurred the evening prior. I had a firm idea of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it, it was just a matter of getting it done. I constructed medals, 'made' Gatorade and PB&Js, marked the turn around with chalk under the cover of night, and acquired a few other materials such as fire wood.

(There! They're done - can I go to bed yet? What to you mean, 'Did I make the PB&Js?')

The next morning my wife and drug our selves out of bed and headed down to Lincoln Park in order to get set up. As we arrived it became apparent that despite what was posted, the parking lots were still locked up (they remained this way until well past the start of the race). Thankfully, there is a relatively good amount of parking available on local side streets and the majority of fellow runners were able to adjust quickly.

My good friend Bob, also greeted us as we pulled up and was quickly to work with me while my wife directed any lost looking runners. Shortly before 7am we were able to have most of the essentials set up. As runners continued to show up and take care of any last minute needs, I scrambled to get myself together (I realized shortly before the start that I was still wearing all my warm over layers).

(trying my best to get set up)

Just a bit past 7am (the planned start time) I called for the runners to gather on the path and gave them a quick briefing as to how the course was laid out (ie: water on the left/road on the right - and be sure to run around the path on the outside of the pool), then said 'without further ado... GO!' and off almost all the runners went. I stuck back for about an extra minute or two to ensure Rachael & Bob had everything under control (of course they did - more so than I ever could) then headed out at the back of the pack.

('...without further ado...GO!')

Less than a mile into the run it occurred to me that through all the hi jinx at the start I had managed to leave behind my water bottle and any sort of energy food. I felt fine at the time, but realized I still had 14+ miles 'til I'd get back to the aid station - of course, I was completely unwilling to turn around - I knew there was water on various points along the course, so I knew I'd be alright.

('Hey, doffus, where's your water bottle? - umm, yeah...')

The first leg felt quick, something I attribute to familiarity of the route, after all, these were my home training (what's that?) grounds. I chatted with a few fellow runners and just generally enjoyed the opportunity to run off my nerves and finally relax a bit. At the turn around I was still feeling good and continued at my pretty standard pace. When I got back to the aid station Bob & Rachael had the fire burning and everything laid out very well, I again chatted with a few runners and generally took my time. I wanted to make sure Bob & Rachael were still content, I wanted to fuel up a bit, and, most of all, I just wanted to hang out. I sat by the fire and just sort of relaxed, after about 5 minutes (which felt like an eternity) I finally got my self going, and headed back out for the second half of the run.

The second half was fairly uneventful for me - I was able to watch the front runners go screaming by on their way back to the finish and had a chance to catch up to and chat with a runner who I had not previously met, which is always nice. I felt as though I was long over my standard time, but due to clumsy fingers, I had hit the 'stop' button on the Garmin when I meant to hit the lap button, so I really had no clue as to how I was doing. When I did finish I was greeted with a 5:22:55, not terrible, but I definitely do better on that course if given different circumstances - but that wasn't the point and I'm glad I was able run this race while attempting to *run* this race :-)

(smiles upon finishing - evident by the fact that this time I have my bottle ;-)

I hope I've already made this clear to everyone at the WSFA50K - both runners and volunteers alike - but if not, let me say once more, thank you all for everything! Runners - thanks for showing up! Volunteers - thanks for all your hard work, it would have literally been impossible with out you! And also, an extra big 'thank you' to participants who donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - the run brought in $115.00!

(#12 of 13 - with help from good friend and aid station extraordinaire, Bob)

MANY more photos from Sunday's race can be seen here : http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=c0isivfd.1n3i944x&x=0&y=yao87i&localeid=en_US (these photos were taken by Rich Walter, one of our great volunteers!)

and here: http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=2u04napl.9feg272p&x=0&y=-sujexn&localeid=en_US (these were taken by Rachael & I at the aid station/finish line)

Pigtail's & Yours Truly - back to back 50Ks

Saturday morning was Pigtail's Run, a 50K consisting of 3 full loops around Lake Youngs Watershed, plus a small out and back section to ensure the proper distance. I ran 2 loops of this run last year and had a wonderful time, so much so in fact, that I see that run as what really pushed me into the 'excessive' marathoning and ultra running. With fond memories in mind, I decided Thursday evening that I would make an attempt at a 50K PR (personal record) come Saturday morning.

Saturday morning was chilly, but good for running. I started the first leg of the first loop running with Eric and Steve (when do these guys not run?) and stuck with them until Steve told me he was going to back off the pace a bit. I kept at about the same speed assuming they'd catch me eventually. The course is a rolling loop with a few hills that do a bit more than roll, nothing crazy, but by the third loop they look a bit more daunting. I decided to run the entire first 2 loops and see how I felt from there. As approached certain hills on the third loop I considered walking them but I kept giving way to my stubbornness, at some point I decided I wouldn't walk until I got to a certain hill that seemed the steepest to me (other than the final hill on the out and back section). When I got to said hill, I once again decided to keep running, in the end I only briefly walked once, on a small incline of all places, as I ate my final Gu and prepared to finish off the last 5 miles or so.

(heading toward the last hill at Pigtail's - photo by Eric)

The stubbornness paid off as I finished the race in 4:44 (and change), a personal best by about 13 minutes! Once Van (the race director) posted the results and splits I was able to see that I had run the course fairly evenly (not even, but close enough) as well with my first loop being 1:23, my second completes in 1:29, and my final loop in 1:33. I'm pretty happy with all of that, especially since I didn't check my watch once while out on the course.

(After Pigtail's - trying to stay warm - #10!)

Sunday was a different story entirely.

After a fairly long Saturday evening of celebrating Burn's Night with a group of friends, I was finally in bed and ready for sleep at about midnight, I was more than well aware that this was a bad idea, but sometimes real life just has to mix with running and I'd rather do both than give up either. Sunday morning came early, I dragged myself out of bed, got ready, and made my way to the start of the race. Once there, I was informed that one of the bridges on the route was out and as a result instead of running 2 out and back sections we would be running 4 shorter out and backs plus another small out and back to get the distance right, for some reason, at the time, I thought that was a good idea(?).

(What? The sun was just barely up, and I was already walking?!? - Photo by Eric)

(That's better! - Photo by Eric)

From the first steps I could tell it was not going to be my day, my knees were sore (something I'm not used to as it's honestly never been the case before), my ankle was sore (after having held up fairly well the day before), and my stomach felt off (I really kind of lived it up Saturday night). After a very slow out and back with Eric (again... sheesh!), I headed to the port-a-potty for some, umm... alone time... From that point forward things got a little better, but not significantly so. The run was long and I was slow and sore which made it feel that much longer. On the final 'back' of the out and back, I was able to 'catch' Eric who was also having 'one of those days,' we made our way to the finish together, ending with a personal worst of 6:02:38. I'd be more upset about it if it weren't for the PR the day before... besides, it was day 2 of a double, there was a pretty dusting of snow on the course, and, if nothing else, I was able to be out there doing it, which is no small gift...

(Help! I've run out of finger's! I knew I had to catch Eric for a reason - #11!)

...just a few thoughts...

• I was lying awake last night thinking to myself, I should probably run hard(er) at Pigtail's this weekend... I had a solid 2 loops there last year... so, without over thinking it, I think I'll try for a 50K PR tomorrow...
• My left ankle has been on and off sore since Pigtail's Flat Ass back in December (damn snow), however, since Capitol Peak, last weekend, it's only been 'on'... it feels much better than it did the day after Cap Peak, but there's definitely still twinges of pain... I'll get it checked out come mid February, until then, I really just have to survive this weekend's double, but I'm guessing it'll be fine...
• I'm in the process of planning out the rest of my racing schedule from Feb. 8th (Valentine Marathon) forward... I know I have STORMY in August, it's just what will be between then & now... here's what I'm looking at as a short list (I'd love to do these all, but I don't foresee that happening)...
  • Pacific Rim 24 Hour Run - 3/14
  • Green Lake Dizzy Daze 100K - 3/28
  • Mt. Si 50 Mile - 4/19
  • Capitol Peak 50 Mile - 4/25
  • Watershed Preserve 12 Hour - 5/16
  • Forest Park 50K - 5/24
  • North Face Endurance 50 Mile (Bellingham) - 6/6
  • 20th Century 100K - 6/20
  • Grey Rock 50K - 7/11
• I've yet to make any sort of call on whether or not to look for a pacer for STORMY, I'm not some one whose opposed to the idea of pacers, I just don't know that I can offer a pacer what seems fair (ie: meals, hotel room, transportation, etc.)...
• This weekend's double will be my 19th and 20th marathons (or longer)... that's pretty cool... 1/5 of the way to 100...
  

Capitol Peak Mega Fat Ass

Mega Fat Ass = Mega Collapse

Well, okay, not really but, oh boy was that second half of the second loop tough...

I started the morning feeling very tired and slightly sick to my stomach, not exactly how I wanted to start the day, but what was I going to do? I jumped in the car and made it down to the Mima Trailhead by about 7:30am. At 8am the race began and the conga line formed, about a half mile in things started to open up a bit and I worked my way forward to where Eric and Steve were. I stuck with them for a good half of the first loop, though the entire time I was thinking that we were going a bit too fast. When I reached the completion of the first loop (of 2) 2:28 had ticked off the clock, it seemed like a descent time. As soon as the climbs began on the second loop I got a sense of what I was in for. At some point Van Phan passed me and for a minute there it looked as though she would pull far away but then, for the next couple of miles I was right on her heels, again, this was a mistake. Although I'm usually only a bit behind Van on marathons and 50Ks and every so often I actually finish before her, I know a few things - she's better on trails than I am, she's stronger on hills, and she's MUCH better at pacing than I am - altogether she a stronger more experienced runner than I am. After those few miles on Van's heels I hit a massive wall, with about 10K left I was running on fumes, I ate a final Honey Stinger and hoped for the best. The miles dragged and the minutes jerked (Clash reference) but I finially hit the finish line in 5:18: and change. Here's hoping I actually learn the lessons the trail and my body attempted to teach me ;-)

(#9, #9.... #9...)

View more pics here: http://picasaweb.google.com/thisnic/CapPeak?feat=directlink (the majority of which were either taken by Eric & Michelle or Allison

Next weekend: Back to back 50Ks - Pigtails Run & Yours Truly!

STORMY 100

I am now 100%, absolutely, with out a doubt, officially registered for the STORMY 100 Mile Trail Ultra!!!!!

(and by the way, I'm excited)

Bridle Trails (!!!)

Oh man, I'm fairly confident that I'm unable to fully express how grand a time I had Saturday afternoon/evening, but, for the blog's sake, I'll try...

Around 2:40pm I arrived on the (way) outskirts of Bridle Trails state park in Kirkland, the 50K start would be at 3:10pm, so I had just about the perfect amount of time to get signed in, use the facilities, find a spot for my drop bag, and say 'hi' to any one I recognized (and be introduced to some new folks as well). Long before the race started I became aware that I had failed as far as preparation was concerned. Right out of the car in dawned on me that I had forgotten gloves of any sort, when I got to the drop bag location it occurred to me that the top I had on would be too warm under my water proof jacket but, of course, it was raining, so it was either, too warm but dry or comfortable but wet. I ended up running the race with cold hands and a (very) wet top.

(Just arrived at the finish -preparing to be cold)

Despite the the poor prep, there I was, ready to run. The run began with a conga line that lasted the first quarter mile or so, there was a wee amount of mud but nothing that lived up to this run's reputation. Right at about the point where the real running could begin came the first instance of mud, this put a big halt in the trail as some tried to make their way around the puddles, taking the opportunity, I went through the mud and past a few folks. The rest of the first lap was spent (probably) going a bit too fast and chatting with Thomas Tan. At the end of the first lap, I stopped and used the rest room (how odd to use a rest room on a trail run), grabber my (useless) head lamp and flashlight, and headed back out while eating a Gu. Just as I got away from the aid station, on to the trail, I realized I really should have eaten my Gu while there were trash cans around, with no real pockets for trash I did the next logical thing, I toke off my hat, set the wrapper on top my head and put my cap back on. It was about this time I had a brief meet and greet with 'Marty' that turned into 4 and a half solid loops.

(Fun in the mud!)

Marty is an RN in the real world, but in this context he is and an adventure racer who had run an ultra in ages, together he and I ran through the dark until on the 5th loop we were joined by 'Doug.' Doug is a former snowboard designer for Burton turned Doctor by way of the Army, having served almost 4 years at Fort Lewis (where he is currently stationed) we had some common ground and were able to chat as well. The 3 of us stuck together the entire 5th loop and the beginning of the final loop, at the aid station Marty was joined by another adventure racing buddy of his who planned on pacing (?) him. Slowly, as the first couple miles past, Doug fell further and further behind us and somewhere around 3 to 3 and a half miles I lost sight of Marty and his pacer friend. It was odd to be out on the trails on my lonesome after 25 odd miles of conversation, but it was nice in it's own way, sort of a chance to reflect before I had even finished. I decided that the final stretch of trail wasn't going to slow me down, since I hadn't felt any sort of bonk yet, I'd just give what I had and see where that got me. In the end, I believe I only finished about 5 minutes behind Marty and his pacer, with a 5:17:46. For all the horror stories I had heard about this race I was thrilled with my time (not far off from my standard 50K time) and I was happy to have finished strong without feeling like I had ever quit.

(Yup- the mud can make it through shoes and socks, no problem!)

At the finish I came to find my drop bag soaking wet (my fault - no one elses) and it's contents, including my 'dry' pants and hooded sweatshirt, in the same shape. I grabbed my camera took a few pics (and had a few taken), snagged some ramen noodles, said a few good-byes, and headed to the comfort of my warm car (waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy down the road ;-) . When I got to the car, I put the heat on full blast, took off my soaking shirt, and wrapped up in an REI towel my wonderful wife had gotten me for christmas, though not yet warm, I was well on my way. I called my wife and headed home. Due to a little more poor planning (yup - there was plenty of it), I was unable to get my ice bath at the end of the night and am definitely feeling those results now, but other wise recovery is going well as usual and I'm looking forward to the Capitol Peak Mega Fat Ass!

2008 = ...

7 Marathons
4 50Ks
2 50 milers
1 'other' (28.4 miles)

Personal best marathon for 2008 - 3:37:40* (Michelle's Grande Ass)
Personal worst marathon for 2008 - 4:08:39 (Last Chance Marathon)

Personal best 50K for 2008 - 4:57:30* (Ghost of Seattle)
Personal worst 50K for 2008 - 5:13 (Green Lake Dizzy Daze)

(The 50 milers are COMPLETELY incomparable to one another)

'Favorite' race of 2008 - I had a great time at the Birch Bay Ghost Marathon but I think, ultimately, the White River 50 Mile, with it's awesome views and difficult course was my favorite.

Least enjoyed race of 2008 - That's a toss up between Grandma's Marathon (I'm not that big on BIG races and I had a tough day anyway) & the Last Chance Marathon (that's no reflection on the race or the folks who set it up, I would definitely run it again, I just wasn't 'feelin' it' that day).

Of the 3 goals that were set back in January of '08 to be accomplished before the end of the year, one was meet. In retrospect, that goal, to run an Ultra of some sort, was easy to meet. I didn't run a 3:30 marathon and I didn't stick to my training schedule very well (though, I sure some could/would say, had I stuck to my training better, I may have ran a 3:30 marathon...). I'm going to continue to work toward those 2 goals in '09, hopefully with more success. In addition to those two carrying over, I hope to run (and finish) my first 100K and 100 miler in 2009, and perhaps run a 24 event as well.

(* = PR)

Year in review...

...I intend to post one... if I ever catch-up on everything else... in the mean time, check out http://13in12.blogspot.com/ if you're curious how the running's going... not interested in the details? Then I'll just say, the running, it's still going :-)

A few things...

After last weekend's miss of the 3:30 mark, I've started to rethink the whole "last reasonable shot at it" statement... maybe giving it one more go around at the 'Last Chance' is worth a try... what's the worst thing that can happen, right? Initially I said I didn't think it was a good idea with the 'First Call' the next day, but I've since decided that either way, whether I go for a 3:30 or not, my legs will be tired come the 1st, so I've really got nothing to lose. (One of these days I'll actually start training for speed...)

Beyond that little thought, this coming weekend has me all worked up... I'm nervous but also excited... I'm thinking the most logical thing for me to do is aim for 50K personal worsts both Saturday and Sunday, or rather aim for it on Saturday, expect it on Sunday. I figure, on Saturday I should go out with plans of taking it easy so that, come Sunday, I have something (anything) left for those 12,000 odd feet of elevation gain. Either way, Sunday's kind of a crap shoot... I'll be please with a 50K finish...

I just bought some Yak-Trax to bring with me Sunday in case they're needed...