This is long, but I was really excited about how it went.
Going into this thing I was a little apprehensive. I have only run one official 50 miler, and the 50 mile race course at Buffalo definitely didn’t suit me. I’m not fast enough to run well on the many long flat sections and was anticipating a suffer fest. Friday night I was a little more nervous than usual and didn’t sleep much, driving to the race I was a bundle of nerves. As I got onto the island and was pulling into the parking area, I could see Crocket’s green light on the high on the hill above the parking area. He was on lap 2 of his hundred mile run, probably about mile 60 or so, out there all night, by himself running, Awesome! For some reason as soon as I saw that, all nervousness went away and switched immediately to huge excitement, I couldn’t wait to get out there!! Thanks for the inspiration Davey!
With a cold breeze blowing, we took off in a train of headlamps and flashlights a little after 6 AM. I love running in the dark and it was fun to watch as the leaders lights streaked out ahead of the pack. I felt great going up the 1st hill and settled into the first 10-15 runners. We cruised quickly up and onto a flat/downhill section for a mile or two until we hit the first real hill, a short but steep little grunt up to the first aid station. The 4-5 guys immediately in front of me started power hiking and I settled into my uphill running trot that I have gotten used to from running up Malan’s peak so much this winter. A friend of mine, Trace Lund, who was behind me here, asked at the end of the race why I choose to run up hills like that in an ultra. My answer, I don’t feel I work much harder trotting uphill than I do power walking, heart rate stays low, legs feel better at the top than they do making the run/walk/run transition, works for me for some reason? Smart or not? I don’t know. What’s good fro me though is I actually ran the entire course except for one little hill before the 3rd aid station going out, and I walked the hill back to the same spot on the way back because I was changing out my Ipod and needed stuff out of my pack. I am feeling all that running today, that’s farther than I have ever run continuously by double. Ouch!
After the first aid there was a 3 mile out-n-back. On the way back through I passed Twinkies going out, he was probably 10 minutes or so back. After getting through the out-n-back and heading into a long, straight downhill, I glanced back and noticed Twinkies closing fast. That would be the theme for the next 4-5 miles. At the bottom of the hill there was a long section of switch backs climbing back up to the aid station. At each turn, I’d do a Twinkies check and every time it seemed he had moved up about ½ a switchback, he was flying! I kept thinking, I’m glad he’s going to catch me because I want to run with him, but, geeze I don’t want to try to keep up with him! We ran together for the next 10-15 miles. He’s a strong runner and really pulled me along through that section.
Twinkies and I got thorough the hilly section together and headed down to the East shore of the lake for the dreaded long, flat, out and back to the ranch at the south end of the island. I had expected this section to be wide double track or dirt road for some reason, but was pleasantly surprised to find it nice single track. The first part was a short out-n-back, and guessing that there were few fast guys we didn’t see, I estimated Twinkies and I were running in the top 20 or so. We hit the turn around with Twinkies leading and after we made the turn, I jumped in front to break the wind for a while, I ran for about 20 minutes or so and hadn’t heard from Twinkies, so I glanced back and I was all alone. I hoped he was alright, but I kept plugging along, slowly reeling in a couple of guys.
The good news about this section is the aid stations are about an hour apart, so just as the tedium starts to really set in, you hit an aid to break it up. I was running nice and consistent; it took me 58 minutes from Frary aid to the Ranch and 58 minutes from the Ranch back to Frary on the way back. The leaders went by on this section going back. Those guys are so impressive, just haul’en! I could see the grit and determination on their faces. Made me think of the quote in Lance Armstrong’s book, I think it says “it never gets easier, you just get faster” I could see that in these guys, inspiring for sure!
The good news for me on this section is that I came to the conclusion I was making pretty good time! I finished my marathon distance in just a little over 4:00 (about the same time I ran the Ogden Marathon a year ago), 50K under 5 hours (unofficial PR by more than an hour). I had run splits Friday night, like I always do for every race, not because I’m that analytical, but because it calms me down. Figuring time between aid stations, assuming pace, and totaling it all, I came up with an 8:45 finish. Whatever! no way!! I figured I’d shoot for under 10 hrs, but wrote down the splits anyway just to see. At the Ranch I was 20 minutes ahead of my 8:45 finish splits, What the . . .no way! But I was stoked! I had also concluded I was in the top 20 from counting runners going the other way. Much, much better than expected!
I turned around at the Ranch absolutely determined to hang on to where I was at. I gritted down took off with no one close behind. I passed Twinkies on his way out looking happy and strong, I knew he was hoping for a sub 10 too, and from where he was at I knew he would make it easily! I was excited for him. Also passed Crocket on his way out to the Ranch, mile 80 or so for him!, he was keeping a good strong pace and looked great! I gave some encouraging words as I went by. Passing all the runners on the way out really gave me a mental boost. As I got to the back of the packers I was totally impressed with these guys. I think it takes a ton of guts to be out there all day, just plugg’en for the finish, every bit as impressive to me as the lead guys. Maybe because I can relate to them better having been there plenty of times.
Lot’s of long stretches, lots of lonely running. I passed a guy I had been yo-yoing with all day at Frary aid other than that I didn’t see anyone for a long time until I ran into my good friend Dana running out to pace a friend in. She’s a tough marathoner (sub 3 hr I think) and my sometimes treadmill buddy at the gym and a long time friend (we grew up in the same ward) so it was good to see her out there. I keep trying to talk her into ultra’s, I think today finally convinced her.
The most exciting moment of the race for me happened when 2 HUGE bull Buffalo decided to race me to a 10ft wide opening in a chain link fence. No kidding. Just as I was getting to the end of the shoreline trail, Two huge buffalo took off down the hill headed for the same gate opening as me. They were probably only 20-30 yards in front of me and moving really fast! We were on a perfect collision course. Here I was playing chicken with two 4000 pound buffalo. I lost. I stopped, giving them plenty of room.
I finished off the last 6.5 miles uneventfully. There were a few guys closing from behind, just close enough to push me along at a good pace. The last section of single track was really fun, lots of ups and downs, rocky, kept my mind occupied instead of thinking about how tired I was. Hit the final dirt road, my yo-yo buddy was closing, I gave it all I had, he passed me in the last 1/4 mile, I jumped on his tail and we ended up neck and neck to the last turn where he had a little more in the tank and pulled a head. It was good though because it got me under the finish banner in 8:29!!
I couldn’t believe it! A PR by over 5 hours! I never, ever thought I had that in me. I was 15 minutes faster than what I thought Friday night was a crazy time. I was certain I would get my tail handed to me on the flat section by all those fast marathon kind of guys, but I held my own out there, never getting passed until the end and even managing to pass a few folks. Preliminary results had me at 17th overall, totally happy with that for my second 50 miler. I know in the real world of fast it’s not that great, but for a slow guy like me I’ll take it all day long!!
I hung around the finish cheering in friends. My buddy Trace came in just behind me in a good time. Twinkies finished really strong and in a great time as well. It was good to meet Jun, who had paced Twinkies. Hope they both suffered no ill effects from the short ride they took in my beat up Toyota back to their car.
Overall, this was a great race. Seemed very well organized. I don’t know where they found the aid volunteers, but they were the nicest, most helpful and hardest working I have ever seen at any race. They were out getting drop bags for people, filling bottles, asking what they could get you, helping me get my pack on and off. So great these guys put so much into that, making everyone feel like a rock star. The RD Jim (ultrajim on the blog) did an awesome job! There were a lot of people there to manage and it all seemed seamless, and he had plenty of treats at the finish! Highly recommend running one of the distances at this race!
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