Antelope Island 50K - Quick Report - 3rd Place. Happy with the result. The nasty weather overnight wasn't so bad come race time. Snow flurries on the island with it clearing up mid-race. 0-3 inches on the course made for muddy trails but no big deal. More details later.... T-4:08:30 (8:17) 3000' Vert
So some more details...I am watching the replay of the NYC marathon on the tv right now. In many ways my race was just like that. All you have to do is double their mile splits, add some snow, mix on some more americans. Ok, fine. It was nothing like the NYC marathon. It was just a bunch of stupid blokes like me who like to run on trails no matter the weather. The race started out easy for the first climb. We did have to pause for a slow walk break as a herd of Buffalo decided to saunter across our path 20 feet away. Sure, take your time... The pace picked up near the top of the climb and quickly I found myself in the lead group of 3 guys with a large gap already spreading. I was constantly reminding myself of the last time I ran out here and blew up the second half. I told myself to slow down and run my own pace. I soon watched first and second place slowly gain a gap on me. From then on, I was on my own. The course takes you on a huge loop of the Island and the views today were spectacular. The fresh snow coating everything, the massive black clouds over the Wasatch dumping snow on the benches. Herds of Antelope wandering around. I even had a wolf cross the trail right in front of me hunting something pretty closely. Pretty awesome setting for a race. Lots of hills the first half, up and down, over and over. From mile 19 to the finish it was mostly flat with just small rollers. I was able to maintain a decent pace for the first 20 miles then things quickly went downhill. I once again got all cramped up in my stomach and chest. I couldn't eat and drink or even breathe. I struggled from there to the finish. I tried massage, water, coke, anything to get it to relax. I might have to figure that out some day. I ended up cruising into the finish all alone with 2nd place a good 10 mins up and first a blistering 30 mins ahead of me. Crazy. I had apparently died off a bit at the end as the 4th place person wasn't too far from me. I never saw HER. Phew. Nearly got chicked. My time was a huge PR so I am happy for it, but it does come with an astrick as the course director did admit that the course is about a mile short. It had to be changed this year as the normal course took you onto the beach that is now under a few feet of water. Overall, a good day but I was sure happy to see that finish line with some buffalo stew and coke waiting for me. Now off to take a bit of a break from training for the holidays. I will still run, but only when I feel like it.
| 