This is Maurine's daughter posting for her. She wanted everyone to know that she finished Logan Peak Trail Run! She made it in time and survived and is currently exhausted and will update with a full report later. I don't know all the details but she will give them all after she gets some sleep and showers.
~Jennifer Today was a big learning experience. I will be posting more in my regular blog (including pictures) tomorrow. This is a 28 mile race up to the top of Logan Peak and down. There is 7200 feet of ascent and 7200 feet of descent. I read the reports of Jon and Cody and am amazed that they can run up those steep (and never ending) uphills. I spent the night in Logan at my Aunt's house - which was only a mile from the start of the race, so I didn't have to get up much before 5:00. Got to visit with a few friends (including Clark Hirschi - an ultra buddy that was in my old ward at church) before the race started.
The race starts with a 5+ mile uphill climb that had me sucking wind and my heart pounding the entire time. Around mile 7 we crossed the first snow field - but this one was pure ice and I slammed down hard on my butt crossing it. There was no way to get traction. There were some nice flat and downhill sections in the first half (not a lot - but some) and Lindsay (another runner) and I ran them all. At the second aid station at mile 11, I loaded up on food and said hi to Matt/Twinkies for a minute. About 10 minutes later I passed Jim Skaggs/Ultra Jim and also saw some other ultra friends on the out and back to the tower. Lindsay and I kept leap frogging with two male runners (another one dropped out before the first aid station at mile 4.5). They would pass us on the uphills, we would pass them during the flats/downhills. One of them decided to not do the 6 mile out and back. During the out and back up to the tower we passed through several snow and mud fields. One of the steep snowfields I was sliding downhill a lot - so dropped down and buttslid to the bottom. We took a short break at the tower for pictures, and that was the last I saw of Lindsay. Ray (the other guy) started the downhill a little before us and ended up getting lost on a snowfield for a little while - I wondered why I didn't pass him as usual on the downhills - but figured he had picked up the pace. Around mile 18 I went into a death march. I was nauseous (but couldn't puke) and had absolutely no energy. I knew that I could still finish before the 10 hour cutoff - but really only wanted to curl up on the side of the trail and die. A little after mile 21, I suddenly got some energy again and could trot/run the flats and downhills. I stopped at one freshwater spring and soaked my arms and hat to help cool me down. At the mile 23 (or so) aid station, I sat down for 5 minutes to regroup for the long downhill to the finish and get some food in me. Ate lots of fruit and actually drank a cup of Coke (that was a first). I was able to trot down most of the downhills, but was pretty wiped and hot since it was midafternoon. A few more nasty uphills in the last mile and then there was about a half mile of pavement. As I turned into the park I started crying from relief at finishing this. This was by far the hardest race I have done. It was a good lesson in endurance and I have learned a lot about things I need to practice and train for in future ultras. On the bright side - Veyo will look like a piece of cake in St. George.
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