tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-152032672024-03-12T18:43:13.371-07:00Life, Running, and EverythingRonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.comBlogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-76700053962635842612022-10-16T18:15:00.071-07:002022-10-29T19:01:16.503-07:00Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Run Half-Marathon -- 1:23:31<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfgUkOsCDQQvK0H1YoRUaT_UIsRtUQzWtpgQx87EMR9YAaPLS0-jH4bEbXlaNnHO7_3IWkkYRd1VuxHiO9lxHZuivOXB0MCpaVZ_qnHqbzLMqTtnboYj5hjhGcHItduNRc4GdwwT6e2ympgmqYiPxoQnluThD81Y6QWY12AX4htVdFf0iQOU/s1200/Ron_on_trail.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfgUkOsCDQQvK0H1YoRUaT_UIsRtUQzWtpgQx87EMR9YAaPLS0-jH4bEbXlaNnHO7_3IWkkYRd1VuxHiO9lxHZuivOXB0MCpaVZ_qnHqbzLMqTtnboYj5hjhGcHItduNRc4GdwwT6e2ympgmqYiPxoQnluThD81Y6QWY12AX4htVdFf0iQOU/w640-h480/Ron_on_trail.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">I had fun racing the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Run Half Marathon (13.1 miles) this morning. The weather was good -- cool and overcast. I gave the race my best attempt, but I didn't quite go as fast as I was hoping to. I finished in 1 hour 23 minutes 31 seconds (6:22 / mile pace), but I was hoping to be 2 or 3 minutes faster. It was fun seeing so many friends on the course or volunteering. It was great seeing my wife (Jennifer) and sister (Jessica) at the finish and then walking over to the Pumpkin Festival afterwards. There were 131 finishers. I was 5th overall and 2nd in my age group.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">I carpooled with my main running partner, Lauren. We warmed up together and it was fun seeing her during the race, as we crossed paths on the two out-and-backs.</p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7GrueK2GfE5lFiFrHkF8rcRLAcoRyF8Oi9LHzp5uzjt99wm4vzg0QhmGZkRE04WReclutIsgW6Nwouv4U7D4jAlUrMNSBAPrOb0bux7jiXA3rokUXF93RSmSlJEdUpbCCFVMLMz0zJtqFma0MMix8kSN0dv6gUpEWcEooqg_SwNTfxluW9w/s4032/Lauren_Ron.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7GrueK2GfE5lFiFrHkF8rcRLAcoRyF8Oi9LHzp5uzjt99wm4vzg0QhmGZkRE04WReclutIsgW6Nwouv4U7D4jAlUrMNSBAPrOb0bux7jiXA3rokUXF93RSmSlJEdUpbCCFVMLMz0zJtqFma0MMix8kSN0dv6gUpEWcEooqg_SwNTfxluW9w/w400-h300/Lauren_Ron.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">Lauren and I met up with Jo and Joey.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ffWILMLv8v1goO-ySjUfUJc9_U_qKo9ifUfw3AL-OwfE1JkLQqMppzbvBxrl9mj1mBzNknmHv2o2Or4lMdMN4mAhN7SccpvOJdSBxda28riAlC11GkQy1a4ZOO2dl61F2oipykTEWt178YfocHwcxHs4bq467Zvc00jDBm112_YmXRO-d50/s3264/Ron_Jo_Lauren_Joey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ffWILMLv8v1goO-ySjUfUJc9_U_qKo9ifUfw3AL-OwfE1JkLQqMppzbvBxrl9mj1mBzNknmHv2o2Or4lMdMN4mAhN7SccpvOJdSBxda28riAlC11GkQy1a4ZOO2dl61F2oipykTEWt178YfocHwcxHs4bq467Zvc00jDBm112_YmXRO-d50/s320/Ron_Jo_Lauren_Joey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">There was a large contingent of Pacifica Runners, which is one of the running clubs that I'm a member of.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Z5M-adVQzaycbldZNXX_nU6pmGeyYA1U7bx1K-0Hqp6Gi4Krd8W1SEev5yOZD0Ja1ymBxFvvMDBhfI4M548AdmLmDGuGyW7Ny55NXeY0nhRDoj5vSaH5jHXUzxl4g0LAdFK9KA8LqXHn-tVu7stlL-ZnYKk2r6Hj9Yf62Z6mm5OOakPqc_4/s1600/Pacifica_Runners.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Z5M-adVQzaycbldZNXX_nU6pmGeyYA1U7bx1K-0Hqp6Gi4Krd8W1SEev5yOZD0Ja1ymBxFvvMDBhfI4M548AdmLmDGuGyW7Ny55NXeY0nhRDoj5vSaH5jHXUzxl4g0LAdFK9KA8LqXHn-tVu7stlL-ZnYKk2r6Hj9Yf62Z6mm5OOakPqc_4/s320/Pacifica_Runners.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">Soon enough, after warming up and using the porta-potty, we were off! it was fun seeing friends volunteering along the course, too. Some took photos of me during the race.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaz4cycNN7_Z3yUDeSrAiJblmpRD2kMwYSAr6xlSq86XG2-FxPNVr-xcgKIewxN6SC8YQGB3sImiVSz9v0P4DYVaBJIxtZ7kVkKlu6NYQTGdotYC_bMuGwKJKQdEHZ43X_rxX5V_Xg-lmfVg-nWLIbRTU6TAxVGob15DlX6NPK6VlaJtSEoPo/s1600/Ron2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaz4cycNN7_Z3yUDeSrAiJblmpRD2kMwYSAr6xlSq86XG2-FxPNVr-xcgKIewxN6SC8YQGB3sImiVSz9v0P4DYVaBJIxtZ7kVkKlu6NYQTGdotYC_bMuGwKJKQdEHZ43X_rxX5V_Xg-lmfVg-nWLIbRTU6TAxVGob15DlX6NPK6VlaJtSEoPo/s320/Ron2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGT3PkSFVt4GYdBde4gz7bFate5ZHZf5s9aPY7vSAilZzcDkZHP86qhM49xp2Xc2CHzSLxylZIVwI7zqNSTdVBVhfqne4aFA69k9SrVQmYnp68ik4jU4yvSBATfs3BYM-KXXpjNoW1157UntsesGc12Qd-wqSI0ffS7KKxxP1RiTowZbyvGA/s2016/Ron3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2016" data-original-width="1512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGT3PkSFVt4GYdBde4gz7bFate5ZHZf5s9aPY7vSAilZzcDkZHP86qhM49xp2Xc2CHzSLxylZIVwI7zqNSTdVBVhfqne4aFA69k9SrVQmYnp68ik4jU4yvSBATfs3BYM-KXXpjNoW1157UntsesGc12Qd-wqSI0ffS7KKxxP1RiTowZbyvGA/s320/Ron3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div>My friend Sean passed me during the race, which demoted me to 2nd place in our age group. Coming in 2nd to Sean is still an accomplishment -- he's fast! Lauren did great, and finished 2nd female. After the race, Lauren, Sean, and I got together for this photo:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAYF7lIBHRQj85ZbczQwbZEEE4se4HNHwHUVET-_raUeNmXmY7FUJ1MfmssgOnHesQBEgicubvu9NaEZhVdnQtg9YB1w3pfu4_uzFVI6W2UjGw8fhecUjp-Fll55WHtr-WntE8awatcPs1oi5m79VqaOOY0s8gtufSc84VY3R3F2IhX3gH3s/s4032/Lauren_Ron_Sean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAYF7lIBHRQj85ZbczQwbZEEE4se4HNHwHUVET-_raUeNmXmY7FUJ1MfmssgOnHesQBEgicubvu9NaEZhVdnQtg9YB1w3pfu4_uzFVI6W2UjGw8fhecUjp-Fll55WHtr-WntE8awatcPs1oi5m79VqaOOY0s8gtufSc84VY3R3F2IhX3gH3s/s320/Lauren_Ron_Sean.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">I met up with Mor and Mandy after the race:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6Ku1U0gdxZVQi_ilbbKjLr25ob76ypxF0thRZGB-FehlTGUK078-5cE8N3ndYLTo0CdKuR9MBMYmKbz23WOat6FFvyHmxGbIlsCKWt3UKjorOlItjyaS4aNi5qksvMrCezXfg4imlz1b1cfOQLpI_fnzhObBck46iCEQE-_NJmuibyj9-X0/s3264/Mandy_Mor_Ron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6Ku1U0gdxZVQi_ilbbKjLr25ob76ypxF0thRZGB-FehlTGUK078-5cE8N3ndYLTo0CdKuR9MBMYmKbz23WOat6FFvyHmxGbIlsCKWt3UKjorOlItjyaS4aNi5qksvMrCezXfg4imlz1b1cfOQLpI_fnzhObBck46iCEQE-_NJmuibyj9-X0/s320/Mandy_Mor_Ron.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Details:</p><ul class="ul1"><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I woke up at 5am which was plenty of time to eat a light breakfast (English muffin and tea) and get to the start with time to pick up my bib and warm up. The race started at 7:15am.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I didn't see the paid parking this year on Kelly Ave., but I found street parking on Kelly Ave.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I drank two cups of sports drink during the race, once around mile 4 and again around mile 8.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I had a bit of a hard time knowing my real pace because of a discrepancy between the mile markers and my GPS watch. Sometimes my watch would be reporting a slower pace, like 6:22, but then when I crossed a mile marker, the elapsed time from the previous mile marker would be like 6:08.</li><li class="li3" style="color: #dca10d; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://results.raceroster.com/v2/en-US/results/3djykz4mf637xzwa/results?subEvent=148305&page=1" target="_blank"><span class="s2" style="color: black; font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span class="s3" style="color: black;">Results</span></a></li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>Weight: 166.2 lbs</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I wore my Nike Alphafly road racing shoes. They did fine on the hard-packed dirt.</li></ul><br />Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-66231447029028138692022-09-17T19:00:00.001-07:002022-09-20T14:28:07.572-07:00Pacifica Summit 30K -- 2nd place<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcpvYeJUh_01gTl3SYU72x0OqMpJWGgtGXCPnUgpMb7RNFEtS6GfMhwj79F7q84GP7xNJuUDdSe4wJ44BkwNURK4FBDKkyi6WNUSFLbxMiX1IdSF5kmBHp_sITefzr1bM8awwu-oo3Eaw3-J2b5FFPN91DCV5vJ4Xc5LX6yHrXovPFWQiKUc/s1593/received_629369182170821.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1593" data-original-width="1178" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcpvYeJUh_01gTl3SYU72x0OqMpJWGgtGXCPnUgpMb7RNFEtS6GfMhwj79F7q84GP7xNJuUDdSe4wJ44BkwNURK4FBDKkyi6WNUSFLbxMiX1IdSF5kmBHp_sITefzr1bM8awwu-oo3Eaw3-J2b5FFPN91DCV5vJ4Xc5LX6yHrXovPFWQiKUc/w296-h400/received_629369182170821.jpeg" width="296" /></a></div><b>Summary</b><p></p><p>It went well! I ran 18 miles, with 4170' of elevation gain, in 2 hours 44 minutes 18 seconds. That was good for 2nd place male.</p><p><b>Details</b></p><p>My friend Lauren found this race, <a href="http://www.urbancoyoteracing.com/pacifica-summit-run.html" target="_blank">Pacifica Summit put on by Urban Coyote</a>, a month ago and shared it with my small group of regular running partners. It sounded fun! Three of us (me, Lauren, and Justin) quickly agreed to do the 30K (about 18 miles). This race would be like a good hard long training run on the way to our big goal of racing the California International Marathon in under 3 hours, this December.</p><p>It was nice to be able to sleep in a bit, until my alarm went off at 7am. I left the house a little after 8am and had plenty of time to get my bib and warm up and use the bathroom one last time. I met up with Justin, Lauren, and Jennifer K. (from Pacifica Runners).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kpC9i23XTsYJYn36aE6RVtKNh1LaSwVzbm7FwOnM_gwPzbplEzElGOTL8wCslpQwbm8NzcVrc97X9MgnHQARJ1qxu5ftXYcW7qLpgxhp87yDaRmldWDxXKPQvWfxH0e7as9HEAETGNRXbIaVA0hX_oFrp8g7MTF3XtL1p4gvP1PiW3bamp0/s2048/received_549303823619284.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kpC9i23XTsYJYn36aE6RVtKNh1LaSwVzbm7FwOnM_gwPzbplEzElGOTL8wCslpQwbm8NzcVrc97X9MgnHQARJ1qxu5ftXYcW7qLpgxhp87yDaRmldWDxXKPQvWfxH0e7as9HEAETGNRXbIaVA0hX_oFrp8g7MTF3XtL1p4gvP1PiW3bamp0/w640-h640/received_549303823619284.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren, Nama, Justin, me</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>At 9am, the 30K and half-marathoners started! My goals were to run solidly on the uphills, perhaps literally running every step, and to cruise the downhills, but to focus more on the end of the race and to not fall apart and to treat this a bit more like a long hard training run.</p><p>Soon, Justin and I found ourselves running together with Lauren a short ways back. There were a few guys in front of me, but I didn't know which race they were in. We got to the Brooks Trail, which is single-track, and is a steep ascent to the peak of Montara Mountain. I passed "backpack guy" and Justin passed him, too. I thought there were still one or two runners ahead, but I wasn't completely sure and I didn't know which race they were in.</p><p>Justin soon pulled ahead, and he would stay far in front of me for the rest of the race. Lauren stuck with me on the ascent and we tagged the gate at the peak of Montara Mountain together. I suggested to her on the climb that she could use today's race as a way to gain more confidence and practice on the downhills. We are really well-matched but I tend to always pull ahead on steep rocky downhills because I'm more confident on downhill technical terrain. I pulled ahead on the first big downhill.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMICpckd-r9EsNCL4fgNn7qjCpz41Gjua1abTJiF5aM1XwlC1CsQqHvdGVacn6iT22THgGP9_3GCopoCduObfhhqULrjGQK8cvmpt48jPHkDz1j2EaGu9nVUnLBQpHAHcbUL4sAb9iQykgMbH0l2oAr-q2321Uoz7PH-cAcMrHVj3HfQol9hc/s4032/Justin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMICpckd-r9EsNCL4fgNn7qjCpz41Gjua1abTJiF5aM1XwlC1CsQqHvdGVacn6iT22THgGP9_3GCopoCduObfhhqULrjGQK8cvmpt48jPHkDz1j2EaGu9nVUnLBQpHAHcbUL4sAb9iQykgMbH0l2oAr-q2321Uoz7PH-cAcMrHVj3HfQol9hc/s320/Justin.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Justin</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWb6AyK7lCx-jIK9zMZ__04oTb6NNbKimvjRxlt14ZkgdzD7E16TAGRuM7Z_OiFE02JGCZ3TfGLQ9BxWT6seyhW89uPqGdzhBU9b1v6NVdLh9sJMimUbzvYhpaU7XGiS2DxCvvbqVZi1KIRFp-xFIujwZV3tPQTvLR-Nr_KwIpQULWAPHWhQ/s4032/Ron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWb6AyK7lCx-jIK9zMZ__04oTb6NNbKimvjRxlt14ZkgdzD7E16TAGRuM7Z_OiFE02JGCZ3TfGLQ9BxWT6seyhW89uPqGdzhBU9b1v6NVdLh9sJMimUbzvYhpaU7XGiS2DxCvvbqVZi1KIRFp-xFIujwZV3tPQTvLR-Nr_KwIpQULWAPHWhQ/s320/Ron.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myself</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2r1ilvkNofkxApwkjKEtEdIbJqBa22dRb3k-5-jO3_BBemDyfWzpXhEx-3Tc6e652QWmQMuj8HP6ubd0tZV_ChdcpECjAUvsUr1Oe-zdul9vAPsmABqKXktiTW1Nu4VkkE1p8HvGMudwIk1Heh5aZVSR956_KVFYIHMkitTclRZ7kuDVr68/s4032/Lauren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG2r1ilvkNofkxApwkjKEtEdIbJqBa22dRb3k-5-jO3_BBemDyfWzpXhEx-3Tc6e652QWmQMuj8HP6ubd0tZV_ChdcpECjAUvsUr1Oe-zdul9vAPsmABqKXktiTW1Nu4VkkE1p8HvGMudwIk1Heh5aZVSR956_KVFYIHMkitTclRZ7kuDVr68/s320/Lauren.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I was carrying 20 oz of ice-cold sports drink from home, plus one energy gel. I ate the energy gel about halfway down the descent and I finished off my one handheld bottle as I neared the bottom of the mountain, close to where we started. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Q-fJjX0NRk_Kxhk7tHu3qYKrg76sFnnDJdSpeaVNvmNMPVCuRsXpdoQX689CgXvj5lt_v0k3OdYduY0PSB20Ua04xlA8QY31-u_EDN2EjTs9j8C3X0Dl7jf5HfsJ_BfjZtWhlIv7Ig10QnxeuEwR-pcs44gUaT-HTb2U32p0R4SFdA5CtHg/s2048/received_385407800464848.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Q-fJjX0NRk_Kxhk7tHu3qYKrg76sFnnDJdSpeaVNvmNMPVCuRsXpdoQX689CgXvj5lt_v0k3OdYduY0PSB20Ua04xlA8QY31-u_EDN2EjTs9j8C3X0Dl7jf5HfsJ_BfjZtWhlIv7Ig10QnxeuEwR-pcs44gUaT-HTb2U32p0R4SFdA5CtHg/w400-h400/received_385407800464848.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 7</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Soon, I was at the first aid station (mile 7 or so), and I refilled with sports drink. A minute later, I was climbing again, going up the Valley View Trail in Pacifica's San Pedro Valley Park. I ran every step. Then, it was back down to the valley again. I felt like I was cruising along pretty well. Then it was time to go up the long long set of switchbacks of the Hazelnut Trail.</p><p>Nearing the end of the Hazelnut Trail, after a long descent, I saw a runner out of the corner of my eye behind me. Lauren! Wow! She was doing great! After the aid station (mile 13 approximately), I slowed down a bit to let her catch up to me, since we were so close. She said that she had finished the half-marathon just now faster than when she raced just the half-marathon earlier this year. Awesome! She has really gotten stronger and faster. She led the way up the Valley View trail, on our 2nd and last loop of the valley. On the descent, she motioned me ahead, and I cruised downhill, a bit faster than she was yet comfortable with, I assume. I wouldn't see her again until the finish.</p><p>At the bottom of Valley View, as we make a sharp left turn onto the main valley trail, I heard my name being shouted from across the valley. Justin! He was so far ahead! Way to go! I shouted back. I wasn't sure how far ahead of me he was, but it seemed like a long ways (half mile?).</p><p>On the Hazelnut Trail, I slowly caught up to another runner who was clearly in the 30K. (He was moving way too fast to be a back-of-the-pack half-marathoner or 10K runner.) I said "hi". I was feeling pretty good and I made a move to pass him, but he picked up the pace, too. So, we stuck together, with me on his heels, most of the way up Hazelnut. I started feeling stronger and stronger and I felt like I could really push harder for the remaining switchbacks, so I said "I'm going to try to push harder. You're doing great. I'll probably see you again very soon!" And I pushed quite a bit harder for the next 5 minutes or so. I didn't see that guy again until the finish line. I didn't realize it yet, but I was now in 2nd place.</p><p>I pushed the pace on the final downhill. I felt good! I flew by back-of-the-pack runners in the other racers. "On your left", I would call out. And I would cheer them on with a "good job" or "way to go" when I passed. I recognized the last couple of turns. Almost there! I poured on the speed to the finish. Woo hoo!</p><p>Justin was cheering for me at the finish. He had a great race, finishing over 3 minutes ahead of me. A friend in the Pacifica Runners, Kayla, was there, taking photos. Thank you, Kayla!</p><p>Soon, the 3rd place guy came through and then right behind him was Lauren! They finished only 3 minutes behind me. Way to go, Lauren!!!</p><p>A couple of other friends who happened to be doing a long run had stopped by to say "hi" -- Katie and Aaron. That was fun hanging out for a bit. I was given a to-go mug and a pint glass, as an age award. Lauren and Justin additionally received a nice blanket for their wins.</p><p>Fun!</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Random Data</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://results.sporthive.com/events/6977041619340601856/races/5" target="_blank">Results</a></li><li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/7824316557/overview" target="_blank">Strava activity</a></li><li>Morning weight: 164.8 lbs. I ate poorly this week and somehow managed to gain 5 lbs.</li><li>Breakfast: 2 pieces of toast with peanut butter and honey, 1 large cup of herbal tea.</li></ul><p></p><div><br /></div>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-90870274504593500672022-08-14T23:29:00.036-07:002022-08-20T17:20:12.570-07:00Humboldt Bay Marathon -- 2:56:41<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AHES5k1XfDLOKmZvF8pTCpzR9pQvRtveQgQVk_9zA1vMXH1iZ-Pnu9MHxFobZtT4VV-K1Irp-3UycjlivfVqT4dnKpQVRu-MJICJbPD5yRrbnt1Ce_jpgIr3SiTj3ax36zhUxlvMgTSaJqxzx7K6ucxVGR70LSPCYwQ-sPwwNS7uJDXbmto/s2016/Ron%20Jenna%20finish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2016" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-AHES5k1XfDLOKmZvF8pTCpzR9pQvRtveQgQVk_9zA1vMXH1iZ-Pnu9MHxFobZtT4VV-K1Irp-3UycjlivfVqT4dnKpQVRu-MJICJbPD5yRrbnt1Ce_jpgIr3SiTj3ax36zhUxlvMgTSaJqxzx7K6ucxVGR70LSPCYwQ-sPwwNS7uJDXbmto/w640-h480/Ron%20Jenna%20finish.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Summary</b></p><p>I had such a fun time and this race went surprisingly well! I ran very consistently and had a strong finish and no real problems. It felt a lot like a long coastal run with a friend at home. This was a very small race, with just 62 marathoners and 155 half-marathoners, but I happened to match paces with the first-place woman for 25 miles before pulling ahead of her for the last mile or so. I covered the 26.2 miles in 2 hours 56 minutes 41 seconds which is an average of 6 minutes 45 seconds per mile, which is really good for me. This was my 34th road marathon and my 3rd fastest. This was the first marathon where I ran every mile in faster than 7 minutes. I was only 49 seconds slower than my personal record -- <a href="http://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-york-city-marathon-25552-pr.html" target="_blank">2:55:52</a> in the New York City Marathon way back in 2010. My recovery was the quickest ever and I felt completely normal two and a half days later and did a hard hilly 7 miles.</p><p><b>Details</b></p><p>My wife found this race for me, months ago, as part of a planned long-weekend get-away, to hike among coast redwoods in Avenue of the Giants and to go kayaking and to visit the Vichy Hot Springs. This race would be a fun experience but wasn't an important goal race. I didn't train specifically for this, but I did taper, so that I could be ready to run hard. My next big goal was to run the California International Marathon in under 3 hours.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsU-HughuNMl9cG6EtNELphs-dV7tEzZd4IVlmqBgZsHg6NAt177m3x43s4jBfconoeWIoyA2IILzt_vaaG9oqFAqBB5Ua0CxMHwWqdfK5iLMr-Aq6krvMsQysy_ub_c-2XB1cg2CDuxXgN55Rni9GmLDihUlPYKHfNYOiWRCprJjMkoylZE/s3264/Ron%20Founders%20Grove.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsU-HughuNMl9cG6EtNELphs-dV7tEzZd4IVlmqBgZsHg6NAt177m3x43s4jBfconoeWIoyA2IILzt_vaaG9oqFAqBB5Ua0CxMHwWqdfK5iLMr-Aq6krvMsQysy_ub_c-2XB1cg2CDuxXgN55Rni9GmLDihUlPYKHfNYOiWRCprJjMkoylZE/w300-h400/Ron%20Founders%20Grove.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>I was traveling with my wife (Jennifer) and my sister (Jess). The day before the race was unusually active -- we kayaked for 2 hours and walked a lot and I did an easy 4 mile run. But I wasn't worried -- I wasn't taking this race too seriously. I slept somewhat poorly the night before, but I think it was muscle restlessness; I wasn't at all stressed about the race.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMhE4KNPhg9RPPB80cxkPK7KZ-pGXfIWXPoN8glUYebXaBxYjsjEc1MpxAHKVnf-ZayVvsgegK8BZLVvOwaRfQOGaSnxLMMjD277FiNIOAoPiD-bI3rMRm8H3Lp_IHYAk2ja3decS_lABcxDB7rQWjZAYENIVwBdGMZR_IoNvQizRzCFVnHE/s2008/Ron%20Jenna%20kayaking.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="2008" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsMhE4KNPhg9RPPB80cxkPK7KZ-pGXfIWXPoN8glUYebXaBxYjsjEc1MpxAHKVnf-ZayVvsgegK8BZLVvOwaRfQOGaSnxLMMjD277FiNIOAoPiD-bI3rMRm8H3Lp_IHYAk2ja3decS_lABcxDB7rQWjZAYENIVwBdGMZR_IoNvQizRzCFVnHE/w640-h186/Ron%20Jenna%20kayaking.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0skPfsR-4vIdMM7UJkyC4IEAKlmaDMxJHoqlUEFuYbtn1h-0Rs5dqpJwiHVR0-ov-xOnEh2-KrUH0oj9l_f8qpHau6IjqHkvK3Qv8wkX6hohAzNcCrs-xE2YLc7aXyyFVNpiFiqIivcC4w4yK4NT1O_OEN7KImBn-VFI23p5rVMk6yUeUEA/s3264/Ron%20Jennifer%20Jess%20kayaks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw0skPfsR-4vIdMM7UJkyC4IEAKlmaDMxJHoqlUEFuYbtn1h-0Rs5dqpJwiHVR0-ov-xOnEh2-KrUH0oj9l_f8qpHau6IjqHkvK3Qv8wkX6hohAzNcCrs-xE2YLc7aXyyFVNpiFiqIivcC4w4yK4NT1O_OEN7KImBn-VFI23p5rVMk6yUeUEA/w640-h480/Ron%20Jennifer%20Jess%20kayaks.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>On race morning, I woke up with my alarm at 5am, ate a quick breakfast of a bagel and BBQ chips. It's easy for me to eat a lot of tasty chips, so I exceeded my 600 calorie goal for sure. I drank about 20 oz of water plus had a decaf coffee. I took a 15 minute nap and then did final preparations. The start area, Madaket Plaza, was just a 10 minute walk away, and Jennifer and I headed out at about 6:30am. That gave me just enough time to do a little warm-up jog and a couple of strides, take an energy gel at 6:45am, drink some more water (10 oz?) and use the porta-potty. The nice thing about a small race is that the logistics are pretty easy! It wasn't hard to line up or to hear instructions and 5 porta-potties were plenty for us 62 marathoners.</p><p>The disadvantage of a small casual race is that it's easy for there to be uncertainties or little bits of confusion. For example, the starting line wasn't real clear (there was a short white line on the ground) nor was the direction we were to run in real clear. One of the official pacers walked over to a map with me and pointed out where we were to run once the race started.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimF9vQC5d-PpmWNv2voG0FkkgVxiemVtpulQ8MEEtgI0JJstxjpAoz38EK0WgCIuocNW8GNN-m_f0ZwmkiL_kx72FTa-1A-4B_cmlmGJaQPOcWEq6KTk9CjyfCWX_GJjERm3rJoPpI6M_-2_gdQ7zMhg7nkgg4qkMoaOanGioJkyn4uG1qE0/s4032/Ron_start_Humboldt_Bay_Marathon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgimF9vQC5d-PpmWNv2voG0FkkgVxiemVtpulQ8MEEtgI0JJstxjpAoz38EK0WgCIuocNW8GNN-m_f0ZwmkiL_kx72FTa-1A-4B_cmlmGJaQPOcWEq6KTk9CjyfCWX_GJjERm3rJoPpI6M_-2_gdQ7zMhg7nkgg4qkMoaOanGioJkyn4uG1qE0/w640-h480/Ron_start_Humboldt_Bay_Marathon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Soon, we were off! I had heard that one of the fast-looking guys was aiming for 2:20:00! He was soon pulling away from everyone. There were a couple more guys who were quite a bit faster than my goal pace of 6:51 / mile, and they pulled ahead, too. I found myself in a group of the fastest women. I think there were 5 or 6 of us for a bit.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rHJXDmnfUyw" width="320" youtube-src-id="rHJXDmnfUyw"></iframe></div><p>The course consists of four out-and-backs, but the first out-and-back deviates a bit in order to visit the Carson Mansion. It's cool-looking, for sure, but it felt very artificial to run up to it and then do a quick turn-around. I commented about this, saying that this part of the course felt funky, to the runner behind me. The other women fell behind and from about the one mile mark, I was running with the first-place woman, Kimberly.</p><p>My pace was just a tiny bit faster than planned, by just a few seconds per mile, but I felt great and since there were no other runners around, it felt good to be able to chat with someone and to run with someone. Although it's common for runners to chat in marathons and longer races, it's uncommon in my experience to run nearly the whole race with a stranger. But that's what happened! The closest example I can think of was that I think I ran about 18 miles of the <a href="https://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2010/12/las-vegas-marathon-25904-as-elvis.html" target="_blank">Las Vegas Marathon</a> with a guy from Canada, but I ended up running 25 miles with Kimberly!</p><p>The weather was cool and the sky was overcast and I felt at ease. I said to Kimberly that I was aiming for a 3 hour finish time and I asked if that was her goal, too. She said she was running for fun and was pacing by feel, and that she didn't have a goal pace or goal time, and that she didn't want to know her pace. For me, I'm pretty sure I would start off too fast if I tried to do that.</p><p>She had recovered from some kind of bad accident that left her in a wheelchair for 6 months. She really just seemed to be very happy to be running, as I would, too, if I had gone through all that.</p><p>Around mile 6, I was pulling an energy gel out of my pocket and I didn't realize it, but I had accidentally paused my watch (Coros Apex Pro) by pressing a button against my shorts or shirt. This kind of messed up my distances and timing for the rest of the race, since it took me over a tenth of a mile before I discovered that the watch was paused.</p><p>The miles seemed to flow by easily. Much of the time we could run side-by-side, but when the paths got narrow, I ran a bit behind her. It really helped to be "pulled along" by her and her pace was very consistent. We didn't talk constantly, but we checked-in with each other that we were both OK with running together.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iICDR2o7zDI" width="320" youtube-src-id="iICDR2o7zDI"></iframe></div><p>We discovered a super-cool coincidence. I told her that I was once the course director of the Half Moon Bay International Marathon and she said that was her favorite race! Wow! And then I realized that I recognized her as the first overall finisher one year, who ran the entire course with her then-boyfriend (and now husband). I was thinking that the Half Moon Bay Marathon had a kind of funky course, with lots of turns, various out-and-backs, and a mix of surfaces, and so it felt similar to the Humboldt Bay Marathon, but she said she loved that course! So neat!</p><p>One of the benefits of a race course that has loops or multiple out-and-backs is that it is easier for spectators to cheer on the runners. It was great seeing Jennifer every time I came back through the start/finish area. That was super-nice of her to hang out there all morning. My sister Jess joined later and cheered me on. In another location, a guy I happened to meet at our hotel, Craig, cheered me on by name every time I ran by. (He was there to cheer on his wife, Stacy, who was running her first marathon in 12 years.)</p><p>The volunteers were great and Kimberly and I made it a point to always thank them. I think that gratitude works for us, too, and that somehow by smiling and being happy, we make our race more enjoyable and the miles go by faster. But funny enough, cursing when in pain also helps relieve pain. Kimberly and I discussed these bits of psychology, along with some theories about nutrition and hydration and the placebo effect. It was really fun to just have the miles flow easily by.</p><p>We finished the first half-marathon around 1 hour 28 minutes or so. I felt like I had had a good workout, but I also felt fine and that I seemed to have plenty of energy left. Jennifer! She was taking a video of us. Thank you, my love. "I'm half-way done but more than half-way spent" I think I said.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5sAw99Xz7vI" width="320" youtube-src-id="5sAw99Xz7vI"></iframe></div><p>I ate an energy gel every 35 minutes or so, and drank a cup of water or sports drink every 2 to 4 miles. If I had a little water left in the cup, I dumped it on my head. The temperature was cool, but it still felt good to cool down a bit more.</p><p>In the 2nd half, we started passing lots of half-marathoners. This is always a little guilty morale booster for me, but I agreed with Kimberly when she said that what you tell yourself in your head is OK, if it gives you an ego boost, since we're not bringing anyone else down. True!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzZp4DjWlB1zbopA_CWWmBErr2v4dOMd9hKlJwndFgf7BVnk4K-VoOiPacEJyHdde10iloDYCPyGdc' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p>I was wondering if I might bonk or get cramps after about mile 18 or 20, when I have had problems in so many other marathons, but no, I felt good! We kept up our steady pace. Finally, at mile 25, I decided I could risk going faster and I pulled ahead of Kimberly. She encouraged me to take off and I said I was just going to push slightly harder. I saw the 3rd place guy in front of me. He seemed like he was struggling and I soon caught up to him. As I passed him, I tried to encourage him, "You got this! We're almost done!" I felt small twinges of cramps in my right calf and then left calf. I knew I was on the edge. Mile marker 26 went by. I was getting so close. I pushed harder. I recognized the finish area. I pushed hard to the finish. I heard Jennifer cheering me. Woo hoo! 3rd place! And I was well under 3 hours!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzS__CtciLACTpvuk65wtVYux3RQGJXTcrACEyJrtIyr-2Hk9dCNz3x9lwdG0GHinDL0da9-ZVNmc8' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>I wasn't sure about my finish time. I was so curious! I hugged Jennifer. Jess came over. Soon, there was lots more cheering. Kimberly finished just 39 seconds behind me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuB1aS9vbCXiHTD4klIVDG9-eHyeYMSoezIKmlgZN7OJewBsNeSRUPuDR1WQD97EFKDKHOsJq0DGTT52Qbe8v7Q6dlv9fW2C6OMeIzL-V54H9a-OaZZYrZps0pqP9fM4_Y3lUq7LqYD1QxVQGzHqbHzPLt6t6-cl4_K1A0YRXfep0IOv2ZsQ/s4032/Ron_and_Kimberly_Humboldt_Bay_Marathon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuB1aS9vbCXiHTD4klIVDG9-eHyeYMSoezIKmlgZN7OJewBsNeSRUPuDR1WQD97EFKDKHOsJq0DGTT52Qbe8v7Q6dlv9fW2C6OMeIzL-V54H9a-OaZZYrZps0pqP9fM4_Y3lUq7LqYD1QxVQGzHqbHzPLt6t6-cl4_K1A0YRXfep0IOv2ZsQ/w640-h480/Ron_and_Kimberly_Humboldt_Bay_Marathon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>The first-place guy received his award early, since he had to leave quickly. The awards ceremony would be at noon.</p><p>Kimberly asked me if I wanted to join her for a cool-down run. I've never done a cool-down run after any race longer than a 5K, but sure! Why not! I felt good! We were both really happy with how the race went and we thanked each other for the company. She was so happy that she didn't have to stop to use a porta-potty during the race. I joked that I was happy that my company provided an anti-laxative effect. She laughed. I hope we meet-up again after she and her husband move back to the Bay Area. We jogged around for less than a mile and then I walked the half-mile back to the hotel.</p><p>After meeting up with Jennifer and Jess, and taking a shower and checking out of our hotel, and getting a lunch to-go, we stopped by the start/finish area at Madaket Plaza again, to attend the award ceremony at noon. Lots of marathoners (and maybe some half-marathoners) were still out on the course. I chatted with some of the other finishers and met up with Kimberly again, too.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfK0BXMJPuLE9dJIX-TS9YXqrvSlmeYkZ1sDfneF80aovG4G14d0261ff15ynMgde12uvISPf3cac7npYUtEPllkeQeFLuHtiIBQwUPd8H_e7CRad49WHU_j7Pouj0pAg-Lv0cSq06cZs3f5vg63bzR7OTyhZGPq28nPCgN6UHoBmAZGMX2Rs/s4032/Chris%20Ron%20Paul.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfK0BXMJPuLE9dJIX-TS9YXqrvSlmeYkZ1sDfneF80aovG4G14d0261ff15ynMgde12uvISPf3cac7npYUtEPllkeQeFLuHtiIBQwUPd8H_e7CRad49WHU_j7Pouj0pAg-Lv0cSq06cZs3f5vg63bzR7OTyhZGPq28nPCgN6UHoBmAZGMX2Rs/w640-h480/Chris%20Ron%20Paul.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris, myself, and Paul (2nd place male)</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I received my 1st place male masters award. I'm guessing that this is for being the fastest runner over the age of 40. Nice!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwqlHBuf6ZNs_cnh8QdqpRLJhFjO8Xqiu-ykIF_kXnl19c494J__Fy6fxRBZwlIxaSXjy6YmYeykFE' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>Wow! What a day!</p><div><b>Random Data</b></div><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>This was my first marathon where I ran every mile in under 7 minutes.</li><li>The race started at 7am. I set my alarm for 5am. That was enough time to eat some breakfast (a bagel and a bunch of BBQ chips; I probably exceeded my 600 calorie goal). During the race, I could taste the BBQ chips a couple of times.</li><li>I ate one energy gel, 15 minutes before the race started. I carried 5 with me from the start of the race. I ate 4 during the race, with one about every 35 minutes.</li><li>I got a cup of water or sports drink maybe every 4 miles.</li><li>Most recent weight: 161.8 lbs.</li><li><a href="http://6rrc.com/HBM2022.htm" target="_blank">Results</a></li><li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/7638327349/overview" target="_blank">Strava workout</a></li></ul><p></p><p><b>What went well</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Just about everything!</li><li>My shoes, Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next%, felt amazing and gave a bounce to my stride.</li><li>I didn't have any urge to pee or poop during the race.</li><li>No chafing.</li><li>My energy levels seemed consistent and I had a strong finish.</li><li>My training for Western States, plus some recent speed work and shorter faster races (a half-marathon and a 5K) seemed to have prepared me just fine for a marathon.</li><li>I liked wearing this same white Lake Sonoma 50 Mile shirt that I used at Western States. It doesn't chafe but it also seems to stay damp and let me stay cool, more easily.</li><li>No injuries.</li><li>It was so random, but running with an interesting fellow-racer made the experience more enjoyable and probably helped me run faster, too.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Things to improve</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I accidentally paused my watch for about 0.14 miles or so. I love many things about the Coros Apex Pro, but it's too easy to press this big bezel button and pause the workout when you don't want to. There's a lock feature to help prevent this, but then it takes several seconds to stop the workout when you cross the finish line. Maybe for marathons and longer, I'll just have to use the lock screen feature.</li></ul>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0Eureka, CA, USA40.8020712 -124.163672912.491837363821155 -159.3199229 69.112305036178839 -89.0074229tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-18362474041283600532022-08-07T16:28:00.002-07:002022-08-08T10:57:37.747-07:00Tiki Trot 5K -- 17:50<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fcIH7Us7emx_ckbVAfkW-ySZIAQWrp5-rCEh0siWf_Qc4wIhdVemiVK6VP8ytBKgNoqp9oZnA1-v5MpkzEMXYUS928OShMm0utYYmXRZm4OF-ulztVbnjm253n-k8sQqKr0-u7vEjHKJV3BXVEbpEMwsJ-z6X3OEHJXP4iPCO6WyBjUF1G4/s4080/Tiki%20Trot%20Ron.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fcIH7Us7emx_ckbVAfkW-ySZIAQWrp5-rCEh0siWf_Qc4wIhdVemiVK6VP8ytBKgNoqp9oZnA1-v5MpkzEMXYUS928OShMm0utYYmXRZm4OF-ulztVbnjm253n-k8sQqKr0-u7vEjHKJV3BXVEbpEMwsJ-z6X3OEHJXP4iPCO6WyBjUF1G4/w640-h482/Tiki%20Trot%20Ron.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This distance is such a lung-buster! It was fun seeing so many friends and I even managed to convince my daughter and her boyfriend to join. I tried to not start too fast and I held it together reasonably well. Surprisingly, I was the fastest guy this time, gradually pulling away from a fast high-schooler who was probably a third my age, lol. I managed to barely beat my all-time personal record for this distance, set on this course <a href="http://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2021/08/tiki-trot-5k-17559.html" target="_blank">a year ago</a>, by about 6 seconds.</p><p>This race unfolded in an unusual way. The kid who raced to the front slowed down suddenly at about the 0.5 mile point, in order to adjust his ear pods and his phone! I passed him at that point and took the lead. Another very fast-looking kid was on my heels. I checked my watch every minute or so, to glance at the average pace for the whole race so far. There is a bit of downhill at the beginning, but I didn't want to go under 5:32 or so, and that's about where I hit the first mile.</p><p>At the turn-around, 2nd place was maybe 10-15 seconds behind me. It's fun to see all of the other runners in the race, since the entire course is an out-and-back. We encouraged each other. Surprisingly, the kid who led us all at the beginning was walking! I shouted some words of encouragement like "You can do this, man!".</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPQHQV-xvA-ZteeFflRv3cWPpXRN7LWZFGNsObtvNcqqkrGHFH91q1LS_kwex-lHUw2j_K534-8-NqVZhCW7kKoRqRtA2efGYNYiYbAjgXaF6HsfY2bbHKW0G5B5Vgji55K-GT6yNhsF4WNTrs50RIalPW8t4WmIl_FrzNd007SoyhkSvayWA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3016" data-original-width="4528" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPQHQV-xvA-ZteeFflRv3cWPpXRN7LWZFGNsObtvNcqqkrGHFH91q1LS_kwex-lHUw2j_K534-8-NqVZhCW7kKoRqRtA2efGYNYiYbAjgXaF6HsfY2bbHKW0G5B5Vgji55K-GT6yNhsF4WNTrs50RIalPW8t4WmIl_FrzNd007SoyhkSvayWA=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><br />I was breathing really hard. At one bend in the course, I glanced behind me a bit, just to be sure no one was sneaking up on me. There was no one in sight. I had this. Finally, I could see the finish line and I pushed extra hard. Hands in the air! Woo hoo! 2nd-place was about a minute behind me.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pZirUeYpzHbwjflvzo8vGN7qAd56no3jUW6DS5dFBMrmiDP6YPwLyFzvNynYQCreerWiRPN_lVOLvAM0sQPUVyCHguPXG5c3WP-lCH9YPfLM4w1_IKX1ydyvsLh1lGFzNGy_SFDcj-HMAQk-IyZnNfhyvtfw2S-4vXBFlY1vVqKVtTtC7uY/s2048/Tiki%20Trot%20finish%20line.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1866" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5pZirUeYpzHbwjflvzo8vGN7qAd56no3jUW6DS5dFBMrmiDP6YPwLyFzvNynYQCreerWiRPN_lVOLvAM0sQPUVyCHguPXG5c3WP-lCH9YPfLM4w1_IKX1ydyvsLh1lGFzNGy_SFDcj-HMAQk-IyZnNfhyvtfw2S-4vXBFlY1vVqKVtTtC7uY/w584-h640/Tiki%20Trot%20finish%20line.jpg" width="584" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I got to cheer on all of the finishers. My friend Lauren won the women's race. Congratulations, Lauren!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhDP4_ehFmS8VsthqT_7kzFaeummfHsV6BsqK9DWgZ5OpFcVVlSoAx6c8Mcj75Dmw0-BMrp3rP4HlE4FOa1sOc17ZdjAgl-jL00JbsNwrnuN8eaUQ_Uevrccw3ladvMtISH0gFiqLXTqRxw7vAFQUxQKke3AZlgwHn7Y7QCBOdXYmZB3sXhA/s3840/Tiki%20Trot%20Ron%20Lauren.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="3840" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGhDP4_ehFmS8VsthqT_7kzFaeummfHsV6BsqK9DWgZ5OpFcVVlSoAx6c8Mcj75Dmw0-BMrp3rP4HlE4FOa1sOc17ZdjAgl-jL00JbsNwrnuN8eaUQ_Uevrccw3ladvMtISH0gFiqLXTqRxw7vAFQUxQKke3AZlgwHn7Y7QCBOdXYmZB3sXhA/w640-h480/Tiki%20Trot%20Ron%20Lauren.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Random data:<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=285691&did=338441&fbclid=IwAR0toka26p3NASkUUbNvlf7pCiPaAURPt5VK-x9__4dAbvtnVhtreUo6kYY" target="_blank">Results</a>. My official time was 17:50.</li><li><a href="https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN0Q0ryebZFsshf5oTLoSe49oGUUNyhuIekB2iKmoDgy4hfcNZ-1RqsqgekYqJgxQ?key=SmNsT1R0aFNLbDBNNGl3Nl9PNWNCajRTMEk1dW53" target="_blank">Race photos</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/7599838020/overview" target="_blank">Strava workout</a></li><li>Weight: 161.2 lbs</li></ul><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-49072295487733282112022-07-17T16:48:00.070-07:002022-08-17T10:00:51.758-07:00Pacifica Foothills Half-Marathon -- 3rd place<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalrokOboZkkkLF0uYgiJMJT79b3IGFvBuDSUNqBovBjj8pHlFeqiKqrXDnt7zyDxQk3y8MktAKwJYAnU38HGMtUmAgOCzhMHhu8R38rg-8Qus5JknC6QecoO0TI0ZuwzMUsq5HSh-44KFNUBS4l3m3jm71RNxdrU-IwipWB5Wis17hjs9g88/s4032/PXL_20220717_181230781.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalrokOboZkkkLF0uYgiJMJT79b3IGFvBuDSUNqBovBjj8pHlFeqiKqrXDnt7zyDxQk3y8MktAKwJYAnU38HGMtUmAgOCzhMHhu8R38rg-8Qus5JknC6QecoO0TI0ZuwzMUsq5HSh-44KFNUBS4l3m3jm71RNxdrU-IwipWB5Wis17hjs9g88/w640-h480/PXL_20220717_181230781.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It took me 1 hour 48 minutes of hard running to complete this very hilly and rocky 13.3 mile course with 3,100' of elevation gain. That was good for 3rd place male and 1st in my age group. My running buddy Lauren kicked butt as usual and earned 2nd place female and 2nd place in her age group. Aaron and Ross are in my little group of regular running partners, too, and Aaron won the 30K and Ross came in 2nd place in the 30K.</p><p>It was fun seeing so many friends from the Coastside Running Club and Tuesday Night Run Club:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUnoN4WzrTCg_KZfkJYuE-yKxiXAljFg21oM9KMdbGlbjP8nHqJXPIOAS3slKvnsBGKeujisdORD5EB2TEgn9zQqwVwczJDiismVGDnIHUPmvEN7Ft_QDagWK3ccVuNaFWCB5A5yYxZ9afSM6VtBvr-HBQt3dGkpz40b4nn4eh11OrkDfvxw/s4032/PXL_20220717_152032545.NIGHT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUnoN4WzrTCg_KZfkJYuE-yKxiXAljFg21oM9KMdbGlbjP8nHqJXPIOAS3slKvnsBGKeujisdORD5EB2TEgn9zQqwVwczJDiismVGDnIHUPmvEN7Ft_QDagWK3ccVuNaFWCB5A5yYxZ9afSM6VtBvr-HBQt3dGkpz40b4nn4eh11OrkDfvxw/w640-h480/PXL_20220717_152032545.NIGHT.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I saw friends from Pacifica Runners and Belmont Runners, too.</p><p>I felt like I ran well and that I gave it my all. I probably started a little fast, as I led the race for about 2/3rds of the way up the first ascent to the top of Montara Mountain. I felt very fast on the decent. On the Valley View loop, I felt like I was struggling a bit on the ascent and I could tell that 3rd place was catching up; he passed me by the time I finished this loop. I ran every step up the seemingly endless switchbacks of Hazelnut Trail, and then crushed the descent to the finish, staying in 3rd place. It was fun passing the 30K runners who had started 15 minutes before us. I carried 20 oz of sports drink which was just enough -- I didn't need to stop at the aid station.</p>I didn't trip or fall or have any problems navigating the course. I could have easily run the course without ribbons because I'm so familiar with these trails.<p></p><p>My official time was 1:49:53 but they seemed to have added a minute to everyone. My watch showed 1:48:40, from start to finish. Lauren reported a similar anomaly.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=93890" target="_blank">Results</a></li><li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/7486195432/overview" target="_blank">Strava activity</a></li><li>Weight: 160.0 lbs</li></ul><p></p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-14407821233601790712022-06-30T23:54:00.035-07:002022-07-12T21:51:39.409-07:00Western States 100 -- 23:19:17<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvCT6HyI5-ww2hAr658_483HRNdwgy63Kk4q4sRIX8oHfzMPEPPcmdWMgODsp1SUhfTgTtow53ToQrElYzi25f55BX8JmujqlszKrBA6dLWxH3iO4Mhb5e1UwGwbaz3itVFrPwNajDgmDGBqj8seqjBxuQK5hDEHsO4BGKY55-1VgNbq2hjk/s4032/PXL_20220627_151057730.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjvCT6HyI5-ww2hAr658_483HRNdwgy63Kk4q4sRIX8oHfzMPEPPcmdWMgODsp1SUhfTgTtow53ToQrElYzi25f55BX8JmujqlszKrBA6dLWxH3iO4Mhb5e1UwGwbaz3itVFrPwNajDgmDGBqj8seqjBxuQK5hDEHsO4BGKY55-1VgNbq2hjk/w640-h480/PXL_20220627_151057730.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><p><b><br /></b></p>Summary</b><p></p><p>This was the experience of a lifetime. I'm so grateful to have been able to participate in this race, and for the incredible volunteers, and for the support and encouragement of friends and family, and for my training partners, and for a wonderful coach, and to my two pacers, Rachael and Lauren. I'm grateful that my wonderful wife supported my training and was my one-woman crew. I'm grateful to have been physically able to take on and overcome this epic challenge. And I earned that silver belt buckle, by finishing in under 24 hours! It took me 23 hours 19 minutes 17 seconds to cover the 100.2 miles, with 18,000' of gain, 23,000' of descent, rocky terrain, and near hundred degree heat. I didn't get injured or go off course or trip and fall. Mostly, the race went really well.</p><p>This was my 8th hundred miler, and 42nd ultramarathon. (I have also run 33 road marathons and many other shorter races.)</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Why?!</b></p><p>Western States Endurance Run -- it's not just the oldest 100 mile foot race in the world. It's a prestigious, competitive, and incredibly well-supported event that covers beautiful and difficult trails, with steep ascents and steeper descents, and often very warm weather in the canyons, from Olympic Valley to Auburn, California. It has an incredibly loving running community that supports it, with 1,500 volunteers who do everything from clearing the trail in the months beforehand, to organizing aid stations, to ensuring our safety.</p><p>Getting into this race is difficult, as there are many more accomplished runners who wish to enter than are allowed. Only 369 runners, on average, are allowed and in the most recent lottery, there were 6,208 applicants. I managed to <a href="http://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2013/07/western-states-100-hoped-for-miracle.html" target="_blank">get into the race in 2013</a>, but was injured when I started. It took years of qualifying and applying before I got in again. This was possibly the opportunity of a lifetime! So, I did everything I could think of to make this race a success.</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Training is more fun with friends and a coach!</b></p><p>Considering the importance of this race to me, I hired a coach for the first time. I wanted to be as well-prepared as I could while still staying healthy. I happened to have four friends who have all used Maxx Antush as their coach. My friend Alan credited Maxx with preparing him for an amazing improvement in the hundred mile distance, and that pushed me to reach out to Maxx. Maxx is selective about taking on new clients and he asked mutual friends about me. I'm glad I passed the test! I felt highly-motivated, healthy, and with a good "base" of miles, having run my fastest hundred milers the year before, as well as my fastest 5 km races. Also, I had the time and family support to train hard. My daughter was off to college and I only work 30 hours a week from home, so I felt like I could give the training the priority that I wanted to.</p><p>Just as importantly, I had some friends who I convinced to join me for many of these runs. We started a WhatsApp group to coordinate the five of us -- me, Lauren, Ross, Justin, and Aaron. We were all of similar ability and could push each other. Between them and the coach, this was the most fun I've had training for a race, and I have run a lot of races! Thank you, all! And thank you for listening to weeks and weeks of talking about Western States -- if I was relieved to no longer need to talk about it, I can only imagine your relief!</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkNwVNGcWeZDpY3cYawDKBEUPul3cShku-EsII8S6-DLHpEG_dinfF4d6w6RO6DBunRckrEk8aRa2RCgq1W3Ns_YxlbNTZmWLTIX6ksnHLVc8tO6f1Q4AwEoKz_0VH99hPumIXAEg2sOb_MAUU4-vOtZoxzMY49UrX_rSJD4IEQCv39mdC6w/s3264/PXL_20220703_142015758.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSkNwVNGcWeZDpY3cYawDKBEUPul3cShku-EsII8S6-DLHpEG_dinfF4d6w6RO6DBunRckrEk8aRa2RCgq1W3Ns_YxlbNTZmWLTIX6ksnHLVc8tO6f1Q4AwEoKz_0VH99hPumIXAEg2sOb_MAUU4-vOtZoxzMY49UrX_rSJD4IEQCv39mdC6w/s320/PXL_20220703_142015758.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ross, Lauren, and me</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJLcN0nBlXNEBWwluoGtSIZnQPZ68tSRIhG5SrMJvDlzIZoZo3y0YzLd1HJJtUf1Z3asgV-tK5CdxE2zWW-3fpCHWgz9hrP3vmIpuryOZ1EKurYbLcI8F-g4HPXl0wFlVGkUYn0DiKkXCeJDVWP0Yo9WlkzM9tLHD9opFHwFWPsryv6nYeWE/s3264/PXL_20220622_153126544.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJLcN0nBlXNEBWwluoGtSIZnQPZ68tSRIhG5SrMJvDlzIZoZo3y0YzLd1HJJtUf1Z3asgV-tK5CdxE2zWW-3fpCHWgz9hrP3vmIpuryOZ1EKurYbLcI8F-g4HPXl0wFlVGkUYn0DiKkXCeJDVWP0Yo9WlkzM9tLHD9opFHwFWPsryv6nYeWE/s320/PXL_20220622_153126544.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren and me</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRt4RbUADwhQHCtuPe-y2Rrt4NTw-BEvTU5sZnz4y59yl97e0V2-l1lJR_9mgTj3KERwac5XKlk048NwJiWa-RFoSD2CG4oUygy8Xl9zBcCGri3-gIC3q7qiitxDPUXwze15ZZu_FeJOcsVrkDqNAWjObN_bZNxJabeHhbYAtaI8jJ7jg8G3I/s3264/PXL_20220611_142749832.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRt4RbUADwhQHCtuPe-y2Rrt4NTw-BEvTU5sZnz4y59yl97e0V2-l1lJR_9mgTj3KERwac5XKlk048NwJiWa-RFoSD2CG4oUygy8Xl9zBcCGri3-gIC3q7qiitxDPUXwze15ZZu_FeJOcsVrkDqNAWjObN_bZNxJabeHhbYAtaI8jJ7jg8G3I/s320/PXL_20220611_142749832.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Justin, Lauren, and me</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_k2ArXvtJTonV9aKrEloatlDbkznUzLlrIGJOq6zVvUSdWCAwxGq3f4Ywsw2-gDfbJE4R0SuS5VC-JUYYhCNizKJW0D3U-6dk-s2bwlAj_aBCU-80a0Mse28clzr_xLoPiXz0sMX4qJTCcCC9TMifjIUXVrvwfxiGiSKy-Szsli_9_6iVymw/s4032/PXL_20220706_033240510.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_k2ArXvtJTonV9aKrEloatlDbkznUzLlrIGJOq6zVvUSdWCAwxGq3f4Ywsw2-gDfbJE4R0SuS5VC-JUYYhCNizKJW0D3U-6dk-s2bwlAj_aBCU-80a0Mse28clzr_xLoPiXz0sMX4qJTCcCC9TMifjIUXVrvwfxiGiSKy-Szsli_9_6iVymw/s320/PXL_20220706_033240510.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuesday Night Run Club, shirtless division</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b>Race Week</b></p><p>I stayed in South Lake Tahoe for 8 days prior to the race, to help acclimate to the altitude, but mostly because I had a credit at an Airbnb and I love Lake Tahoe in the summer.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iaMBtLhA7KYEt2CU6NiVT9HcsyZxo1SsXJQb_RkrUukMmm5dGJGsrQGNOraOdbBn0qbcJaMj4o_8IlHdQOs2FQZ2i8C-pR3K2pKx11ANP0hCTgMCQDf8NDNa6NIJatXHS0xYUcROJKZdTe4xOYS_reDgy97y5kGahzWxeDak8LFKWDU5f-Q/s4032/PXL_20220619_214526101.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2iaMBtLhA7KYEt2CU6NiVT9HcsyZxo1SsXJQb_RkrUukMmm5dGJGsrQGNOraOdbBn0qbcJaMj4o_8IlHdQOs2FQZ2i8C-pR3K2pKx11ANP0hCTgMCQDf8NDNa6NIJatXHS0xYUcROJKZdTe4xOYS_reDgy97y5kGahzWxeDak8LFKWDU5f-Q/w640-h480/PXL_20220619_214526101.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view near Tahoe City</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Jennifer (my wife) joined me two days before the race, taking a bus from Sacramento, so that we would only have one car in the area.</p><p>The day before the race is exciting, with so many accomplished runners checking-in and getting their bibs. I felt like a VIP! I met with the organizers of two medical studies that I was participating in, and had a detailed heart analysis done. Everything is fine and I show heart adaptations of a typical endurance athlete. My resting heart rate was 46 beats per minute, which I think is good.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dplKfseQEe2ycjUPI7g83EvJwpqXNyqseCfqXtmzzRyn3sTMYWidiY1cT_Zu_aHgpF2ee7qmAoXEwCGBVHY_ueKssSsT8Oh2wmdPHmvXRdBSU_inOYeKFD7rHcXOGIw4qkdetxeHU9pSz0unHyYg3bJhmhVE-7beri449Gk0MPb2ghszy4o/s4032/PXL_20220624_210406879.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dplKfseQEe2ycjUPI7g83EvJwpqXNyqseCfqXtmzzRyn3sTMYWidiY1cT_Zu_aHgpF2ee7qmAoXEwCGBVHY_ueKssSsT8Oh2wmdPHmvXRdBSU_inOYeKFD7rHcXOGIw4qkdetxeHU9pSz0unHyYg3bJhmhVE-7beri449Gk0MPb2ghszy4o/w640-h480/PXL_20220624_210406879.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ygV0W5-qLrLgf-W2UfL4ORNxqqPn9xB0NNRDp5mfPYDVescmKxtN1ihvaqZS4UUStGTI5lXKjeJG03nHrDzRIjgRHzWD0HZbTvcfKZZxkW8oBMJziT3pKGgkwgQCNtKLmOfyNLvhcmgLCsrx1ATbDqc7CyeZNXfqoaWVkCQIGvLQ4-ApgkI/s2048/WS100_portrait.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ygV0W5-qLrLgf-W2UfL4ORNxqqPn9xB0NNRDp5mfPYDVescmKxtN1ihvaqZS4UUStGTI5lXKjeJG03nHrDzRIjgRHzWD0HZbTvcfKZZxkW8oBMJziT3pKGgkwgQCNtKLmOfyNLvhcmgLCsrx1ATbDqc7CyeZNXfqoaWVkCQIGvLQ4-ApgkI/w426-h640/WS100_portrait.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p>We grabbed some food for dinner at a grocery store. Bran muffins looked appealing, so I had 3 of those plus a handful of Pringles for dinner. I had been trying to avoid fiber for the two days prior to the race, in order to reduce the likelihood of needing to poop during the race. I've been informed that bran muffins have lots of fiber, but somehow it all worked out!</p><p>3 water bottles or a hydration pack? This was the last big decision, the night before the race. I asked Jennifer to please help me go over the pros and cons. I ended up choosing to take a lighter-weight running vest (Ultimate Direction AK) because it covered less of my back and I thought it might breathe better, and the 3 bottles would be enough for the longest two sections between aid stations -- 10.3 miles from the start to Lyon Ridge, and 8.6 miles between Red Star Ridge and Duncan Canyon. This proved to be a life-saver of a choice, but not for the reasons I thought!</p><p>2:45am, the alarm went off. I was sleepy. I had tossed and turned it seemed, most of the night. I wasn't anxious, but my legs were restless and had been for 4 or 5 days. I suspect that the taper was responsible and that my legs were complaining that they were not getting beat-up enough!</p><p>I quickly ate breakfast -- 8 oz instant coffee (sweetened), small bowl of oatmeal, large chunk of bread, and maybe 5-6 Pringles chips.</p><p>Soon, I was at the start area in Olympic Valley! It was hard to believe that the race was finally really happening! After one last bathroom break, and a last couple of photos, an announcer started the countdown.</p><p>I positioned myself about in the middle of the pack. I didn't want to start too fast! But then I saw that my watch had timed-out, waiting for me to start recording the run. So, in the final seconds before starting the race, I had to quickly get my watch to sync with the GPS satellites and select the Western States course (so that I would automatically be alerted if I went off course), and start recording my position with GPS. Crisis averted. I jogged across the start line and the race was on!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChMTFADeL4bl41FfvrOOZb3ndQ8sIdgkis3_3fxv1zTKp5TOg7e3ucxar5vhVYGL2YmME8d_ZL3dvD_fnCPigvQMa4rhQXqUjvLqAEKQ-u3I8PruvMNn1Ju235lM5zqtpJfH_5_xzeSjqKdlMa1FpDzVtq4Sf8w8TAd-DjXkahR_3GejQWLw/s4032/Jenna%20and%20Ron%20at%20race%20start.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChMTFADeL4bl41FfvrOOZb3ndQ8sIdgkis3_3fxv1zTKp5TOg7e3ucxar5vhVYGL2YmME8d_ZL3dvD_fnCPigvQMa4rhQXqUjvLqAEKQ-u3I8PruvMNn1Ju235lM5zqtpJfH_5_xzeSjqKdlMa1FpDzVtq4Sf8w8TAd-DjXkahR_3GejQWLw/w640-h480/Jenna%20and%20Ron%20at%20race%20start.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><b>The Race</b></p><p>The first four miles are a steep climb underneath ski lifts, mostly on a gravel road. Artificial lights lit our path until the pre-dawn light appeared. Headlamps were not necessary. Towards the top we got onto a single-track trail that had the steepest climb of the whole race, with the possible exception of the knotted rope at mile 78. This trail was as steep as the steepest trail I normally run or hike on at home, the Alta Vista Trail. This was quite the warm-up!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4ZYPJ_iP8jbEOu80lZqfcUZSFF2DbFqFcSwjQTPb525sfWsOESCrh5JDN9LjB5ysF3e_mq-PUvIg0LtisrTWvZ_RSi2N91sDeUcQpxKmyXces7f2WK2vFtrCvwAQ8suceJWRD3KRWliAN75mtKXB8sTg7wx0XSOqgWaJR21w08B7DiSOIuI/s3456/big%20climb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3456" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb4ZYPJ_iP8jbEOu80lZqfcUZSFF2DbFqFcSwjQTPb525sfWsOESCrh5JDN9LjB5ysF3e_mq-PUvIg0LtisrTWvZ_RSi2N91sDeUcQpxKmyXces7f2WK2vFtrCvwAQ8suceJWRD3KRWliAN75mtKXB8sTg7wx0XSOqgWaJR21w08B7DiSOIuI/w640-h426/big%20climb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Wow, it was so beautiful in the dawn light. I glanced back at Lake Tahoe and took in the vistas. But the bright sunlight foretold of a very warm day ahead.</p><p>My pacing strategy was to feel at ease and to focus on getting towards the end in reasonably good shape. I wanted to address problems like blisters or chafing early on, and to do my best to stay hydrated and fueled. I had an aggressive 22 hour finish time break-down taped to two water bottles, that I could check when I entered aid stations. I used the site <a href="https://ultrapacer.com/" target="_blank">Ultra Pacer</a> to do the predictions because their modeling seems very accurate and it worked well for me at Rio Del Lago the previous November.</p><p>Lyon Ridge aid station, mile 10.3 -- I was feeling good! I quickly got refueled. I was about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. The bright sunlight occasionally made my head feel warm. I thought about a race report I had read recently where a friend (Janeth Siva) had used a bottle of ice cold water to drip onto her head. Well, I had three 20oz bottles, maybe I should use one of them just for keeping my head cool? Sounds good!</p><p>Red Star Ridge aid station, mile 15.8 -- all systems "go"! I got one bottle just for cold water. I grabbed some food, too, like a handful of potato chips.</p><p>To help me remember to eat regularly, I pressed the lap timer on my watch each time I left the aid station. Since I always grab some food at the aid stations, I could easily check when 30 minutes had passed and then it was time for another 100 calories or so. I would drink sports drink almost exclusively.</p><p>Duncan Canyon aid station, mile 24.4 -- I was 36 minutes ahead of schedule, but I felt good. I think I got a sponge bath here and ice packed around my neck. They were so helpful and efficient! This is where I dropped out of the race in 2013, unable to run and unable even to walk without bad pain. Every step beyond this aid station was an accomplishment! I was so grateful to be healthy!</p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOjq-6_kQE9wu9PqVuO9vu01Or4ovQXzjZIr-q-lBroQFkeowCkVSPUwI4px77wQwNJobs5Dge2pIP39r1rO6nQGmUH2YKBEuBfXxCugTQ5hTRf5cG6xeRSH8YuKnYOIXEwtbXN71Ur1M5VUvGY02Fb8iRLxYJ6lnZyO4PIZsoENo0k4vgII/s4464/river%20rock%20hopping.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="4464" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOjq-6_kQE9wu9PqVuO9vu01Or4ovQXzjZIr-q-lBroQFkeowCkVSPUwI4px77wQwNJobs5Dge2pIP39r1rO6nQGmUH2YKBEuBfXxCugTQ5hTRf5cG6xeRSH8YuKnYOIXEwtbXN71Ur1M5VUvGY02Fb8iRLxYJ6lnZyO4PIZsoENo0k4vgII/w640-h426/river%20rock%20hopping.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p>Robinson Flat, mile 30.3 -- I was getting warm. I was soaked from sweat and from the ice melting in my bandana around my neck and from dripping water on my head. Somewhere around here, I was starting to feel the beginning of blisters and I re-applied RunGoo on my toes. I would end up taking my shoes off a total of four times. I was 30 minutes ahead of schedule.<div><br /></div><div>I think my watch alerted me to going off course at the Robinson Flat aid station. When this happens, the watch (Coros Apex Pro) shows the course with my position along the course. Apparently, the aid station position deviated just a bit from the race course GPX file that I had downloaded onto the watch. This was reassuring, that my watch was not going to let me silently run off course! There would be maybe 10 other alerts throughout the race, but in each case I was obviously on course.<br /><p></p><p>Miller's Defeat, mile 34.4 -- I was 38 minutes ahead of schedule.</p><p>Dusty Corners, mile 38 -- 35 minutes ahead of schedule. I heard my name being called. Alex!!! He lives near me and was here to pace a friend.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVs9_lvMVCClwmCY3g_lHJWCs2jNzLvdJIpN0jJY_LZnT5f2bC-wNiBwaYE-rc7iiuBpcQ3MtU17xcFRd5znHiLN4RBivWQfsv1QnW8UXGzNcQS72HoMTdjqpDIzvAjXtoQpnZ2wXwrTZ9VM65b6DE3QJN8Zpp2r32Zj4XYYsNdbUj5ieaj5k/s1600/Alex%20at%20Dusty%20Corners.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVs9_lvMVCClwmCY3g_lHJWCs2jNzLvdJIpN0jJY_LZnT5f2bC-wNiBwaYE-rc7iiuBpcQ3MtU17xcFRd5znHiLN4RBivWQfsv1QnW8UXGzNcQS72HoMTdjqpDIzvAjXtoQpnZ2wXwrTZ9VM65b6DE3QJN8Zpp2r32Zj4XYYsNdbUj5ieaj5k/w480-h640/Alex%20at%20Dusty%20Corners.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Alex Conrad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I was feeling pretty good, but the miles were taking their toll. "Keep it together for Rachael. Finish strong with Lauren." This was my mantra, to remind myself to try to stay strong for the fastest easiest terrain of the race, for the last 38 miles, which I would run with my two pacers.</p><p>Last Chance, mile 43.3 -- 32 minutes ahead of schedule. The heat was severe, but thanks to being wet, my shirt was cool to the touch. I wasn't suffering.</p><p>The next climb up to Devil's Thumb was going to be the toughest in the race. It's super-steep, long, exposed, and hot. Right at the base of the climb, another runner and I recognized each other. Greg Miller!!! "Oh oh," I thought to myself, "if I'm seeing him here, he is not having a good day." Greg is a much faster runner than I am, but he had developed an ankle problem. I hiked past him on the uphill but I could sense that this climb was taking a lot out of me. My heart rate was getting high and I was probably getting dehydrated and depleted. Greg and I walked into this next aid station together.</p><p>Devil's Thumb, mile 47.8 -- I was 27 minutes ahead of schedule (when entering, I think). But I was not doing well. I decided to sit down just to try to recover somewhat and get some fluids in me and some food. I got moving again and left Greg behind in the aid station; I wouldn't see him for the remainder of the race.</p><p>Somewhere along the way I tried to fix up my feet again, by re-applying RunGoo anti-chafing cream.</p><p>El Dorado Creek, mile 52.9 -- I was about 14 minutes ahead of schedule. But I had another huge climb ahead.</p><p>Michigan Bluff, mile 55.7 -- I was about 12 minutes ahead of schedule. Coming into the aid station, I heard my name being called. Jo! Brady! Two friends from the Tuesday Night Run Club were there! Awesome!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitthzrDEfQJ_DPNHQa7pCNjO3cDjqMyTX-XWuSIGw1Hfbpw9zJl8T4isamo0zNkRVVyiOzrVkZ3d2FajrAhq1gtxyYC3qI371quskI0tWUJnMq-nzWl3Wfi_bHzHVs3JJBFDDu8ccvSNHbZUFhH0GmP3MqQGpqwQ2PR9TvRPxu8EiP_DzaV_Q/s489/Michigan%20Bluff%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="478" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitthzrDEfQJ_DPNHQa7pCNjO3cDjqMyTX-XWuSIGw1Hfbpw9zJl8T4isamo0zNkRVVyiOzrVkZ3d2FajrAhq1gtxyYC3qI371quskI0tWUJnMq-nzWl3Wfi_bHzHVs3JJBFDDu8ccvSNHbZUFhH0GmP3MqQGpqwQ2PR9TvRPxu8EiP_DzaV_Q/w391-h400/Michigan%20Bluff%201.jpeg" width="391" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Jo Ohm</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>I met up and ran with Allen, the very last person off the waitlist. He booked flights and flew from Santa Fe, NM, to Oakland to Reno, without knowing if he would get into the race! He found out when he landed in Oakland that he was accepted! My friend Brady was apparently the 2nd-to-last runner off of the waitlist but he declined the entry since his training had not been sufficient. So, Allen was here running next to me because Brady had declined. When the race director told this story in the pre-race meeting, the whole crowd cheered for Allen.</p><p>I had a decent climb and a nice descent with good views and one more big climb. I was getting close to having my first pacer! Exciting! I thought I recognized a voice. Is that Rachael? Yes!!! At the top of this big climb that empties on to Bath Road, there she was! I think I was 4 minutes ahead of schedule.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGlzTJc8ZDGVJfoq7Hwk66SnFdAa9tNBUV--2n_QkK2oQsmbBWgNzGX8hhXga4WEOrCoI8ygR5CvNRpHGokxM_QZNbOStIGaZYVONwZkMCsgymBJeseNmvk06fUuL_e-QYHjkd2347qNQtBWzjWm_GI188Hz7xZqixcVnoWcUrOpHbjQzVPI/s1024/Rachael%20pacer.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGlzTJc8ZDGVJfoq7Hwk66SnFdAa9tNBUV--2n_QkK2oQsmbBWgNzGX8hhXga4WEOrCoI8ygR5CvNRpHGokxM_QZNbOStIGaZYVONwZkMCsgymBJeseNmvk06fUuL_e-QYHjkd2347qNQtBWzjWm_GI188Hz7xZqixcVnoWcUrOpHbjQzVPI/w480-h640/Rachael%20pacer.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachael is all official and ready to go, as pacer #1!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I caught her up on how I was doing -- feeling OK, but getting dehydrated. We reiterated the goal for our time together -- to stay strong for Lauren who would bring me into the finish. I needed my drop bag at the Foresthill aid station which would have my headlamp and waist lamp.</p><p>Foresthill, mile 62 -- I was 7 minutes ahead of that aggressive 22 hour schedule. Not bad! As we approached the aid station, I recognized Kevin! Kelsey! Jon! Erika! The Belmont Runners were here! That was so awesome to see friends here. I think I got a little exuberant with my pace as we ran together into the aid station.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndKABIsmRuDqkyG0x8pap-3uqFEzvaUXiA2DOK4Y94N67jZWCFefC1pi04QhD6W9ErWO8kzp_U5CvtVj9e0sh3PaKKuiVas9GdSEx66OZEYVZ6gMviqZWrQa0Q4-Vn46EB8DUdeUaOLQbv7Jmkx59RsY7N51KNO-jsNYzJk0VADLiaNcG1Hw/s682/Belmont%20Runners%20at%20Foresthill.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="682" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhndKABIsmRuDqkyG0x8pap-3uqFEzvaUXiA2DOK4Y94N67jZWCFefC1pi04QhD6W9ErWO8kzp_U5CvtVj9e0sh3PaKKuiVas9GdSEx66OZEYVZ6gMviqZWrQa0Q4-Vn46EB8DUdeUaOLQbv7Jmkx59RsY7N51KNO-jsNYzJk0VADLiaNcG1Hw/w640-h328/Belmont%20Runners%20at%20Foresthill.png" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">Only my pacer was allowed with me in the aid station and I tried to quickly get refueled. Then we all jogged to Jennifer at the car. I patched up my feet, drank a coffee drink (Starbucks mocha in a glass jar), said "hi" to my dad on the phone, re-applied sunscreen (wasn't necessary), and got going. My friends ran with me for as long as they were allowed, which is when the road ended in a trail.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbESFayKV1DvA71-5UKFtDN7I926NXhBHjXQkVdeugc9-lxlQTBnpa_eDg9TjHpAYxHLL0FflXcwDVjHQHgFGZzrOx5Bl5u8XIKYXKeuWjndJrZf3U9QY82XeU_yC-42cYKhSJTPqWhMcbVBnnvcy_ZvJGPi0jVmf6WvFs_H8y9fYa40vUV6c/s4032/Foresthill%20gang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbESFayKV1DvA71-5UKFtDN7I926NXhBHjXQkVdeugc9-lxlQTBnpa_eDg9TjHpAYxHLL0FflXcwDVjHQHgFGZzrOx5Bl5u8XIKYXKeuWjndJrZf3U9QY82XeU_yC-42cYKhSJTPqWhMcbVBnnvcy_ZvJGPi0jVmf6WvFs_H8y9fYa40vUV6c/w640-h480/Foresthill%20gang.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw8TVjQJwjNJ7hR0-IjC56t-UUEKnhsqBkPUmRfqgGWWD-VlWoU1l7LGLfmINj-is39ellW-Szntrkzwmjr5octPkbmfn1Sl3ppFHKsApwP-6NeD0ME1NFoioavmZrWUoCeaa97gOia5OROHWJOrOVdGQSBsTNEhtbMi9U6IQX5sCUUjzDfw/s4032/Foresthill%20with%20crew.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw8TVjQJwjNJ7hR0-IjC56t-UUEKnhsqBkPUmRfqgGWWD-VlWoU1l7LGLfmINj-is39ellW-Szntrkzwmjr5octPkbmfn1Sl3ppFHKsApwP-6NeD0ME1NFoioavmZrWUoCeaa97gOia5OROHWJOrOVdGQSBsTNEhtbMi9U6IQX5sCUUjzDfw/w640-h480/Foresthill%20with%20crew.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>I felt good, but was probably pushing the pace too hard. Rachael quickly did her job of getting in front of me and slowed me down. Soon, I would be the one slowing us down.</p><p>Cal-1, mile 65.7 -- I didn't need anything, so I kept moving.</p><p>Somewhere in the next section, I started falling apart. My heart rate was high and my breathing labored. I just couldn't keep up the same level of effort. I started walking gentle uphills. I kept eating and drinking, but at some point I had to pee, and my urine was a rather solid yellow.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKiNFeXIL_JUD52Fb00yyPDZaRUOl79AY1Eu6V7f6kdLK6tcqdmuxAozN2rm5ZHG4EGogVIP6lLzGEjdQFVLRlUWnkcYGNeHi3ip3N13FgMwKtF5JebuAF8RObRj1gNZ_00EllLJ72kaeWmf37T806hMGx2Fn-RN3NSnOXCmA1RnTmUrn6wg/s4032/Evening%20struggle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKiNFeXIL_JUD52Fb00yyPDZaRUOl79AY1Eu6V7f6kdLK6tcqdmuxAozN2rm5ZHG4EGogVIP6lLzGEjdQFVLRlUWnkcYGNeHi3ip3N13FgMwKtF5JebuAF8RObRj1gNZ_00EllLJ72kaeWmf37T806hMGx2Fn-RN3NSnOXCmA1RnTmUrn6wg/w640-h480/Evening%20struggle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Cal-2, mile 70.7 -- I was 18 minutes behind schedule. I grabbed some potatoes dipped in salt. Wow, I was falling apart. The shadows were long and it was getting harder to see in the forests. We turned on our headlights. Rachael played some music which was fun. She says:</p><p>🎶</p><p>So...we also listened to Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Maroon Five, and Britney Spears. Uptown Funk and Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars. Stay Stay Stay, Love Story, and Shake It Off by Taylor Swift. Born this Way by Lady Gaga. Moves Like Jagger by Maroon Five. Work B*tch by Britney Spears. Rise by Katy Perry. </p><p>🎶</p><p>Cal-3, mile 73 -- struggling. But we were getting it done! I grabbed some tater tots -- mmm! Rachael was very encouraging. Next stop was Lauren!</p><p>Rucky Chucky (near), mile 78 -- I was 33 minutes behind schedule. Jennifer! Lauren! Angelo! (Angelo is Lauren's husband and is also a runner.) I got refueled (quarter of a grilled cheese sandwich) and then it was time for the exciting challenging river crossing!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyMM5oUAz85FVEbLQoCPx8BmI_WuWoCiikXvgldX015bMuMvgWsZwuOSfhHY2aQXzfX1j0Nq65ylYC-OAU_8zqe16Q-4YTYYdTiXBUuQ-XnH2iIRvyFjra4wQvI_BbU0q8QaBJJMYkMLxdJUuTqkb2D-T-JEfv095vhafxbZz_GknzOWtH0U/s4032/Lauren%20and%20Jennifer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyMM5oUAz85FVEbLQoCPx8BmI_WuWoCiikXvgldX015bMuMvgWsZwuOSfhHY2aQXzfX1j0Nq65ylYC-OAU_8zqe16Q-4YTYYdTiXBUuQ-XnH2iIRvyFjra4wQvI_BbU0q8QaBJJMYkMLxdJUuTqkb2D-T-JEfv095vhafxbZz_GknzOWtH0U/w640-h480/Lauren%20and%20Jennifer.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren and Jennifer</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHjNhia02OLFli0OtbCfwuF_BuGySVUm9gWFFHBePTPAjN-KO6GTpXyd_Lutk9bPi9rMCjtpcLtqabaE_sy7S7lB9PWfBiWNm2hwMznf5YgS9JB26MswG4sIznG9NxiA5r2fIqGsO_8qK5Fyz9bQ9V0pdpbvGjxVrsKV16hVWtT8VSx9RvJ8/s4032/Rucky%20Chucky%20Ron%20and%20Jenna.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHjNhia02OLFli0OtbCfwuF_BuGySVUm9gWFFHBePTPAjN-KO6GTpXyd_Lutk9bPi9rMCjtpcLtqabaE_sy7S7lB9PWfBiWNm2hwMznf5YgS9JB26MswG4sIznG9NxiA5r2fIqGsO_8qK5Fyz9bQ9V0pdpbvGjxVrsKV16hVWtT8VSx9RvJ8/w640-h360/Rucky%20Chucky%20Ron%20and%20Jenna.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jennifer and me</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>A volunteer put a glow light around my neck, in case I got washed down the river, I think.</p><p>A volunteer warned me to put away any electronics around my waist. At first, I thought my waist light would be fine, but the connection to the battery pack isn't waterproof, so I'm glad I put that in my pack.</p><p>I was instructed to hold on the rope with two hands. Here we go, across the Middle Fork of the American River, at night!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0YC2Lqo44-oeW_n3_2hPT-YW4WQXw1Pd6-CpVsHqFs1detw5kfDm70Ooxl3NGJRmYFgoGKPlkm9aCnsTA-5owIVDUY-u2F-_pSkDUs-27RxA60SG2FPPUiwvR4ViiajsUnkgt09cACRnY8y9-9tD8cUKQX9-x-dVjLjoAWfWvj7LMV9mIeY/s4032/Rucky%20Chucky%20Near.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0YC2Lqo44-oeW_n3_2hPT-YW4WQXw1Pd6-CpVsHqFs1detw5kfDm70Ooxl3NGJRmYFgoGKPlkm9aCnsTA-5owIVDUY-u2F-_pSkDUs-27RxA60SG2FPPUiwvR4ViiajsUnkgt09cACRnY8y9-9tD8cUKQX9-x-dVjLjoAWfWvj7LMV9mIeY/w640-h480/Rucky%20Chucky%20Near.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Wow, the water was cold. Ouch, as I discovered some chafing on my thighs. The water was frequently waist-high and the boulders were slippery. There were glow sticks next to the rocks and holes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlJ6W_mqra-SxIB2cpuXmjooxuMpsE7KYmJgiimvu9bTYKeBYXbjW8fqLwjILcERXL0JlSh3JPwis_vUP3eJEUL0Pvr-qYRSXhwp4cq83ykgPBozIhT6Hbd-Lzw_ZXLxjQ1XZorw7ABEZCuyetxE-QjNiXfGUuZtDnIYoA8-kScTpA4ZKzs0/s4176/Ron%20river.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2784" data-original-width="4176" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSlJ6W_mqra-SxIB2cpuXmjooxuMpsE7KYmJgiimvu9bTYKeBYXbjW8fqLwjILcERXL0JlSh3JPwis_vUP3eJEUL0Pvr-qYRSXhwp4cq83ykgPBozIhT6Hbd-Lzw_ZXLxjQ1XZorw7ABEZCuyetxE-QjNiXfGUuZtDnIYoA8-kScTpA4ZKzs0/w640-h426/Ron%20river.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfHBifHAKvMPNWHHZ3R12eSKiyNW9CsYnwvX4epnAmvm-jIpfq7lBpEttOVWC3ZRigacVc7_RcvFgvKC5FQdxn-AcsP6xwbCXorObWcPGdmCYWPCJiFz_Re4xfofrCVEPwIW4wnoxpiLn24EqvMw8x-CzCSFgwHZrQMk6YpUkj_TwUHZZQIc/s4176/Lauren%20river.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2784" data-original-width="4176" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfHBifHAKvMPNWHHZ3R12eSKiyNW9CsYnwvX4epnAmvm-jIpfq7lBpEttOVWC3ZRigacVc7_RcvFgvKC5FQdxn-AcsP6xwbCXorObWcPGdmCYWPCJiFz_Re4xfofrCVEPwIW4wnoxpiLn24EqvMw8x-CzCSFgwHZrQMk6YpUkj_TwUHZZQIc/w640-h426/Lauren%20river.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGZ2y179jJow6NTguAUN3i84ur6ZAs1mXOtVQzDVHBBP3_7XpKTT6EmMvmzC1nptRzg5dqVw0xPY1vEht22wJ6U5SdNO-9WlW-kmxYeWyJgEnU86njIuXLIhrXFuMqPQL7-WtjmafSamG0k4Tl2OXua3bQHHlDJsdg_aM1xcycLABvlfDiNU/s4176/Ron%20river%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2784" data-original-width="4176" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGZ2y179jJow6NTguAUN3i84ur6ZAs1mXOtVQzDVHBBP3_7XpKTT6EmMvmzC1nptRzg5dqVw0xPY1vEht22wJ6U5SdNO-9WlW-kmxYeWyJgEnU86njIuXLIhrXFuMqPQL7-WtjmafSamG0k4Tl2OXua3bQHHlDJsdg_aM1xcycLABvlfDiNU/w640-h426/Ron%20river%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHr3qHLlwi8EZu8EPdyYE_I6ZXHDtNzzpcsbG6GahW6OfkHBo5cFb5EO4F_C-oB7tHiXV82HvpU01zWvFYSgbSoS-zbETr6KkvFf8cYW3f1p8PBDxkJl7oGIY7QOpadqQC9SpPK5O7z6Lf2_La3l4ADvBBHT3X3G86grXLE01XrNwlDVEC-8/s4176/Lauren%20river%202.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="2784" data-original-width="4176" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNHr3qHLlwi8EZu8EPdyYE_I6ZXHDtNzzpcsbG6GahW6OfkHBo5cFb5EO4F_C-oB7tHiXV82HvpU01zWvFYSgbSoS-zbETr6KkvFf8cYW3f1p8PBDxkJl7oGIY7QOpadqQC9SpPK5O7z6Lf2_La3l4ADvBBHT3X3G86grXLE01XrNwlDVEC-8/w640-h426/Lauren%20river%202.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p>Then we used a knotted rope to climb out of the river about 20'. Then I took care of chafing and changed out my headlamp batteries.</p><p>Lauren asked if I had dry socks in my drop bag. No, I did not. "I'm a minimalist!" I cheerfully replied.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTdAFpudBkBH8M7LLm8KrZkVDNVNdqkI9-SNx7l-nXsJIGBtFC5Rlk2j6WkLUa9xEDWygGuw9cJ3tAbXflTA786y2IFxEAZAa5mDO2BH2Noc_wnuibCru6X46zEC-yEqGshkGSA6lc4Y1ZURAF-VEBXy8NUCcWnvYHhG_gkRgES3PEcz8q0g/s4080/Rucky%20Chucky%20Far%20Ron%20and%20volunteer.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4080" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNTdAFpudBkBH8M7LLm8KrZkVDNVNdqkI9-SNx7l-nXsJIGBtFC5Rlk2j6WkLUa9xEDWygGuw9cJ3tAbXflTA786y2IFxEAZAa5mDO2BH2Noc_wnuibCru6X46zEC-yEqGshkGSA6lc4Y1ZURAF-VEBXy8NUCcWnvYHhG_gkRgES3PEcz8q0g/w640-h482/Rucky%20Chucky%20Far%20Ron%20and%20volunteer.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A brave volunteer helps me with my feet<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I looked over, as I was sitting down, and there was elite ultrarunner Kaci Lickteig! She had won the race before. She got going before I did and I never saw her again. Maybe I should have ran with her early on and then I would be in better shape?</p><p>Green Gate, mile 79.8 -- I was a whopping 56 minutes behind schedule.</p><p>I was struggling with a high heart rate which I attributed to dehydration. My urine was a dark yellow. I was struggling with eating. I held a quarter of a grilled cheese sandwich for like 10 minutes and I just couldn't finish it.</p><p>Lauren started running quite a bit ahead of me, to encourage me to move faster. That helped! As we were getting closer to the finish, I could push harder, but 20 miles still felt like a very long ways to go.</p><p>Auburn Lake Trails, mile 85.2 -- Coastside Running Club's aid station! I was so happy to finally be here. I have so many friends who were volunteering. Jennifer was here, too! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtY9JKoidl9eN93Ck29v0Jf7v6iWwyumvuW9zd2OtutJnq-NDCY8wjTSBh01XZu8LVisOfdKwAs0wi_saxLi1d-M0maz64VLDiowrEvfxvWv-Jvs_5m0V6j5nO4ramwTXVmrvbIyDRUHE3__4evSQVWzMBDx7xd1L_AFzbQTXGHvrNr11hMQ/s4032/Ana%20and%20Ron%20at%20ALT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtY9JKoidl9eN93Ck29v0Jf7v6iWwyumvuW9zd2OtutJnq-NDCY8wjTSBh01XZu8LVisOfdKwAs0wi_saxLi1d-M0maz64VLDiowrEvfxvWv-Jvs_5m0V6j5nO4ramwTXVmrvbIyDRUHE3__4evSQVWzMBDx7xd1L_AFzbQTXGHvrNr11hMQ/w640-h480/Ana%20and%20Ron%20at%20ALT.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLAeQmf0GsD5RUcciWZBP-LcHWMdjFFSgVuEqVmWhGNQOFMl06ETdhc7NUOHn9Ek-bKZdJMSbaszWLWtyX7hb5uLgMbMvxLm_Jt4ceDSJSCoByjBwPcBA_-Hbu4f7FS7-Sb7J1uPp1_m9Rx71YyqG7MYVo7kpfbxtjaTwdBH8vTsxtjokfWQ/s1791/Lauren%20at%20ALT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1791" data-original-width="1125" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLAeQmf0GsD5RUcciWZBP-LcHWMdjFFSgVuEqVmWhGNQOFMl06ETdhc7NUOHn9Ek-bKZdJMSbaszWLWtyX7hb5uLgMbMvxLm_Jt4ceDSJSCoByjBwPcBA_-Hbu4f7FS7-Sb7J1uPp1_m9Rx71YyqG7MYVo7kpfbxtjaTwdBH8vTsxtjokfWQ/w251-h400/Lauren%20at%20ALT.jpg" width="251" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWrZS4kh4nI36eucMbkXfW1Qfu4WyHZZ-ubVd5QT5TPjlJUQTU9E7mIj-4fPAukmX7YMkaP_IayN2SIonpN7UBgPnUMBGutn7paKc2aizJv11Zpex42WYjVKk75-y_-GZk1VCHFeaHOkGFaVKK-bWlQgvifb8r2XukZLr6twtJogbfuMw2N4/s2048/Ron_at_ALT_with_Jenna.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1152" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWrZS4kh4nI36eucMbkXfW1Qfu4WyHZZ-ubVd5QT5TPjlJUQTU9E7mIj-4fPAukmX7YMkaP_IayN2SIonpN7UBgPnUMBGutn7paKc2aizJv11Zpex42WYjVKk75-y_-GZk1VCHFeaHOkGFaVKK-bWlQgvifb8r2XukZLr6twtJogbfuMw2N4/w225-h400/Ron_at_ALT_with_Jenna.jpeg" width="225" /></a></div><p>Suki handed me some chicken broth soup with rice which tasted great and which I easily ate, and which settled my stomach. She also gave me a shoulder massage! Talk about service!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQA3NfnavyIwv_1u_01_AcVdBtRTmmAMMLLgTKmCEQunO-ZRgT_ZzhRI3Dzn2jVB2o17CscoM5kuRm1h3bx60QTDNzI05aIG7ayYc8DaifQpOOF3Ow_ssUyFNirHXpoQVjiUHmXWtLPEAe30C9VnMB44-0WlXzybwILzv91oWNaHuhVev5-nE/s4080/ALT%20Ron%20and%20Suki%20massage.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQA3NfnavyIwv_1u_01_AcVdBtRTmmAMMLLgTKmCEQunO-ZRgT_ZzhRI3Dzn2jVB2o17CscoM5kuRm1h3bx60QTDNzI05aIG7ayYc8DaifQpOOF3Ow_ssUyFNirHXpoQVjiUHmXWtLPEAe30C9VnMB44-0WlXzybwILzv91oWNaHuhVev5-nE/w482-h640/ALT%20Ron%20and%20Suki%20massage.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><p>Onwards! Maybe it was my imagination, but I think I was running a little more frequently. I checked in with Lauren occasionally about our projected finish time; she assured me that we were on target for finishing in under 24 hours. I wanted that silver belt buckle! (A bronze belt buckle is awarded for finishers after 24 hours but within the 30 hour limit.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vIaXinHCYdu5XmUUwRRC61zd6q73MyJIES7X3QolkdDBExUxHUZlMojeAu977tvlwPLXWGEfLebI_ZIM8iaF9Ky90tTVV6JY4LxS6Jzm0u6w03wPhQMfuJ7XCilviBow4s4g5ND6TaR5AjNGoii86xjAVOQnGfy_tzC3E9iHhTXoSVHH_Ys/s3840/Ron%20behind%20Lauren.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="3840" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vIaXinHCYdu5XmUUwRRC61zd6q73MyJIES7X3QolkdDBExUxHUZlMojeAu977tvlwPLXWGEfLebI_ZIM8iaF9Ky90tTVV6JY4LxS6Jzm0u6w03wPhQMfuJ7XCilviBow4s4g5ND6TaR5AjNGoii86xjAVOQnGfy_tzC3E9iHhTXoSVHH_Ys/w400-h300/Ron%20behind%20Lauren.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>Quarry Road, mile 90.7 -- 1 hour 15 minutes behind schedule. Scott Jurek was working this aid station! He's a 7 time winner of Western States and a popular author. He's great and very kind. I thanked him for his books. </p><p>Somewhere along the way, my Kogalla waist lamp died; the battery was unexpectedly dead. It was supposed to have lasted 6 hours. I realized later that I had put the light on "high" instead of "low" during the race because I had forgotten which setting to use for 6 hours. Oops. I still had my excellent headlamp, but I missed the wide bright light around the trail in front of me, to help see the rocks.</p><p>Pointed Rocks, mile 94.3 -- It's 3:01am. I was 1 hour 23 minutes behind schedule. I was tired and sleepy. This was getting really hard. Just keep up with Lauren.</p><p>My urine was a dark brown, like Coca Cola. I've never seen this before. Not good. I told Lauren this, and that I should stop by the medical tent after finishing. She agreed.</p><p>I picked up the pace a bit and passed a couple of runners. I was digging deep.</p><p>Robie Point, mile 98.9 -- 4:04am. It took over an hour for me to run and walk just 4.6 miles. Angelo! Lauren's husband had taken the time to get here super-early in the morning in order to run the last 1+ mile with me. It was very very likely that I would finish, but I was starting to feel the twinges of cramps.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkB5oGEu8592dT3jUhUPtaqmMoV6BPGf3ZqYga9h8M-XMK6KmYaK_2jPsn72sYldrwipR-bkyZ-hjZc5qI1KIh8PKyWLgGsYrfZn2KwS0yKvvOTiL6P7dWRYHbVqMS6OXRo-3uRZT4k8VTDVtwIKYOwKlrKkoBW9PrtrNAgZk-P7XPz8Q0s4/s4032/Robie%20Point.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAkB5oGEu8592dT3jUhUPtaqmMoV6BPGf3ZqYga9h8M-XMK6KmYaK_2jPsn72sYldrwipR-bkyZ-hjZc5qI1KIh8PKyWLgGsYrfZn2KwS0yKvvOTiL6P7dWRYHbVqMS6OXRo-3uRZT4k8VTDVtwIKYOwKlrKkoBW9PrtrNAgZk-P7XPz8Q0s4/w640-h360/Robie%20Point.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I got some water and then we jogged / hiked up the last gentle uphill on the roads of Auburn and then we had a nice downhill descent. It was really happening! I was going to finish, and in under 24 hours! There was the high school! And there was the entrance to the track! Angelo pointed out the little step we had to cross, in case I tripped. That was very thoughtful, but I thought to myself, "I've probably encountered ten thousand tripping hazards in this race; I'm very accustomed to looking at the ground ahead of me!" Then we were on the track!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cATjQytoNak" width="320" youtube-src-id="cATjQytoNak"></iframe></div><br /><p>Jennifer! She was on the infield, taking photos and video.</p><p>I tried to run faster. In my mind, I was practically sprinting, but it was probably around 8 minutes a mile. The announcer called out my name and said that Jennifer was my crew and that I was a video game programmer and that Lauren was my pacer. The finish line is in sight!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g0ijs7x1c8U?clip=UgkxzGxJmfYrjALuzoGDWJfDho9Cli8GHlxe&clipt=EInQrQQYm8SwBA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><br /><p>Woo hoo! Hands in the air! I was so happy and relieved. I could hardly believe we had done it. I got my medal. The photographer motioned us to take a photo and I waived Lauren and Angelo over to me. Incredible!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMKHX8LEhYjBEBRAvv-eMjH9R0MRznABMcBVog03RDx0h2H0rFh8k8Z8rt2jITew2klOofT86j7qzSFg_qfoq2PpuBFTlRYPJD0CacM00tT7DrUdsSG0WpTCiwbnVpEM3IKV5w1aj3dr9zrQPyhHpUkxHSTuIT_Qm_0CyPuVXjvSCvlAZ_LQ/s3456/Ron%20finish%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3456" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMKHX8LEhYjBEBRAvv-eMjH9R0MRznABMcBVog03RDx0h2H0rFh8k8Z8rt2jITew2klOofT86j7qzSFg_qfoq2PpuBFTlRYPJD0CacM00tT7DrUdsSG0WpTCiwbnVpEM3IKV5w1aj3dr9zrQPyhHpUkxHSTuIT_Qm_0CyPuVXjvSCvlAZ_LQ/w640-h426/Ron%20finish%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAk6vmTHjrI5lcZNcgTd4PzmTPMqkc8bVvUxLnSA6chL3CHGmIcrPtozOI_JYrvCwP0suWBt5AMHQD21HTpZIn8bHCLM3szRcAB8-yqMJ--S_IS7vMqHThOaYtnc71cd-GE1pHmYKai4mnihB-q6aHkILILOrc_NSDvDreVBZjYJCuxUeIh2A/s3456/Ron%20finish%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="2304" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAk6vmTHjrI5lcZNcgTd4PzmTPMqkc8bVvUxLnSA6chL3CHGmIcrPtozOI_JYrvCwP0suWBt5AMHQD21HTpZIn8bHCLM3szRcAB8-yqMJ--S_IS7vMqHThOaYtnc71cd-GE1pHmYKai4mnihB-q6aHkILILOrc_NSDvDreVBZjYJCuxUeIh2A/w426-h640/Ron%20finish%202.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82q-e4dngV0voyuBRxQwnIUP1gTXBsSLjAplYAi7nmclg4OxNLMdOQBp0uDVm01hGMTF9SDuNB25zAxIiaDRSTC9vtjzBxLLB7CDzbJDUkSsybc93X9c7M1IxWc0RT6d2J2CXJZ52GS95YCspYVYnWUDr4zvNXGmGtDHEB50bSvbRTRLNSiw/s4032/finish%20Ron%20Jenna%20hug.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82q-e4dngV0voyuBRxQwnIUP1gTXBsSLjAplYAi7nmclg4OxNLMdOQBp0uDVm01hGMTF9SDuNB25zAxIiaDRSTC9vtjzBxLLB7CDzbJDUkSsybc93X9c7M1IxWc0RT6d2J2CXJZ52GS95YCspYVYnWUDr4zvNXGmGtDHEB50bSvbRTRLNSiw/w400-h225/finish%20Ron%20Jenna%20hug.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I felt quite unsettled and then dizzy and so I lay down in the medical tent for like 30 minutes. Drinking a couple cups of chicken broth was very tasty and helpful and then Jennifer drove us to our hotel for a nap.</p><p>We came back a short while later, like at 11:30am, for the awards ceremony and so that I could get my Rucky Chucky Far drop bag and most importantly, so I could pick up my silver belt buckle!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zC9aII8DtZG7TMG1z7_pJwl550YZkmrPt843gKtBxB5XLktAaIq-GC59x-b5YbWgKLgeX1k7Y0vKqpCK9tCkp0msXz2phS5YXzWlADiRkNPtdUxbgm1TQ7xA4ZWypqXDH2S71p-GNuj1Rn5d00bNLZIhGvprFXtlBMPumjNRkVKYcmxZwS0/s4032/PXL_20220626_184507029.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4zC9aII8DtZG7TMG1z7_pJwl550YZkmrPt843gKtBxB5XLktAaIq-GC59x-b5YbWgKLgeX1k7Y0vKqpCK9tCkp0msXz2phS5YXzWlADiRkNPtdUxbgm1TQ7xA4ZWypqXDH2S71p-GNuj1Rn5d00bNLZIhGvprFXtlBMPumjNRkVKYcmxZwS0/s320/PXL_20220626_184507029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Each belt buckle is hand-made (see <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha2o5sD0Lkk" target="_blank">here</a> for how they're made). The bronze buckles are for finishing by 30 hours, and they say "100 miles". The silver belt buckles are for finishing in under 24 hours, and they say "100 miles" and "one day". Between us finishing and the awards ceremony, our names are engraved on the back, along with the year.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RvWOMdQ83D_dBRbHLzSPtRMQuKPnvt-jsyAtIsv5mqqgunogXyeeejWbpcsyKDC1Q0UVkQlbhf5knxivUUCXny2R_DFhUOEvJXjcumYdJOqGI6hM1KRO_KjhQGiOhDZJJqcuKOEuJ6NdFwqH-cqL-98Sh31HrmSA-vKCuOaNUfzmS1QHB6Q/s4032/PXL_20220627_151202461.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9RvWOMdQ83D_dBRbHLzSPtRMQuKPnvt-jsyAtIsv5mqqgunogXyeeejWbpcsyKDC1Q0UVkQlbhf5knxivUUCXny2R_DFhUOEvJXjcumYdJOqGI6hM1KRO_KjhQGiOhDZJJqcuKOEuJ6NdFwqH-cqL-98Sh31HrmSA-vKCuOaNUfzmS1QHB6Q/s320/PXL_20220627_151202461.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnEKn5sEhwScGVByLOflNn0Zr_q17UO_IgGwrlkEnMTjMwtFs9k2DyKs5f69HFFoM0NI83JPr8O5GPvqtuw8KovfB_JoXW2SV7SyCsNrea8SQd9Bru5fkuY-psEqfMQwBtpx1YvUqCJ8CUES93PgRegLeLho3bCnykdj-NpcohnJsaglXYg0/s4032/PXL_20220626_193709712.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnEKn5sEhwScGVByLOflNn0Zr_q17UO_IgGwrlkEnMTjMwtFs9k2DyKs5f69HFFoM0NI83JPr8O5GPvqtuw8KovfB_JoXW2SV7SyCsNrea8SQd9Bru5fkuY-psEqfMQwBtpx1YvUqCJ8CUES93PgRegLeLho3bCnykdj-NpcohnJsaglXYg0/s320/PXL_20220626_193709712.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>I happened to sit next to Crispin, who I had met the week before. We had both volunteered at the same Tahoe 200 aid station.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRkyieGaNNjqK-FaAj_sPpWUEM4IoxH1OHoGTyO4-dXy9eTjrtB6qv5qOaUrr4SZbLBi9mE2d4Dk63vxlspXvEnX8vTsxB6bfcXqGjgsvpHQBIn2Jg0SUAPK-ss8iW_tytRQ0Gbeb-d3AeMRdLaUG2wSzfbEjNrcSHqWEvmJBoTTD_nh2RLQ/s3264/Crispin%20and%20Ron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRkyieGaNNjqK-FaAj_sPpWUEM4IoxH1OHoGTyO4-dXy9eTjrtB6qv5qOaUrr4SZbLBi9mE2d4Dk63vxlspXvEnX8vTsxB6bfcXqGjgsvpHQBIn2Jg0SUAPK-ss8iW_tytRQ0Gbeb-d3AeMRdLaUG2wSzfbEjNrcSHqWEvmJBoTTD_nh2RLQ/s320/Crispin%20and%20Ron.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Post Race</b></p><p>In the hours and days after the race, I felt immense happiness and gratitude and a sense of accomplishment. I think I basically executed the race as best as I know how. My training was excellent. This felt like an accomplishment of a lifetime.</p><p>It's a little scary how dehydrated I was. I've never seen my urine so brown/dark. After recovering and rehydrating for 48 hours, I was down 5.2 lbs from the week prior, and down 13.4 lbs since when I started training in earnest! The Tuesday morning after the race, at 154.0 lbs, was my lowest weight in my adult life!</p><p><br /></p><p><b>What went well</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I successfully finished this race, in very hot weather, and ran about as well as I know how to.</li><li>I didn't fall or go off course.</li><li>I didn't get injured.</li><li>I handled the heat surprisingly well. In training, I never ran in 90+ F weather, and my heat training consisted of warm baths, one hot car ride, and one hot nap in a tent in the afternoon sun. Yet I managed to keep myself cool enough in the race by staying wet and having ice in a bandana.</li><li>Rachael, my first pacer, got me to slow down, which probably helped me from getting too depleted too quickly. She entertained me with conversation and music.</li><li>Lauren, my second pacer, got me to speed up, which was probably a good strategy as I was nearing the finish, since taking risks then was safer. She ran a ways ahead of me which naturally pulled me along faster.</li><li>My crew (my wife) did great with the driving and helping me get around and meeting me at Foresthill and Rucky Chucky Near, and the finish.</li><li>Friends surprised me at several places along the course, which was a great morale booster.</li><li>I never had to poop during the race! For one of the two medical studies I participated in for this race, one was a microbiome study and I asked the researcher how to avoid pooping in a race and he suggested avoiding fiber for the two days prior to the race. That seemed to have worked!</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Things to improve</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I became dehydrated in the afternoon. I still felt the need to urinate every couple of hours, but my urine became a solid yellow and then a dark yellow and then brown. I felt forced to slow down, by labored breathing and a high heart rate. I started walking a lot of gentle uphills. I don't know how I could have handled this better. I took 3 salt pills throughout the day, to try to trigger a thirst response, but I was also getting a lot of salt by drinking sports drink almost exclusively plus eating salty foods. I was never thirsty.</li><li>I lost my appetite for about 5 miles, between mile 80 and 85. I'm not sure why. After eating a cup of rice and broth at mile 85, I was able to eat regularly again.</li><li>I accidentally set my Kogalla waist light to "high" mode at mile 78 (Rucky Chucky Far) and used up that battery much faster than expected, like in 3 hours instead of 6. So, running over rocks later on became more difficult. I still had a good headlamp.</li><li>I should have changed socks at Foresthill (mile 62) and at Rucky Chuck Far (mile 78). I hadn't anticipated that my feet would be wet for almost the whole race, not because of river crossings, but because of all the water and sweat pouring down my body. My feet made it to the end, but they had big white patches of skin on the bottom from the skin being soaked for too long. I would have been more comfortable if I had changed socks. Also, perhaps I should have applied some kind of anti-chafing water repellant product to the bottoms of my feet; I've never done that before, I know that this is a technique that other runners have used successfully. A guy I volunteered with at Tahoe 200, Crispin, also ran Western States, and his feet were in much better shape than mine -- he told me he applied some kind of Squirrel Nut Butter to the entirety of his feet, plus he changed shoes and socks 2 (or 3?) times.</li><li>I felt somewhat sleepy for a lot of the race. It's difficult to get a good night's sleep the night before, but I struggled somewhat the whole previous week because my legs were frequently restless.</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Sleep notes</b></p><p>For the week leading up to the race:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Monday night: slept well. I was exhausted from the Tahoe 200 aid station and slept for about 10 hours.</li><li>Tuesday night: Slept well</li><li>Wednesday night: terrible night's sleep. Tossed and turned it seemed for a couple of hours. Took a shower at 2:30am.</li><li>Thursday night: Took 2 Benadryl and 1 Melatonin? Or was it 2 Melatonin and 1 Benadryl? My legs were restless and I had a hard time falling asleep. Woke up with the alarm at 7am, ate breakfast, got dressed for a run, but instead went back to sleep for an hour. I postponed my 10am morning science study appointment until 1pm.</li><li>Friday night: Took 2 GABA, 1 Benadryl. Tossed and turned and slept poorly.</li></ul><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Gear</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Shoes: Hoka Tecton X. I wore these the entire time. It might have been wiser to swap out shoes once or twice, but I hadn't anticipated that my feet would be wet for almost the entire race. The shoes felt good and performed well. I wish they had a better grip, like the Speedgoat 5, but I liked how lightweight and springy they were. I imagined that the carbon fiber plates helped me with the uphills.</li><li>Watch: Coros Apex Pro. I love this watch! For the first time, I had a GPS watch that could last for the whole hundred miles. My Garmin Fenix 3 can last only about 16 hours. I still had a lot of battery life left (50%?) after the race. It's also very lightweight and it charges very quickly and it has a faster processor than my Garmin. It latches on to the GPS satellites much faster. I love the course navigation feature which alerts me when I'm off-course. My main gripe with the Coros is how easy it is to accidentally press the main control knob, so I have to use the lock-screen feature, which then makes starting/stopping workouts more cumbersome.</li><li>Socks: Injinji toe socks. They don't prevent blisters for me, but I think they reduce the chances of blisters, especially between toes.</li><li>A small tube of RunGoo anti-chafing cream. I carried this with me the entire time and was a big win. I didn't have any nipple chafing, for example. I took care of other chafing problems early on, so that they never became a problem.</li><li>A bandana, folded into a triangle, sewed with a terry-cloth inside and openings at two corners. This allowed ice to be easily added and then I tied it around my neck with a square not. The ice would last for over an hour and this kept me cool in 90+F heat, as the water slowly dripped down on to my shirt and evaporated. My shirt on my torso was cool to the touch, even in the warmest part of the day. I wish I had an easier way of fastening the two ends around my neck, like a velcro strip; it was sometimes a pain to untie and re-tie this knot.</li><li>Headlamp: <a href="https://www.zebralight.com/H600w-Mk-IV-18650-XHP35-Neutral-White-Headlamp_p_215.html" target="_blank">Zebralight H600w Mk IV</a>. This has the best power-to-weight ratio I could find in a headlamp. It's easy to use, rugged, comfortable, light weight, and water-proof. It can output 264 lumens for over 6.3 hours, with a peak brightness of an incredible 1400 lumens for 2.8 hours in cool weather. (At the highest output, the lamp can overheat which causes the brightness to automatically dim.) Its magic ingredient is that it uses high-energy-density rechargeable 18650 Lithium-ion batteries. I bought these <a href="https://www.imrbatteries.com/sanyo-ncr18650ga-3450mah-10a-battery/" target="_blank">Sanyo batteries</a>. I bought this headlamp and battery combo for Lauren and Rachael, too, and they used this while pacing me. This is the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4NS31O/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">charger</a> we all have.</li><li><a href="https://kogalla.com/pages/ra2" target="_blank">Kogalla RA light strip</a>. I wore this on a very lightweight fanny pack. It's wonderful for seeing the rocky terrain in front of you and catching sight of flags on the sides of the trail or road. The battery connection is not waterproof, so be careful when crossing waist-deep rivers in the night! My main complaint with this light is that it's difficult to precisely set the light level so that the battery lasts a predetermined amount of time.</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Random data</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=87878 " target="_blank">Official results</a></li><li>Weight on March 14, when starting a training plan: 167.4 lbs.</li><li>Weight on June 16, before heading to South Lake Tahoe: 159.2 lbs.</li><li>Weight on Tuesday, June 28, two days after finishing the race: 154.0 lbs.</li><li>Weight on Friday, July 1: 160.0 lbs.</li><li><a href="https://www.hmbreview.com/sports/coastsiders-compete-in-legendary-ultramarathon/article_0dfa28f4-f7a9-11ec-8036-43dba75e64b6.html" target="_blank">Half Moon Bay Review article</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=g0ijs7x1c8U&t=9136" target="_blank">Video of my finish</a></li><li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/7373163767/overview" target="_blank">Strava</a></li></ul><br /></div></div>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-57114471410520977282022-04-24T18:42:00.003-07:002022-05-01T17:28:26.497-07:00Canyons 100K -- 13:00:39<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzPEN04DnnUqwUdHsqKJ9DQNnf-av4sgqaa4pUNiFKdqrHeDI0ro-nUJYTj0vJTFej65qDTsWdEu0JfIyDK2WV0dRw_pTudZFBGIv0tRQyVFzmE5KyEdI6HwGf_XdJ53KGn_8pLip0oE0FIlbku4XZ_gt8DWmI-fs2h0RhjJKNsV8htMNEHY/s2831/Canyons%20race%20photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="2831" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkzPEN04DnnUqwUdHsqKJ9DQNnf-av4sgqaa4pUNiFKdqrHeDI0ro-nUJYTj0vJTFej65qDTsWdEu0JfIyDK2WV0dRw_pTudZFBGIv0tRQyVFzmE5KyEdI6HwGf_XdJ53KGn_8pLip0oE0FIlbku4XZ_gt8DWmI-fs2h0RhjJKNsV8htMNEHY/w640-h281/Canyons%20race%20photo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b>Summary</b><p></p><p>I successfully completed the <a href="http://e3running.com/canyons" target="_blank">Canyons Endurance Runs 100K</a>, taking 13 hours to run and hike 59.3 miles from Auburn to Foresthill. This is an exceptionally difficult course, with lots of steep rocky trails and 14,900 feet of elevation gain. The weather was pretty good for running -- clear and cool, with a predicted high of 70F in Auburn, but I still felt quite warm in some sections. The race organization and course markings were excellent. I enjoyed chatting with a few fellow runners. The scenery was frequently gorgeous. The last 10 miles were the most difficult of the course, with the steepest descents and steepest climbs and the longest time between aid stations, and the last two miles consisted of practically nonstop snow, puddles, and mud.</p><p>I did well in my age group of 50-59 males. Out of 72 starters, I came in 3rd. There were 528 runners in total who started the 100K, which is a lot for a trail race!</p><p><b>Details</b></p><p>My main goal for the year is to do well at Western States Endurance Run 100 Mile, or "Western States", on June 25-26. Canyons 100K runs on most of the same trails as Western States, except in the opposite direction. And the timing of Canyons 100K works well too, being 9 weeks before Western States. Because Western States is so much more important, I considered Canyons 100K to be something in between a training run and a race; I didn't want to take any big risks!</p><p>Looking at results from past years, I thought that 12 hours at Canyons was an optimistic but achievable goal. So, I planned on pacing myself according to that.</p><p>Some friends from one of my running clubs, Tuesday Night Run Club, were volunteering at Canyons and one couple owned a house in Foresthill, right along the course! They kindly allowed me to stay there. Nice!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP0c99TARL3OKcDMtVk53IaoW8GRA-s6ru69_Tq5jN9ujIIo3m_VVzHWuI9r_x_218wxaBRFTXl5OQh65TZQS1CF1bORdmMLwVDFRgUcWzPwRye7YpXA7s1p8_doyjsPpORbAKmG5PRVpNqmEn0Vm3wd93b937387HYFga3TuW5XeP16capA/s4032/Dana's%20house.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiP0c99TARL3OKcDMtVk53IaoW8GRA-s6ru69_Tq5jN9ujIIo3m_VVzHWuI9r_x_218wxaBRFTXl5OQh65TZQS1CF1bORdmMLwVDFRgUcWzPwRye7YpXA7s1p8_doyjsPpORbAKmG5PRVpNqmEn0Vm3wd93b937387HYFga3TuW5XeP16capA/w640-h480/Dana's%20house.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the back deck<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I set my alarm for 2:30am (ouch!) and was in bed around 9pm.</p><p>2:30am rolled around (yawn) and I tried to get breakfast and get ready as quickly and quietly (lots of people were in the house) as I could. I had 1.5 toasted bagels with peanut butter and a cup of coffee. Getting ready took a bit longer than expected and I was out the door at 3:30am. Somehow I thought to double-check that I had everything, and I was missing both water bottles! I had left them on the kitchen counter. Bottles recovered, I was soon on the road.</p><p>We had to park in a large parking lot about a mile away from the start line. There were shuttles buses going back and forth, to take us. I appeared to be the only one to wear a mask on the bus; I don't want to get Covid!</p><p>Soon, I was walking around the starting area. It was busy! I used a bathroom one last time and took off my warm clothes and put them into my finish line drop bag. I dropped off a 2nd drop bag for the Deadwood aid station, since some warm clothes were mandatory. (I wouldn't need anything from this drop bag.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAiH2ly8uALlQl93aLH_ySoEBFa8A7-4f1XbqGONThPPAesDCsd8q5lTIjypJMJdF2HYKi4bW0Ji9S9OqToKug0Qz_svnlk50WteaNLWfDPARdnkzVIsP8DQLQ36iUKYg4ZMokdNQ6Vbk-Bv8xVeHQU9stU6YW6AngC-lddhy7lG6Kq-8b_Q/s4032/PXL_20220423_115657293.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnAiH2ly8uALlQl93aLH_ySoEBFa8A7-4f1XbqGONThPPAesDCsd8q5lTIjypJMJdF2HYKi4bW0Ji9S9OqToKug0Qz_svnlk50WteaNLWfDPARdnkzVIsP8DQLQ36iUKYg4ZMokdNQ6Vbk-Bv8xVeHQU9stU6YW6AngC-lddhy7lG6Kq-8b_Q/w640-h480/PXL_20220423_115657293.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqW68S_8qCwxNs-E214ZtRrTsaTRDEh7CdwLUffLb66nm8M_gHZpg__hmCNAVjZS42hH4BrnBnjaMHzS3gTYzWW38plIjhcnRhN2RIxFI2rh_cbJkUld1FivoTsmwVALxnchAOHotLWW4Yq4bwVSK_TSNhWDRXU_a9FfbqPyowbkUAmzKHsU/s4032/PXL_20220423_115702278.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqW68S_8qCwxNs-E214ZtRrTsaTRDEh7CdwLUffLb66nm8M_gHZpg__hmCNAVjZS42hH4BrnBnjaMHzS3gTYzWW38plIjhcnRhN2RIxFI2rh_cbJkUld1FivoTsmwVALxnchAOHotLWW4Yq4bwVSK_TSNhWDRXU_a9FfbqPyowbkUAmzKHsU/w640-h480/PXL_20220423_115702278.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLcOAaqYEmrfwRDHYcZXoSEHLj-SBctu-AbiSMgePrMpLZ12t8GnR3vNRtQ_Bl_P4gvMuBUxjDVaiLZEG4oGlZesy6OVPukGxpuGamQxJng5Y1K3eq8Q3s4EBoZl4NrLYTE0A88r4vkuIeCc3pCs34mYlPddymnuzzxlFfmsdSvmtn7s2uX4/s2048/Ron%20start.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoLcOAaqYEmrfwRDHYcZXoSEHLj-SBctu-AbiSMgePrMpLZ12t8GnR3vNRtQ_Bl_P4gvMuBUxjDVaiLZEG4oGlZesy6OVPukGxpuGamQxJng5Y1K3eq8Q3s4EBoZl4NrLYTE0A88r4vkuIeCc3pCs34mYlPddymnuzzxlFfmsdSvmtn7s2uX4/w640-h480/Ron%20start.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Soon, 5am was drawing near, I took some photos, got my Strava app recording along with a text message to Jennifer, and we were off!</p><p>The race starts in the streets of Auburn, which is good, because there were so many of us! There were huge inflatable course markers, stickers on the ground, volunteers, and police to guide us along. It was quite a production, like a big-city marathon! There were even a handful of spectators at this early hour!</p><p>After a little more than a mile we were on a dirt road, and then soon we got onto our first single-track trail. I felt cool and at ease. The trail was very runnable and was downhill. My first 4 miles: 9:25, 9:03, 8:29, and 8:01. It would be a long time before I had such easy running again!</p><p>It was shaping up to be a beautiful morning as the sun rose.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLWmQ9TWHlb3GlS587_iPeJVlJHr-XtP22W0DOC1fWpiEMVdmGa1CnyGmVe4_8BsfEUCO4moF_MMzpbFIziZmbhKWpHcjlbQfB_AcfQdfbk7L_Yg9OquW6b9lcf58dCTrcXDqvRjnB9e2k_Li988PHyuea0ilp5A6KBXXrwgDT39o-DvKKuU/s4032/PXL_20220423_124839589.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGLWmQ9TWHlb3GlS587_iPeJVlJHr-XtP22W0DOC1fWpiEMVdmGa1CnyGmVe4_8BsfEUCO4moF_MMzpbFIziZmbhKWpHcjlbQfB_AcfQdfbk7L_Yg9OquW6b9lcf58dCTrcXDqvRjnB9e2k_Li988PHyuea0ilp5A6KBXXrwgDT39o-DvKKuU/w640-h480/PXL_20220423_124839589.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>At the first significant bridge, which goes over the North Fork of the American River at mile 3.24, the entire center, from edge to edge, was a giant muddy puddle. 6 or 7 runners in front of me got onto a narrow curb and were shuffling sideways to avoid getting wet. I just leaped in and ran down the middle. It was fine!</p><p>I arrived at our first aid station, Mammoth Bar, at mile 7.3. There were plenty of volunteers and I had a quick refueling and was on my way.</p><p>Somewhere along here, I think, was when I first felt a sharp jab of pain on my big toe. I was wearing relatively new shoes, Hoka One One Speedgoat 5, that only had 9 miles on them. My feet were sliding around a bit too much and my big toe nail was catching or hitting on something inside the shoe. Hmm. Should I stop?</p><p>The scenery was pretty. We ran through this golden field.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Mg62jcNPByvuKm4RHIla1RMYpgTOVgx9hPUHmXgbC47_YpKU8UaKDsQOv47AeUVZZ4d7ODK18npEB9EfmB3_HUJD-Jaur1Uz7Zsxb4pFatEl8vrY-Op5Lg2-Gch_i4IuXQatL1DBCVxt0L_KjROzaa8SNIqQHs0H6dT8BbQ4ty4YwVz4CME/s4032/PXL_20220423_133707964.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Mg62jcNPByvuKm4RHIla1RMYpgTOVgx9hPUHmXgbC47_YpKU8UaKDsQOv47AeUVZZ4d7ODK18npEB9EfmB3_HUJD-Jaur1Uz7Zsxb4pFatEl8vrY-Op5Lg2-Gch_i4IuXQatL1DBCVxt0L_KjROzaa8SNIqQHs0H6dT8BbQ4ty4YwVz4CME/w640-h480/PXL_20220423_133707964.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_aU9bk6k9m9JTTa1ItKA-QHV--kVtevVldb73PWf8_8o3k6IrsJx8K_G1MxHpsvn2Uwc4oxSZcjPTXd3SEK0FRUCk4Q_eDbbK4PYJgD9S0phj2nsEJ78Lu0C6hsRFuiprquU9h_4Ma-oRhVSSILWOUw-OEg06gI7hyzvnzFGO9fhWNqpUHtE/s4032/PXL_20220423_133709783.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_aU9bk6k9m9JTTa1ItKA-QHV--kVtevVldb73PWf8_8o3k6IrsJx8K_G1MxHpsvn2Uwc4oxSZcjPTXd3SEK0FRUCk4Q_eDbbK4PYJgD9S0phj2nsEJ78Lu0C6hsRFuiprquU9h_4Ma-oRhVSSILWOUw-OEg06gI7hyzvnzFGO9fhWNqpUHtE/w640-h480/PXL_20220423_133709783.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>At Driver's Flat, mile 15.3, I saw some of my friends! Jo! Brady! I quickly refueled and got going. Except a gradual feeling of pressure was building up. Crap. Oh well, it happens. So, at the next porta-potty I stopped and that was Unplanned Stop #1 for a #2.</p><p>After feeling more sharp jabs of pain on a big toenail, I stopped to tie my shoe tighter -- Unplanned Stop #2.</p><p>Soon, I had the sweetest fastest downhill miles of the race. Miles 16, 17, and 18 flew by in 8:30, 8:13, and 7:19.</p><p>At some point I was starting to feel warm, and I got out my bandana and soaked it in a river crossing. I soaked my hat, too. That felt good.</p><p>I joined up with a woman who had done this race before, and had completed Western States, and had done an Ironman triathlon (but she didn't like swimming!). We crossed a few rivers together, but I wasn't afraid to get my feet wet, whereas she was much more cautious. I started referring to her as "my river crossing buddy".</p><p>Eventually, I arrived at the next aid station, Cal 2, at mile 24.6. I was feeling pretty good all-in-all. I was starting to get warm, though.</p><p>I started getting big-toenail pain in my other foot. I stopped to re-tie my other shoe. Unplanned Stop #3.</p><p>In the next stretch, a fast moving runner caught up to me and passed me. He was the 1st place 50K runner! He had started an hour after me, but was moving so well.</p><p>A while later, the 2nd place 50K guy passed me. And then the 3rd.</p><p>I came across a runner walking back towards me, saying that she was confused about which way to go. There were maybe 4 of us in a group now, and I was the only one who had the course map on my phone. There was a sort-of fork in the trail, where a narrower trail branched off uphill to the left, but the more prominent trail continued straight. We were supposed to go straight. After a few minutes, I confirmed with everyone that we were on course. This was the only spot of confusion in the whole race, and if I had been by myself, I think I would have naturally gone the correct way without even checking my map. I didn't realize it at the time, but I apparently had accidentally paused my Strava workout on my phone, which led to confusion to my friends and family who were following my progress. I didn't catch the problem until a few miles later.</p><p>On a long uphill to Foresthill Aid Station, I was starting to feel hot and tired. I just kept on trying to eat and drink plenty. I came up to the 3rd place 50K runner who was walking. He turned around and asked me if I had any water! Oh oh! He had run too hard for too long without water. I took off the lid to my bottle and handed it to him. I had only 10 oz left. (I was carrying two 20oz bottles and I had finished off the other one already.) He was grateful and he was struggling. I told him he didn't have too long of a hike up this hill until the aid station. Maybe it was 2 miles? He drank half my water and I was on my way, leaving him behind. I soon finished off the bottle. It may have been more like 3 miles to the next aid station.</p><p>Foresthill! Mile 32.8! I was more than halfway done. It was exciting to be here, as this was the 50K finish line and there were lots of spectators. I quickly moved through the aid station, but then made Unplanned Stop #4 at a porta-potty; thankfully, this was my last bathroom break.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZVkTfpXF9wY1P9Y9IzKZeWjVjftZ4DTgF2w_P0rrrJmYKFoIwfYtT47KyMXj_NtlKJsQyrIKcIIih4_wl7gModubHjGsffGkfQgLrDY03HLtTDpQobrK7ZZwjUzdwPkh-BANiL5On9izufCBon7oaphNn2sEcEz86UevVfDrMz518cTt-8E/s4032/PXL_20220423_181353886.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZVkTfpXF9wY1P9Y9IzKZeWjVjftZ4DTgF2w_P0rrrJmYKFoIwfYtT47KyMXj_NtlKJsQyrIKcIIih4_wl7gModubHjGsffGkfQgLrDY03HLtTDpQobrK7ZZwjUzdwPkh-BANiL5On9izufCBon7oaphNn2sEcEz86UevVfDrMz518cTt-8E/w640-h480/PXL_20220423_181353886.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering the Foresthill Aid Station</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I met up again with my river crossing buddy. We chatted as we continued through the streets of Foresthill and then we had a sweet dirt road downhill for a mile, crossed a river (I leapt into it, while she gingerly tried to keep her feet dry). Then I hit a big 1000' climb.</p><p>Around mile 34, we had our toughest river crossing. The rapidly moving water reached to about my knees.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2ROUtgCD5TAhusOAH1OnZIJ2w9VxznjELhqsUVgzy0HAvarHxlFQWxJDCPre4cUF3nDuxWGbgarKUDIu-WHzdzSnenmFfrN5Z7BPpaOfF8diIGPmFLKTXolotgj9V8umRbDgfDAmMQWAlyqolg1ah6h80G8dYTbs0x2EUl14tmRX_VdK4lI/s4032/PXL_20220423_184122237.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2ROUtgCD5TAhusOAH1OnZIJ2w9VxznjELhqsUVgzy0HAvarHxlFQWxJDCPre4cUF3nDuxWGbgarKUDIu-WHzdzSnenmFfrN5Z7BPpaOfF8diIGPmFLKTXolotgj9V8umRbDgfDAmMQWAlyqolg1ah6h80G8dYTbs0x2EUl14tmRX_VdK4lI/w480-h640/PXL_20220423_184122237.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>As I neared Michigan Bluff aid station, mile 38.7, I passed my friends' house that I had stayed at! What a great location! I don't recall now, but I think this aid station had only caffeinated sports drink.</p><p>The next leg from Michigan Bluff to Deadwood was frequently rough, rocky, and overgrown. I was dodging lots of poison oak, too. This was getting hard. I ran out of water again. After a 2090' 2.9 mile climb, there was a pretty scene.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSddf6OEaNmKyF8aVKAhOstZGWm-m91ehBy0ctkvD8S7SaxdE77Ifj-tdVTefDA37lYi3h-bHKE4v4NLVRXoNI8kVFasfCTRj3bPd04Q0sQIi2sc5snt19-jbGL184_EFaNOwk9vuKR-2RgcNHfG4gW0IJuGcA8xNBwma6UAPkPzeLwkCUa4/s3264/PXL_20220423_203940522.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSddf6OEaNmKyF8aVKAhOstZGWm-m91ehBy0ctkvD8S7SaxdE77Ifj-tdVTefDA37lYi3h-bHKE4v4NLVRXoNI8kVFasfCTRj3bPd04Q0sQIi2sc5snt19-jbGL184_EFaNOwk9vuKR-2RgcNHfG4gW0IJuGcA8xNBwma6UAPkPzeLwkCUa4/w480-h640/PXL_20220423_203940522.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>I arrived at Deadwood. This is a loop and I saw a few very fit-looking women runners; I wondered if they were the leaders.</p><p>At the aid station, I asked for non-caffeinated sports drink, but they didn't have any. I refueled with what they had. Onward.</p><p>This was getting to be a slog. More climbing. But then I saw my first snow!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLt5Lu2RKafPQcQ1rrRcRm2s4yfj1vQG-LqwIiUOvEB7zDLtOF6UNBR-1tfQ9aEhexmTDLpkHzxR_VSE37o0lX460gGJ3UdWrdHM2d1qaGWu5unEuhooMfmBfQQBhCVzvU4dQwchhSy6DsqSQJz8B8wEB5-jHdKLPoMTT0sNFeBq-2KO9J6M/s4032/PXL_20220423_211551031.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLt5Lu2RKafPQcQ1rrRcRm2s4yfj1vQG-LqwIiUOvEB7zDLtOF6UNBR-1tfQ9aEhexmTDLpkHzxR_VSE37o0lX460gGJ3UdWrdHM2d1qaGWu5unEuhooMfmBfQQBhCVzvU4dQwchhSy6DsqSQJz8B8wEB5-jHdKLPoMTT0sNFeBq-2KO9J6M/w480-h640/PXL_20220423_211551031.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>Back to Deadwood #2. I'm definitely getting tired. The air was getting cool. I refueled with more caffeine that I didn't want, but I thought it was best to have the calories with water. I grabbed a quesadilla quarter which tasted great.</p><p>On to the last leg! Unfortunately, it was 10 miles to the finish and this was the most difficult terrain. The downhill was so steep and rocky that it was hard to run. My big toenails hurt. There was this crazy damaged bridge we had to cross.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2Nmv97bqu9J-EpUzzcJEsCdXkdxv_B_u6fiaTODNJAA0bR2vQ-VLYXuBmLLrbj3MS2OIzz7amHi3L6e-Qb1CSbqZCvAzB86kIzhwgd3lVAfcvC8th7rfQ6Luc1JtzgRmNprlkmhHa-vXH_9d6rovcibp6CFj8p3RCjLlCeLWjVAe9-iVZGc/s4032/broken%20bridge.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2Nmv97bqu9J-EpUzzcJEsCdXkdxv_B_u6fiaTODNJAA0bR2vQ-VLYXuBmLLrbj3MS2OIzz7amHi3L6e-Qb1CSbqZCvAzB86kIzhwgd3lVAfcvC8th7rfQ6Luc1JtzgRmNprlkmhHa-vXH_9d6rovcibp6CFj8p3RCjLlCeLWjVAe9-iVZGc/w640-h480/broken%20bridge.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Then there was a big climb -- 1348' in 2.1 miles. Then more climbing. But I realized that I was going to finish this thing, eventually. Just keep moving.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZEBH4O0E742RMb_4q3M5_Xkd2u2ArTXVFqkrSJdGrv0dfa30t1wix28pEr7rdv18D6Gi2khJCA0_fvC0BDyAriFfAybstUsuTsZPAGG-FrwQ2TBO1KqSl-bD9NnlGxhVHjGaHK-C_lqGXu3IMNErvfTSmTver9NVSn7SGwkzLXUWiPBpySk/s4032/mile%2052.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZEBH4O0E742RMb_4q3M5_Xkd2u2ArTXVFqkrSJdGrv0dfa30t1wix28pEr7rdv18D6Gi2khJCA0_fvC0BDyAriFfAybstUsuTsZPAGG-FrwQ2TBO1KqSl-bD9NnlGxhVHjGaHK-C_lqGXu3IMNErvfTSmTver9NVSn7SGwkzLXUWiPBpySk/w640-h480/mile%2052.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>I was wishing I had hiking poles. A guy passed me using two sticks as hiking poles! I picked up a stick that I thought would work, but it was too flexible and didn't work well. I soon tossed it. I ran out of water.</p><p>We turned off this dirt road into a single track trail. Stick-pole guy was going to miss this turn, but I pointed out the markers. He thanked me.</p><p>The final two miles were much flatter, but there was so much mud and snow, that it was tough going. Another runner was with me and we chatted for a while, which was helpful, because I was running on fumes and was getting desperate -- thanks, Joey, for the company! I was trying to figure out how far away we were from the finish, but that was tricky with my Strava workout messed up. I finally figured that we were about 15 minutes from the finish at our current pace. I told Joey this and that I wanted to pick up the pace; I wished him luck and left him behind.</p><p>There was a sharp left turn in the trail. I started hearing cheering. I was getting close! In a more open field, I heard my name called! Yay! I was focused on not slipping or tripping. Our bibs have our names in addition to our bib #s, so I didn't think that I necessarily knew who was cheering. But one of them sounded like Johanna. Hmm. Right as I was passing them, the guy reached out for a fist bump. Brady!!! Jo!!! I couldn't believe they were there; they had volunteered all day already!</p><p>The finish chute! Woo hoo! Hands in the air! Dana! (The owner of the house I stayed at also showed up; so nice!) Aaron was there, too! Nice!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_4EHBnbeOsEdP6oL6BREnTJo_UwFx_-qkd1_Bnnb-M5uaOsgUyfnvAc20F_hMWzxTQHoL3EIJeTlLBC0GzRf1itdkdwFk_9Mr_zLABztPwJHQCAjCx-tMSSid-WVX-KF52p1r_gANgNbKObVF6owDkNlcJJz_mT2WexfxMxM-bBJvlmdyx4/s2048/finish.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1151" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX_4EHBnbeOsEdP6oL6BREnTJo_UwFx_-qkd1_Bnnb-M5uaOsgUyfnvAc20F_hMWzxTQHoL3EIJeTlLBC0GzRf1itdkdwFk_9Mr_zLABztPwJHQCAjCx-tMSSid-WVX-KF52p1r_gANgNbKObVF6owDkNlcJJz_mT2WexfxMxM-bBJvlmdyx4/w360-h640/finish.jpeg" width="360" /></a></div><br /><p>I was so glad to finish, but I was quite depleted. I wanted to find Tecnu and wash my legs and arms and face as soon as I could, since I'm so sensitive to poison oak. Brady was able to find some for me. Thanks! I also needed something to drink; I got some soup from the finish line aid station.</p><p>Brady and Jo offered to give me a ride back to the house. This saved so much time. My original plan was to wait 45 minutes for the next shuttle, then take the ~45 minute shuttle ride to my car, then drive back to the house (another 40+ minutes). Instead, like 20 minutes later, we were at the house.</p><p>I didn't end up going to bed until about 2am. I was on such a natural high plus the nearly gallon of caffeinated sports drink probably had something to with this. What an epic day!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlE_73SwUiQ8109HHo42ibIA0qeLfA19RK1A6wlCLy0IZNZ-hKGcBTeUfAW_Vbea2VAsWlwb2CUVCUl4yso7Msue7zsgXuFWbK1Jhp7A0px7UGDLDyoB9fIdYnBCsZYdVrlOPEyp2v-9RRkslxVCsQlDmfno1oYZfztvTKvVCNYbHVzm4Zsk/s4032/schwag.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVlE_73SwUiQ8109HHo42ibIA0qeLfA19RK1A6wlCLy0IZNZ-hKGcBTeUfAW_Vbea2VAsWlwb2CUVCUl4yso7Msue7zsgXuFWbK1Jhp7A0px7UGDLDyoB9fIdYnBCsZYdVrlOPEyp2v-9RRkslxVCsQlDmfno1oYZfztvTKvVCNYbHVzm4Zsk/w640-h480/schwag.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They gave a nice belt!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><b>What went well</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Mostly, things went well. My leg muscles held up pretty well. I didn't get any chafing. No blisters. I didn't trip or fall or go off course. I'm not injured.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Things to improve</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I shouldn't have let my trail racing shoes get so worn down before replacing them. By the time I got the replacement, I didn't have much time to try them out, and I don't think I had the laces tied quite right.</li><li>Carrying hiking poles probably would have been a big help towards the end of the race. On the one hand, they're kind of pain to put away and get out, and I would have had to use a different hydration pack to hold them. On the other hand, they would have helped on some of the big climbs. I got passed by multiple runners using poles.</li><li>I somehow lost my little plastic bag with salt pills and ibuprofen. I keep this bag in a small pocket on my running vest. The pocket had a velcro seal, so I don't think it accidentally fell out on its own. I didn't find it in my luggage, so I probably lost it during the race, like if I had accidentally thrown it away. I probably would have taken an ibuprofen, but I don't think I would have taken a salt pill, since I had plenty of salt with my food and sports drink.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Race organization feedback</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The course markings, organization, and volunteers were excellent.</li><li>Some of the aid stations, like Deadwood, only offered caffeinated sports drink. I ended up drinking at least 110 oz of caffeinated sports drink, which was way more caffeine than I wanted. This might have upset my stomach a bit and for sure made me feel jittery afterwards. I wish all the aid stations had primarily non-caffeinated beverages and foods.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Random data</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=89063" target="_blank">Results</a></li><li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/7034431518/overview" target="_blank">Strava workout</a></li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-1092792002567586602022-03-20T23:04:00.046-07:002022-03-31T23:24:22.553-07:00Pacifica Runners St. Patrick's Day 5K -- 1st Place<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVfEdcrXwBxQvpuZ1YfXPUjiCjvEeTPxX4U36QYjzUBCcTaQtbfNZR1k1MOb1BQKkhX51XWTkNIWYYp7Zh_Uk6B21Ejq9C3FUWxBQzPBw8OEGz9QtNaezG1RHXVc7OMgYek4wNkBsQMJgBz4VDYCpgyLjYJjeisersZBLDqWgnh4dfyBq9n9M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVfEdcrXwBxQvpuZ1YfXPUjiCjvEeTPxX4U36QYjzUBCcTaQtbfNZR1k1MOb1BQKkhX51XWTkNIWYYp7Zh_Uk6B21Ejq9C3FUWxBQzPBw8OEGz9QtNaezG1RHXVc7OMgYek4wNkBsQMJgBz4VDYCpgyLjYJjeisersZBLDqWgnh4dfyBq9n9M=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><b>Summary</b><p></p><p>I ran this fun local 5K (3.1 mile) trail race this morning, put on by one of the running clubs that I'm a member of, Pacifica Runners. And I won! It was fun seeing a bunch of friends and to push myself hard for a short while, and it's extra fun that I happened to be the fastest guy that showed up.</p><p>I felt good and I think I paced myself well.</p><p>My official time was 19 minutes 23 seconds. Assuming the course was accurately measured, then my average pace was 6:15 per mile. My watch says there was 308 feet of elevation gain.</p><p><b>Details</b></p><p>This route was a bit hilly and even had some more technical single-track trail. I wasn't sure what pair of shoes to wear -- my fastest road-running shoes, Nike Vapor Fly Next%, or my fastest trail running shoes, Hoka One One Speedgoat 4? So, I brought both to the race start. My Vapor Fly shoes are basically the fastest shoes you can buy, but they don't have deep treads for dirt or mud. The ground was fairly dry and I did some strides in them and they seemed totally fine, so that's what I went with. They did great!</p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjPb0o7aH1i4Ktn1q3hrfHttSV2_RtjvHMIrV2E7qntq2ZCQbaEXFtvKSc8Iklf-sfK2zrhEA5652UYXva8AmPT6a4XgGYGqf2pw9swBXBSGj8ChXtntE2iH5JAJtCm8QQRtSwPMytapif9lR6h47lzJx1b1CWTY75981PoLZ9NT9k7rydtJY"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjPb0o7aH1i4Ktn1q3hrfHttSV2_RtjvHMIrV2E7qntq2ZCQbaEXFtvKSc8Iklf-sfK2zrhEA5652UYXva8AmPT6a4XgGYGqf2pw9swBXBSGj8ChXtntE2iH5JAJtCm8QQRtSwPMytapif9lR6h47lzJx1b1CWTY75981PoLZ9NT9k7rydtJY=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />It was fun seeing some friends.<p></p><p>After warming up, I positioned myself close to the start line. I surveyed the runners and I saw Michal from the speed workout who I knew was fast but was very unlikely to beat me today. I motioned for Lauren to join me, since she was likely to be in the top 2 or 3.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmqLFs4JA95JFBnTqAxm8fw1iHnX32awBLmCJad6YeMWTocMgNFrcQocl0KVInBumWBgNwD9L_ehmB92TKczCBMTvBlT798ZzSMtCylzttcU5PxUtrCRNE4WIbTaflwy9qrlPgmPDXLowpYhQH-tfcxIX6n5vB8c1z3tvlkFKQEgp0oHEIrsk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmqLFs4JA95JFBnTqAxm8fw1iHnX32awBLmCJad6YeMWTocMgNFrcQocl0KVInBumWBgNwD9L_ehmB92TKczCBMTvBlT798ZzSMtCylzttcU5PxUtrCRNE4WIbTaflwy9qrlPgmPDXLowpYhQH-tfcxIX6n5vB8c1z3tvlkFKQEgp0oHEIrsk=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />We were given some instructions about the course, and then there was a quick countdown and we were off!<p></p><p>I led from the beginning and tried not to run too fast and I soon started pulling ahead. It was fun seeing everyone behind me on the main out-and-back, where we all were encouraging each other.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAyDf-0ymRPVNPjQk9FapSZN8i1b3cQErcfybdMfz7v3w_ZptqF-fCSUzoJUtQqZy8gLw5tvlcRRTe2yoJ_01q-dRwsR2wR5by1Wy9JCii8dzjtD3YZtxOXWB4V2nSrO9-7nQpU4Z8gi4GP6q5553N2TIhpaIog4ZCwwA--2Owxqnjr3Ey6i0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3016" data-original-width="4528" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAyDf-0ymRPVNPjQk9FapSZN8i1b3cQErcfybdMfz7v3w_ZptqF-fCSUzoJUtQqZy8gLw5tvlcRRTe2yoJ_01q-dRwsR2wR5by1Wy9JCii8dzjtD3YZtxOXWB4V2nSrO9-7nQpU4Z8gi4GP6q5553N2TIhpaIog4ZCwwA--2Owxqnjr3Ey6i0=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br />The finish is on a downhill and I really gave it my all. Whew!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhh9D2Dk9WvXyguw5H_i1ofvPsKq8s2kvqtD7a9ul8ZaZR7RKh3s34Rnl8izzBD1xAR2ezo5zdvrbRjAoEO1PM1_bqTG8QaxeH1htI6F-UNx-Vg7MnAiTNOkyNyGq8ruMF09u09MjaRKxivNmzE8CNJhlmiTV1VVFzAhhu5lbLwFYPanMIEp9A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1914" data-original-width="2992" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhh9D2Dk9WvXyguw5H_i1ofvPsKq8s2kvqtD7a9ul8ZaZR7RKh3s34Rnl8izzBD1xAR2ezo5zdvrbRjAoEO1PM1_bqTG8QaxeH1htI6F-UNx-Vg7MnAiTNOkyNyGq8ruMF09u09MjaRKxivNmzE8CNJhlmiTV1VVFzAhhu5lbLwFYPanMIEp9A=w640-h410" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p><p><b>Random Data</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Weight: 167.0 lbs</li><li><a href="https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=271361&fbclid=IwAR0XCUYZtf0qDrdShe1QNOKHa2WXduQzE_KHmj4yCG0caEL6R7S8e_XtaRw" target="_blank">Results</a></li><li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/6855393589/overview" target="_blank">Strava</a></li></ul><p></p><div><br /></div>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-10100468001261660432022-02-13T14:03:00.038-08:002022-03-27T14:18:43.084-07:00Montara Mountain 50K -- 5:14:03<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsig3fcLW4B5vEFTyn8K-gXQ4XPB8lD9znBCVN-djYU_Voju35QiqN3lFFq1f9LgpN_NaALWLD6CH5eL2WI0kA1VKwjoZaIDvxUkoQjKSQGwsKTTAoRdN7oqmT5Lq72qEfHYorjJYKJTHQPFkoZx6eqRIgEzlls0HVGsVxu1i2d9pOeI-LFI/s4032/Pacifica%20Runners%20group%20funny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipsig3fcLW4B5vEFTyn8K-gXQ4XPB8lD9znBCVN-djYU_Voju35QiqN3lFFq1f9LgpN_NaALWLD6CH5eL2WI0kA1VKwjoZaIDvxUkoQjKSQGwsKTTAoRdN7oqmT5Lq72qEfHYorjJYKJTHQPFkoZx6eqRIgEzlls0HVGsVxu1i2d9pOeI-LFI/w640-h480/Pacifica%20Runners%20group%20funny.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I survived! I ran the Montara Mountain 50K (31 miles) race today. This is a super hilly course, with 6,700’ of elevation gain, and it got warm, too. I was doing pretty well for about the first 20 miles, but then I started feeling the beginnings of cramps and I walked more and more of the uphills towards the end. It took me 5 hours 14 minutes. It was fun seeing so many friends. Jennifer did a hike and saw me during the race and at the finish, which was sweet.</p><p>I finished 3rd place male, 2nd place age in my age group. There were 29 finishers.</p><p><b>Details</b></p><p>I carried two 20 ounce bottles. 15 minutes before the start of the race, I drank about 10 oz and ate one energy gel. I drank 20 oz the first loop. I felt good during the first big ascent to the peak of Montara Mountain and I ran practically every step.</p><p>I crossed paths with one of my running buddies, Ross, multiple times. He started ahead of me and I saw him returning from the top. I eventually passed him on the downhill and he started catching up to me on the Valley View uphill. I pulled ahead on the downhill and he caught up again towards the top of Hazelnut. I pulled ahead again and he caught up and then passed me on the 2nd ascent to North Peak. I passed him at the turn-around. He passed me on the Valley View ascent and stayed in front for the rest of the race. He had a great race, this being his first marathon, and he won it!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgJBUXjypU_8K2p2Qokk5RUunWOk5N-Aa06V1_IQFenJZKFBRs0dngVbqFy519B4Iu5mwcpkrCqUJ2DEqXOzkg5LKbaG0fQgqZHNjbmdzsMy-EA-eC6y9tXZjo2xoHdABnHzaiIARb1qu6CsBlhRG-2sLHN-49pugnJCI175jUDLvYxYxqHHY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgJBUXjypU_8K2p2Qokk5RUunWOk5N-Aa06V1_IQFenJZKFBRs0dngVbqFy519B4Iu5mwcpkrCqUJ2DEqXOzkg5LKbaG0fQgqZHNjbmdzsMy-EA-eC6y9tXZjo2xoHdABnHzaiIARb1qu6CsBlhRG-2sLHN-49pugnJCI175jUDLvYxYxqHHY=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />Otherwise, I mostly ran alone.<p></p><p>Jennifer and her sister Laurie were hiking during the race and we crossed paths. They saw me at the finish, too. Thank you, you two!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEger0FpqAtScfD4i58B-RzRQ8CfBDeVVBLKQ_PE7HVNLq_VuU0Ytc4ELUJGj3gcLomZr-hhUZB_U_8ASnfOfa1b-1WR4ppYDRsiD393skAzzPiIdH-EZE_lmL0IIOdqQKfGuw-81orfoX0D0wOEpPKpqrhJSTsdA2MSMq5kwDC7SL1wtmFan7o" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEger0FpqAtScfD4i58B-RzRQ8CfBDeVVBLKQ_PE7HVNLq_VuU0Ytc4ELUJGj3gcLomZr-hhUZB_U_8ASnfOfa1b-1WR4ppYDRsiD393skAzzPiIdH-EZE_lmL0IIOdqQKfGuw-81orfoX0D0wOEpPKpqrhJSTsdA2MSMq5kwDC7SL1wtmFan7o=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />I'm not sure what I could have done better to prevent cramps. I did lose over 6 lbs during the race and I know that dehydration causes cramps. So, maybe I should have tried to drink more? And eat more? Or maybe I should have gone slower in the first ascent? I'm still not sure what causes muscle cramps. Anecdotally, it feels like they happen when I run too fast early on in long races, like in road marathons. It's a little hard to believe that I'm not eating enough, but I can't rule that out.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijUl3GEkHKNo37nd8tgsNPIeOvA0yqNUEt6eX59GC-TuihbOAyur9nYW9Pzj1sgKWZ4-UJDBxt9Aq8Q4YlkVEiImJW8AkMGKZ_UWjUDknR4YX1op1MTRiIDAWDZ9-7ymy2IxIEadk66vzdW-MGNaX7RGIpsnndANPTk-NQiHIEK-RoE_oOktU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijUl3GEkHKNo37nd8tgsNPIeOvA0yqNUEt6eX59GC-TuihbOAyur9nYW9Pzj1sgKWZ4-UJDBxt9Aq8Q4YlkVEiImJW8AkMGKZ_UWjUDknR4YX1op1MTRiIDAWDZ9-7ymy2IxIEadk66vzdW-MGNaX7RGIpsnndANPTk-NQiHIEK-RoE_oOktU=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><b>Random Data</b><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Weight after waking up: 170.0 lbs</li><li>Weight after the race and after eating lunch: 164.0 lbs</li><li>Breakfast: 2 pieces of whole wheat toast with peanut butter and jelly, big cup of coffee. Maybe I should have drank 20 oz of water?</li><li>Alarm woke me up: 5:30am. The race started at 8am.</li><li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/6679554772/overview" target="_blank">Strava</a></li><li><a href="https://www.coastaltrailruns.com/results/mm/mm_results_22.html" target="_blank">Results</a></li></ul><p></p><div><br /></div>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-43737528469286173242021-12-31T12:51:00.002-08:002022-01-01T13:14:19.866-08:00Pacifica Runners New Years Eve 5K -- 19:06<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3mYP_B-PX5sQv26ZEJQKHogPRRjVTvvvoc5ykSKj5DGmeqwZQNM4T6QZPrMpx-S_iYOZV6g0X0JwfkkB3DGiVF4HZzO3uqIhGtxPkhQc7nHj2BA0dL9YcP_9BBn0ScrCttjPlqIBVpXunhtXes-zn9Fohfg8fqadgvY0uqk08Jhkw53oqWYc=s1080" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3mYP_B-PX5sQv26ZEJQKHogPRRjVTvvvoc5ykSKj5DGmeqwZQNM4T6QZPrMpx-S_iYOZV6g0X0JwfkkB3DGiVF4HZzO3uqIhGtxPkhQc7nHj2BA0dL9YcP_9BBn0ScrCttjPlqIBVpXunhtXes-zn9Fohfg8fqadgvY0uqk08Jhkw53oqWYc=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><p>I had fun running the Pacifica Runners New Years Eve 5 km (3.1 mile) race this morning. The cold clear air was great for racing. This out-and-back course has a pretty good hill in the middle (see the above photo) so I'm happy with my 19:06 time (6:10 per mile), which happened to be good enough for first place male. I led the race from beginning to end, gradually pulling away from the first place woman. I may be old, but I'm not always slow!</p><p>It was good seeing so many friends.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigxFsyQh5E-sz-xV6MXIEw7TrR8hlIangs0lcuVJINkSRh4Wk0K6vMxxo3P2fcwBYQUYxkAXinu0k8Do0kQhMtclxTXCIccuAyImHobQ_x5J7GIl-QPwugqgyIvFWHjUaHFUzMmbYc9FIXyAwtmqeEblSh0YcpV-EJEgUCKrsx_Msv1NN0rV0=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigxFsyQh5E-sz-xV6MXIEw7TrR8hlIangs0lcuVJINkSRh4Wk0K6vMxxo3P2fcwBYQUYxkAXinu0k8Do0kQhMtclxTXCIccuAyImHobQ_x5J7GIl-QPwugqgyIvFWHjUaHFUzMmbYc9FIXyAwtmqeEblSh0YcpV-EJEgUCKrsx_Msv1NN0rV0=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Angelo, and Lauren (3rd place female)</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The women's race was especially competitive. If I hadn't showed up, the top 3 overall finishers would have been female! I knew the first place woman, Thia Angelo from Excelsior Running Club, and she was quite a bit faster than me (2:56 something versus my 3:04:22) at California International Marathon a month ago. 2nd place female is my friend Ana's 14 year old daughter, Lara! Amazing! And 3rd place female was my regular running buddy and fellow Coastside Running Club and Pacifica Runners member, Lauren.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL6gc3I6uwUKsokfVPxC2Nz-OR2VU1Z-J1iFH4Wf_KrTrSNhi8evpPpnr8uUGZL-tbjJo680YvQKbVmz-V1Izfh2PDbZd9aRc85dwUwUxH9lAwKBStRPPeRNj67CJeU0WFNAwEdCxRsSgjB1fF7QlwCDrmjVM8hucdGwpf90jsYkP6X6JkL9A=s3264" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL6gc3I6uwUKsokfVPxC2Nz-OR2VU1Z-J1iFH4Wf_KrTrSNhi8evpPpnr8uUGZL-tbjJo680YvQKbVmz-V1Izfh2PDbZd9aRc85dwUwUxH9lAwKBStRPPeRNj67CJeU0WFNAwEdCxRsSgjB1fF7QlwCDrmjVM8hucdGwpf90jsYkP6X6JkL9A=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Ana (4th female), Lara (2nd female)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I also got a $40 gift certificate to A Runner's Mind and a $25 gift certificate to Rosalind Bakery and a "Theragun Wave Solo" (massager?). Thank you, Pacifica Runners!</p><p>Happy New Year!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzhhkESEMx74Qjrcj73iq2bOl9MzUAKeGcuxeUuWiH1cmJaIiwqHkagKWkXc69Eb3z2e85S2MacSQf-IExIFQu5WoL2Uvau_hCCbZ5VJEN-zHvT3HbKC8wKiN8QVdsUyM_oMNZmrxrRv5xNWQIGAwifbRE90l1TQ5sUaHPtTOUYmKTz7Xu5wE=s1080" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzhhkESEMx74Qjrcj73iq2bOl9MzUAKeGcuxeUuWiH1cmJaIiwqHkagKWkXc69Eb3z2e85S2MacSQf-IExIFQu5WoL2Uvau_hCCbZ5VJEN-zHvT3HbKC8wKiN8QVdsUyM_oMNZmrxrRv5xNWQIGAwifbRE90l1TQ5sUaHPtTOUYmKTz7Xu5wE=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=263896&fbclid=IwAR0cRcsdMVr1fi89qWIFFpsM48lmt0dGJoQXHu1poVu2AJyZTK6h6SwFBnI">Results</a>.</p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-24395229300451559502021-12-05T18:00:00.001-08:002021-12-24T15:08:38.506-08:00California International Marathon -- 3:04:22<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLrCz3ubbNugtbgTeLMixr041XXD7pdJTBlJ5HX9Ag3_CGwRVdB0D_iJ2E2U9feR1x85Djmj0m-amED7br0ZK8l5baPp97dXysDrhI4fjQHmQgM-kXqNzguuet8i9n9SXKHOilTYVXRV6DPe2p0ic8Ir7VAcnefc_bbHSziwWmJNL1BtGGakk=s3264" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLrCz3ubbNugtbgTeLMixr041XXD7pdJTBlJ5HX9Ag3_CGwRVdB0D_iJ2E2U9feR1x85Djmj0m-amED7br0ZK8l5baPp97dXysDrhI4fjQHmQgM-kXqNzguuet8i9n9SXKHOilTYVXRV6DPe2p0ic8Ir7VAcnefc_bbHSziwWmJNL1BtGGakk=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><b>Summary</b><p></p><p>I had a solid race! It got challenging towards the end but I held it together and had a strong finish. My time was 3:04:22 which I'm happy about and which will easily qualify me for the Boston Marathon in 2023, which I intend to run. It was great seeing so many friends.</p><p>This was my 8th time running this race and was my 33rd road marathon. (I’ve run about an equal number of ultramarathons.)</p><p><b>Details</b></p><p>I signed up for CIM because it’s always a well-organized not-too-large fast convenient marathon. Plus I had a bunch of friends doing it. Plus it would be nice to have a Boston Marathon qualifier for 2023. This was ambitious though, because this race was was exactly 4 weeks after Rio Del Lago 100 Miles, and so that gave me just two weeks to recover and perhaps get in one long run and then it would be time to taper for two weeks! Happily, it worked out!</p><p>Here's how my training went:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>11/5 - 11/6 — 103 miles at <a href="http://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2021/11/rio-del-lago-100-mile-223010.html" target="_blank">Rio Del Lago</a></li><li>11/13 — first run after race. 7.5 miles.</li><li>11/14 — 8.9 miles. Felt good.</li><li>11/20 — 15.2 mile fast run with Lauren and Ross. Two weeks until race day. Time to taper!</li><li>11/27 — 13 mile fast run with Lauren and Ross.</li><li>In the last week before CIM, I ran four times — 6.9, 7.1, 8, and 6.8 miles.</li></ul><p></p><p>I wasn’t sure what time goal to aim for. The 3:09 I ran in <a href="http://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2021/10/boston-marathon-8-30900.html" target="_blank">Boston</a> seemed to be right at my limits. But CIM was a slightly faster course and the weather would probably be a little bit better. I finally settled on aiming for 3:07 as a minimum but I told friends 3:05. I decided to try following (roughly) the <a href="https://feelrace.com/marco/" target="_blank">Marco</a> plan again, but to treat this as a minimum pace plan.</p><p>The plan was as follows, for my per-mile pace:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>7:17 x2 miles</li><li>7:12 x7 miles</li><li>7:08 x8 miles</li><li>7:03 for remainder</li></ul><p></p><p>This is how the race went for each mile. (I pressed the lap button on my watch as I passed each mile marker.)</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>7:22</li><li>7:19</li><li>7:04</li><li>7:05</li><li>7:14</li><li>7:09</li><li>7:05</li><li>7:10</li><li>7:09</li><li>6:59</li><li>7:07</li><li>7:06</li><li>7:00</li><li>7:11</li><li>7:04</li><li>6:57</li><li>6:57</li><li>6:54</li><li>6:51</li><li>6:58</li><li>6:58 (averaged with the previous mile; I missed a mile marker)</li><li>6:49</li><li>6:57</li><li>6:54</li><li>6:49</li><li>6:42</li><li>6:11 per mile pace for the last 0.2 miles.</li></ul><p></p><p>I arrived to Sacramento on the afternoon before the race, to pick up my bib. I ran into a few friends, too.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIrQobXbsWteT5nOFhRIGTbr3p_cMcg4NeSE2casj_-WQswX2cYyoLeerjWcy8K4fKhJ926VSFKMoTgUNg0Ytm0oJNCojUl6PP-z8OlH4RcF4qKtDI8ayugfOvWiNITOBbJAgCvR0FyQatxwJIYXFWm3tog0BZKz0vJ7NZPJcSMJyTd5iJVq8=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIrQobXbsWteT5nOFhRIGTbr3p_cMcg4NeSE2casj_-WQswX2cYyoLeerjWcy8K4fKhJ926VSFKMoTgUNg0Ytm0oJNCojUl6PP-z8OlH4RcF4qKtDI8ayugfOvWiNITOBbJAgCvR0FyQatxwJIYXFWm3tog0BZKz0vJ7NZPJcSMJyTd5iJVq8=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right: Kenny's wife, Kenny, Kevin, Mor, Justin, myself, Suki</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I was able to stay with my friend Elise who lives near downtown Sacramento. Thank you, Elise! For race day morning, my plan was:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>3:45am wake up. Eat breakfast (2 bagels w/ peanut butter, 20oz water, canned mocha), get dressed, skin care.</li><li>4:30am. Leave Elise’s.</li><li>4:40am. Try for street parking at P Street, between 13th and 10th.</li><li>4:45am to 5am: meet buses on Nth St, between 13th and 10th. Buses begin loading at 5am.</li><li>Carry throw-away warm clothes for the start. (For the first time since I’ve done this race, the race didn’t offer drop bags that would be transported from the start to the finish.)</li><li>7am race start.</li></ul><p></p><p>That worked out just fine. I found parking easily and had enough time to digest my food.</p><p>On the bus ride to the start, I sat next to a guy from Minnesota who said “the ratio of biffies to runners was really good at CIM”. “Biffy?” Oh, the portable restrooms. I told him that we usually call these “porta-potties” in the Bay Area. Funny!</p><p>I borrowed a pen from the bus driver to write my pace chart on my arm.</p><p>I didn’t drink any water since breakfast, because I wanted to minimize the risk of needing to use a porta-potty during the race. That strategy worked well and I was comfortable bathroom-wise for the whole race. However, I was getting thirsty and I wanted some water or sports drink 15 minutes prior to the race start, to drink with my energy gel. In spite of the many many porta-potties at the start, it was still a long wait (15-20 minutes) to go one more time before the race start, so I only had a few minutes to find water. The announcer and signage said there was a water station but when I got there, the attendant asked me, “Do you have an appointment?”. What?!? It looked as if the water station was owned or sponsored by a hotel, so maybe it was a VIP thing. So, no water for me. No one was even in this water station and there were plenty of cups and coolers. Oh well.</p><p>I lined up behind the 3:15 pace group, as it was crowded and I couldn’t easily get closer. That’s fine; I was planning on starting slower anyways. And soon, we were off!</p><p>I tried to stay calm and feel at ease, but not too slow. There’s a bit of a hill in the first mile, so I was fine with my 7 minutes 22 seconds for my first mile. I felt good! Exciting!</p><p>I saw a blind runner up ahead and I thought I recognized his guide. As I passed them, I glanced over. Yes, it was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Jurek" target="_blank">Scott Jurek</a>, a famous ultrarunner, leading a blind runner. Cool!</p><p>I started speeding up a bit after mile 2, according to plan. I crossed the 5K (3.1 mile) mark in 22 minutes 29 seconds (7:14 / mile pace).</p><p>I passed the 3:15 pace group around mile 8. This was a pretty big group.</p><p>At around the half-way point, I was looking for the relay runner hand-off area, but I didn’t quite see it. I was looking for my friend Ross who was running the 2nd leg of the 2-person relay.</p><p>I crossed the half-way point at 1 hour 33 minutes 35 seconds, according to the race results. 13.1 miles down, 13.1 miles to go. Average pace: 7:03 per mile. I did a mental review of how things were going. I was feeling the effort, but I was doing OK.</p><p>I passed a runner at about the 16 mile mark with the loudest breathing I think I’ve ever heard; it was like he was grunting and shouting at the same time. We had a long ways to go, so it was weird to me that he was pushing so hard at this point. He was wearing ear buds, so maybe he couldn’t hear how loud he was.</p><p>The cups at the aid stations were on the small side and sometimes there would be congestion or a runner would be walking in front of the volunteers who were handing out cups. So I wasn’t drinking as much as I would like. At around mile 18, a spectator was offering small bottles of Gatorade. I grabbed one. Score! I had all I wanted to drink and I skipped the next three (?) aid stations.</p><p>I was starting to get desperate as the last few miles remained. I was more and more focused on finishing while also trying to continue speeding up. I was passing lots of runners. For the last 1.2 miles, I averaged 6:36 per mile, according to the race results. By my watch, I ran the last 0.2 miles at a 6:11 pace. Whew! That was a good strong finish!</p><p>I quickly became very sore as my muscles stiffened and cooled down. I slowly walked to my car and decided to walk back to the race finish area to see if I could find some friends.</p><p>It was fun hanging out in the beer garden for a bit. I had so many friends and acquaintances who ran this race!</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Hyun Suk Jang ("Suki") 3:37:00</li><li>Ana Grijalvo 3:37:36</li><li>Kevin Reese 3:14:55</li><li>Kenny Crampton 4:02:32</li><li>Margaret Branick-Abilla 4:38:58</li><li>Jim Abilla 6:08:54</li><li>Brandon Heiken 2:57:09</li><li>Omar Droubi 4:33:41</li><li>Justin Riis -- 3:01:25</li><li>Mor Hirsh and Ross Ellison -- 3:12:24 for the 2-person relay</li><li>Katie Debski — 3:52:21</li><li>Paul Taylor — 3:30:45</li><li>Kevin Chow — 3:59:35</li><li>Terri Choe — 4:27:54</li></ul><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9PYF3CIj6cj-1iTjE_hS5q9yhBE1xMUmUrCJwqBj0J0vDAlx1pIh07Zr5a-cBOchGyyX5lqPKZaO23aAuh5jdOihnkby_kHaAcUu1fgm91y6nYP8RNCVOx1r003aS-VhzKoWQfZA8BEem-woX2SCc8C2dO-nOlgr88COtXX7uou4zV8Xw-JA=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9PYF3CIj6cj-1iTjE_hS5q9yhBE1xMUmUrCJwqBj0J0vDAlx1pIh07Zr5a-cBOchGyyX5lqPKZaO23aAuh5jdOihnkby_kHaAcUu1fgm91y6nYP8RNCVOx1r003aS-VhzKoWQfZA8BEem-woX2SCc8C2dO-nOlgr88COtXX7uou4zV8Xw-JA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_8BVxopP9jNUQMn3HN7kWBvek1QdkIKwUuewe7pneESHKSfH4KhtZO8nmPPnldBgYCB2LrZV8E2RnL8AAy0Exj6kc3MJseUsQbCWTa1TsEHkv6ZORKp7klyo01O_x7FvbwDR7fO53R5gZn5EAgrpCO9N7IKUxuLbBVyEkaNNtLhIfqw7Q-uY=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_8BVxopP9jNUQMn3HN7kWBvek1QdkIKwUuewe7pneESHKSfH4KhtZO8nmPPnldBgYCB2LrZV8E2RnL8AAy0Exj6kc3MJseUsQbCWTa1TsEHkv6ZORKp7klyo01O_x7FvbwDR7fO53R5gZn5EAgrpCO9N7IKUxuLbBVyEkaNNtLhIfqw7Q-uY=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>What a day!</p><p>And as a special treat, I got to have lunch with my daughter in Davis on my way home!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNLa0kZA-dfhZk-9l_KdyDhJ-U2k_TIkuJt3XOxWna0NGSGAoFlwIJqhIMId5l8-mQlIzOU7VIykHVvU7kgwk2Bz__uwgvMGoek2OHxodBO18rshPhBQWbaMHLirH3ziwHhrdkyGBTOmLudh_x_z2jxtRAkDwP7emukJ7czbzccqD4-YplNp4=s3264" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNLa0kZA-dfhZk-9l_KdyDhJ-U2k_TIkuJt3XOxWna0NGSGAoFlwIJqhIMId5l8-mQlIzOU7VIykHVvU7kgwk2Bz__uwgvMGoek2OHxodBO18rshPhBQWbaMHLirH3ziwHhrdkyGBTOmLudh_x_z2jxtRAkDwP7emukJ7czbzccqD4-YplNp4=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-46136619888505682872021-11-06T13:31:00.017-07:002022-09-21T14:08:22.380-07:00Rio Del Lago 100 Mile -- 22:30:10<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-68s06IR_vlA/YZA1rNsysRI/AAAAAAACPIc/drisxTnjvy0KbsXncj9QZ3jQE6uvx96AACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/mile%2B40.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-68s06IR_vlA/YZA1rNsysRI/AAAAAAACPIc/drisxTnjvy0KbsXncj9QZ3jQE6uvx96AACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/mile%2B40.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeling good at mile 40</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b>Summary</b></p><p>I ran well and had decent execution except for one colossal mistake, where I made the wrong choice at a confusingly-marked intersection (in my opinion) at around mile 70, and followed course markers the wrong way, mostly downhill, for 20 minutes. In total, this mistake cost me at least 40 minutes. Otherwise, I finished uninjured and earned my Western States Endurance Run qualifier, and my time of 22:30:10 was a personal record for a trail hundred miler. This was my 7th hundred miler.</p><p><b>Details</b></p><p>Since Tahoe 200 was cancelled due to forest fires, I needed a qualifying race for the Western States Endurance Run, a historic and prestigious 100 mile trail race. I have run Rio Del Lago <a href="https://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2018/11/rio-del-lago-100-mile-230120.html">once before</a>, in 2018, and I was impressed by the race organization and the vibe of the volunteers and participants. There are some pretty forests and views of rivers and lakes, too. Plus, it was only 2.5 hours from home.</p><p>I felt like it was too much of an imposition to ask my wife to meet me at aid stations or to help drive pacers around. So, I decided to not pressure anyone to help me during the race. I always enjoy running with friends and seeing family, but it’s just a lot to ask, and I guess I felt like it wasn’t necessary. In hindsight, perhaps that was a huge mistake! Maybe having a pacer who could think clearly could have kept me on course at mile 70!</p><p>Since I wasn’t going to have a crew or pacer, I carried my phone, which is unusual for me for a race. This would allow me to broadcast my position to Jennifer using the Strava app’s Beacon feature.</p><p>Anyway, I was looking forward to the challenge and I felt like I was in decent shape. My training for Tahoe 200 had gone well and I had run a <a href="https://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2021/09/berkeley-adventure-run-50k-51842.html">50K race</a> and the <a href="https://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2021/10/boston-marathon-8-30900.html" target="">Boston Marathon</a> recently.</p><p>I also got to see my daughter at UC Davis on the drive to Folsom and have lunch with her. (She’s a sophomore there.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lkxKyL9FAts/YZA2cOoadAI/AAAAAAACPIk/l3Zisi1_enMl0E0Y3Je1jOTnwOkLrxYiQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ron%2Band%2BClaire.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lkxKyL9FAts/YZA2cOoadAI/AAAAAAACPIk/l3Zisi1_enMl0E0Y3Je1jOTnwOkLrxYiQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ron%2Band%2BClaire.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>I was able to stay with a friend in Sacramento (thank you so much, Elise!). After a tasty Indian food dinner, of naan, rice, and a kind of vegetarian dumpling, I took two Benadryls and a melatonin, and went to bed like at 9pm and set my alarm for 2:30am. I slept well and woke up before the alarm and felt a little sleepy but not too bad.</p><p>After a quick breakfast (canned mocha, 1.5 toasted bagels with peanut butter), I was soon on my way! Exciting! As I was getting near Beals Point, in Granite Bay, I saw a road closure with a bunch of police. Oh oh. They weren’t telling people how to get to the race. Everyone had to turn around. Did I miss an important race announcement? I soon pulled over and checked Google Maps. I figured that I just needed to drive around the closed intersection and that surely the race start / finish hadn’t changed! I was slightly panicked, but it worked out fine for me. Unfortunately, the road closure was due to a bad car accident. The race director announced that the race would be delayed 15 minutes.</p><p>I dropped off my two drop bags. For Overlook, at mile 45, I would pick up my nighttime gear (Kogalla chest light, a 3rd water bottle, and two battery packs). For Rattlesnake Bar, at mile 86, I would have a warm puffy jacket and a canned latte. The predicted low temperature was 41F. I heard an announcement about needing a parking pass, so I picked one up.</p><p>Walking back to my car, I noticed a familiar set of race stickers on a car. Rebekah! She was the only other runner that I knew in the race. Two other friends, Norm and Jo, had changed plans or were injured and couldn’t start the race. Rebekah was hoping to escape her stressful life for the weekend, and relax by running 100 miles. Funny, I know, but it makes sense! Unfortunately, reality reached her during the race via her phone and she reported that her mind just “wasn’t in the right place”, and she dropped at mile 69. You’re super tough, Rebekah!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jNpbB29qe0I/YZA21FuiD7I/AAAAAAACPIs/k1utpF-y7kAL10mYaoXoFPE2sMzsUCuuwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Rebekah%2Band%2BRon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jNpbB29qe0I/YZA21FuiD7I/AAAAAAACPIs/k1utpF-y7kAL10mYaoXoFPE2sMzsUCuuwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Rebekah%2Band%2BRon.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>With everything apparently in order, 5:15am came around, and we were off!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pacwz3SkMBk/YZA2-vUXGdI/AAAAAAACPIw/XI6IQrcuYCETYbDOo51Kaa6zRxyRpwcOwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/start.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pacwz3SkMBk/YZA2-vUXGdI/AAAAAAACPIw/XI6IQrcuYCETYbDOo51Kaa6zRxyRpwcOwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/start.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>I tried to stick with an easy effort of about 10 minutes per mile on average. I enjoyed the sights and felt at ease. Soon, the first aid station, Willow Creek came around. I tried to be very efficient at each aid station, thinking in advance of what I had on me, how far it was to the next aid station, and what I needed to pick up. I got any trash out of my “trash pocket” in my running pack before I arrived.</p><p>The horizon grew lighter with the beginning of a beautiful sunrise.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8weQYMdu0E/YZA3Oe6i5EI/AAAAAAACPI8/q_hQnQyXY8EBHI29186xZpvJ5GEcVPj5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/American%2BRiver%2Bmile%2B12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W8weQYMdu0E/YZA3Oe6i5EI/AAAAAAACPI8/q_hQnQyXY8EBHI29186xZpvJ5GEcVPj5wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/American%2BRiver%2Bmile%2B12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">American River, at mile 12</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>I finally neared Beal's Point again, where we had started, thus completing the easiest fastest part of the course. I would return here for the finish, many hours and many miles later.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ch2u31rba0s/YZA3tUegEnI/AAAAAAACPJE/JlRQ6XNnV_AL8Y9bHP4Bxg6wc8z7c_BGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Lake%2BFolsom%2Bmile%2B21.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ch2u31rba0s/YZA3tUegEnI/AAAAAAACPJE/JlRQ6XNnV_AL8Y9bHP4Bxg6wc8z7c_BGQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Lake%2BFolsom%2Bmile%2B21.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Folsom, mile 21</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Many parts of this route are very runnable and very pretty, with great well-maintained trails.<br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpEmeq1It5g/YZA4AXtWY9I/AAAAAAACPJM/Rz9eXjz8Vk0DlMy6Jxi4Oit2sTnHTuzEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/mile%2B33.5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xpEmeq1It5g/YZA4AXtWY9I/AAAAAAACPJM/Rz9eXjz8Vk0DlMy6Jxi4Oit2sTnHTuzEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/mile%2B33.5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 33.5</td></tr></tbody></table><br />There were some funny "inspirational" signs. I don't remember these being there before.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kFzhuU33jQI/YZA4j6JH9nI/AAAAAAACPJU/fhyaLoVtimwSPVYCZ7_tq_lFxv9bT9z7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/mile%2B35.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kFzhuU33jQI/YZA4j6JH9nI/AAAAAAACPJU/fhyaLoVtimwSPVYCZ7_tq_lFxv9bT9z7ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/mile%2B35.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 35</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Leaving Rattlesnake Bar aid station, at mile 36, my pace chart that was attached to my bottle said I only had 4 miles to the next aid station. But then I saw a sign that said the next aid station was 6 miles away and was “water only”. Hmm. I wasn’t sure what caused the discrepancy or what to believe.</p><p>Somewhere between mile 36 and 42, I started feeling the very beginnings of cramps. I ate an extra energy gel. Generally, I was trying to eat one energy gel every 50 minutes or so, or every time I finished 20oz of sports drink. This ratio seemed to work well for some long virtual races in the last year.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vzHWE9Hn9zA/YZA5KG9LRbI/AAAAAAACPJg/xV03Y89qiqoQ6M-N_X5782HWHjNnJKHZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/mile%2B41.3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vzHWE9Hn9zA/YZA5KG9LRbI/AAAAAAACPJg/xV03Y89qiqoQ6M-N_X5782HWHjNnJKHZQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/mile%2B41.3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 41.3<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I noticed that my pack was missing two velcro straps on the front that would hold my super-bright chest light (Kogalla brand). That was worrying. I figured I could carry it in my hand if need be.</p><p>I ran out of sports drink. Finally, I got to Cardiac aid station at mile 41.8. Turns out, my pace chart had a typo of 2 miles. The totals worked out, but I had just run 6 miles instead of 4 for this leg, and had run out of water. And the “water only” aid station was exactly that — lots of jugs of water. No food. No sports drink. No volunteers. That was different from 3 years ago. Doh. I got some water and attacked the steep climb up to Overlook.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5OfdYu9om4Y/YZA6NlWtvgI/AAAAAAACPJw/D2LycrtXDy0bQxWK0KIb9eRIrrbE0ozXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/mile%2B42.7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5OfdYu9om4Y/YZA6NlWtvgI/AAAAAAACPJw/D2LycrtXDy0bQxWK0KIb9eRIrrbE0ozXwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/mile%2B42.7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 42.7</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>There were lots of course markers, including pine cones on the ground with flags wrapped around them. A three-legged dog was carrying one of these pine cones in its mouth.</p><p>Some young speedsters passed me, by running up this hill. I thought that was nuts, considering how much effort that was and how long we had to go. I would pass them later, even after my epic detour.</p><p>Overlook! Mile 45. I was feeling kind of tired. This was going to be a longer stop. I needed to get my night gear and do some skin care, and try to catch up on my hydration.</p><p>I promptly forgot to do skin care, by applying RunGoo to my toes and nipples and anywhere else where I felt chafing. I decided I didn’t really need 3 water bottles for the upcoming longest legs (10 and 9.6 miles, consecutively) since the cool weather allowed me to drink less. I grabbed a battery pack for my phone.</p><p>Time to get going! I remember being at this huge busy aid station previously for my friends Mike and Rebekah. As I was exiting, I felt the chafing and that reminded me that I hadn’t done skin care. I sat down on some grass and took care of that. Onward!</p><p>I arrived at the No Hands Bridge at mile 49.2. I had been running or fast-hiking for 9 hours 16 minutes. I was still ahead of my 21.5 hour aggressive pace. I was feeling tired, for sure. I had just taken my first caffeinated energy gel, to help stay alert. But mostly, I felt pretty good. My muscles seemed to be in good shape. I hadn’t experienced any more cramps.</p><p>I quickly refueled and headed up a steep trail which soon descended to the Hwy 49 crossing. I should have paid very careful attention to this little bit. I knew that I was beginning the northern loop and that I would rejoin this trail at some point and re-enter No Hands Bridge.</p><p>This next leg was the longest between aid stations, at just over 10 miles. It seemed to go by quickly. Before I knew it, I came across some very familiar ground — Auburn Lake Trails aid station! This is where I volunteer each year for Western States Endurance Run. As usual, I was very quick through the aid station, dumping trash, grabbing a couple energy gels, and refueling. Onward!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-objz3m76lqE/YZA72QZHj2I/AAAAAAACPJ4/whg7hvjMwOwthRWoLXq1cYKMDLnt1qsNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Auburn%2BLake%2BTrails%2Baid%2Bstation%2BWS%2B2021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-objz3m76lqE/YZA72QZHj2I/AAAAAAACPJ4/whg7hvjMwOwthRWoLXq1cYKMDLnt1qsNgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Auburn%2BLake%2BTrails%2Baid%2Bstation%2BWS%2B2021.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auburn Lake Trails aid station for Western States, June 2021</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The shadows were getting longer and finally I stopped to get out my headlamp. I really wanted to use my chest light too, and I figured I could slip it between my chest and the chest straps of my pack. That seemed to work OK. I had to tighten the pack down and my skin was complaining. I also could no longer put anything in my right front chest pocket, as my right nipple was getting irritated. I was feeling tired, but was running well.</p><p>The Cool Fire Station aid station is new to me; they didn’t have it three years ago. There was a very well marked 3-way intersection that had us go downhill to the aid station, then return back the same way, and then continue in the same direction (a big clockwise loop) that I had just been running on. I was happy to arrive at Cool. The longest legs were now behind me. I was at mile 69. I very quickly got what I needed, and was heading out again when I saw a fellow Coastside Running Club member, Paula! I gave her a quick hug (sorry, I know I was stinky) and headed out.</p><p>I was definitely tired. I was a little confused about where the timing mat was. Did I miss it? I stopped and looked around. Someone told me that no, it was still ahead. Right!</p><p>Next stop — No Hands Bridge again. It was only 3.6 miles away but there were some good climbs. I had just one water bottle filled.</p><p>I eventually came to an intersection that was very confusing to me. It was a 3-way intersection with an A-frame sign that was just an arrow to the left. Well, there was no trail to the left. I could go straight or turn right and go downhill to Hwy 49. I remembered crossing there earlier, but I was pretty tired and couldn't remember exactly how this intersection worked when I was there over 5 hours ago in the daylight. What did the left arrow mean? I decided that it meant that runners who had come up the hill had to turn left to go outbound to begin their loop. I just wasn't thinking clearly. I went down the hill a bit and had serious doubts. I stopped. I walked back up to the intersection again. I looked at the sign again. I looked past the sign, but didn’t see any course markings.</p><p>What that left arrow really meant was "go straight, on the left side of this sign". Come on! That should've been an up arrow! It really deserved a note, saying something like “No Hands Bridge ahead” or something. I couldn't see any flags except for the right turn. So, I made the right turn, crossed Hwy 49 and I'm feeling nervous and confused about the course but then I recognized another runner from earlier. He said yeah we're good and to continue down this path and follow the ribbons. So, I followed the ribbons! If my brain had been working better, I would have checked the course map on my phone. Or I would have remembered how to get to No Hands Bridge from here. But no. I was running well and soon left this other runner behind.</p><p>Then came mistake #2. I passed a back-of-the-pack runner (who was walking) who said she was at mile 50. I didn't really get why she was telling me that. "Wow. Well, good luck." I quickly realized that that might have sounded unkind but I wasn't sure what response she was expecting. I started to worry about why we were heading in the same direction! I just couldn’t make sense of it all. I passed another back-of-the-pack runner. I remembered the scenery, but I wasn’t sure if I was going in the same direction as before or in the opposite direction. Finally, I came across a 3rd slow runner and I asked him if I, at mile 71 or so, was in the right place. No. “No Hands Bridge is back the way you came.” I got out my phone. My heart sank when Strava said mile 42 on the course I was following. (That wasn’t correct either; it should have been like mile 51.) I had no idea how far I had run. I was really tired. Had I gone an extra 2 miles? 4 miles? 6 miles? I couldn’t tell! Looking at my GPS data afterwards, it was around 1.5 miles one way, taking 20 minutes one way, with all the confusion and stopping.</p><p>I was so disappointed in myself. I started walking then jogging back. I really wanted to finish this race. I felt like my time goal was shot. But I could still finish. I had lots of time.</p><p>I got back to Hwy 49. I talked with the police officer who was controlling traffic there. He didn’t know what the course was, but he did know that No Hands Bridge was just down the road and he pointed to some runners coming down the trail above us, going straight (instead of making the turn like I did). OK. Onward.</p><p>I took my time at No Hands Bridge and told a volunteer there that I had gone far off course, and another runner had made the same mistake. She said she would go take a look at it.</p><p>I eventually got back to Overlook, mile 77. Then Cardiac again, mile 80. I thought of how I had run with Claire (my daughter) here three years ago. There were a lot of stars out. It was a clear night. I was struggling more with my energy levels. My urine was a pretty dark yellow. My heart rate was high. My stomach started to feel uneasy, and I couldn’t seem to drink or eat much. </p><p>Another runner passed me but then soon I caught up to him again. He asked if I wanted to pass, and I said “no, I’m really struggling, and I’ll have to slow down again soon.” He asked if I wanted some company. Wow, that was thoughtful. “Sure!” We chatted for a few miles. At our relatively slow pace, this was probably 45 minutes. His name is Mosi (pronounced “mossy”) and he’s quite an accomplished runner, having completed Badwater twice out of three attempts, along with many hundred milers, and lots of road marathons, too. It was super helpful, mentally, to be with him as I was trying to regroup. He didn’t have a pacer either. Finally, we arrived at Rattlesnake Bar, mile 86. I needed my drop bag and I was going to use the porta-potty and get some food. Mosi bid me farewell. He went on to finish in 22:03:03. Awesome!</p><p>I got my drop bag, drank a cold latte drink that I had stashed in it, grabbed my lightweight puffy jacket, took care of business at the porta-potty (yes, my first and only poop of the race), and finally got going again.</p><p>The next 7 miles were the slowest and most difficult of the race. It seemed like just endless rocks and short steep descents or climbs. I still couldn’t get my energy back. I was still dehydrated. My feet were getting sore. I could feel blisters, too. There was cursing involved. I took a salt pill, the only one I consumed in this race, in the hopes that it would settle my stomach and trigger a thirst, so that I could drink more. It might have helped. There were some more confusing intersections and I got my phone out a couple of times. Another runner passed me, with his pacer, but twice I caught up to them because they were confused about the course, too. At some point, I took a look at my pace chart but forgot or misread which leg I was on, and I thought I had like an extra 10 miles. That was depressing. But then I felt relieved when I realized there was just one more aid station!</p><p>Granite Beach! The last aid station! Mile 95.8 of the race! I told the volunteers I was so happy to be there. I could have cried. The remaining 4 miles were relatively flat and smooth. I was going to finish. I grabbed a quesadilla. Yum. I noticed a bottle of whisky and remarked, “Cool!”. They offered me a shot, but I said I shouldn’t. Then they offered me a tiny travel-size bottle. Hah! Fun! I took it and thanked them.</p><p>With that warm food and easier terrain and my stomach calmed, my energy levels were returning. My heart rate and breathing were back to a normal easy effort. I was running a bit faster. I saw the lights of the finish line. I picked up the pace. As I was on the final section of the levy, I ran faster. I could hear the announcer saying that a runner was coming in fast. Something caught my eye and I checked behind me, and there were two headlamps like a few hundred feet behind me! What?! I was not going to get passed in the last quarter mile! I picked up the pace more. I felt like I was practically sprinting, but it was probably closer to 8 minutes a mile. Left turn. Finish line in sight. Tried not to trip and fall in the bumpy grass. I did it! Whew. 22 hours 30 minutes 10 seconds. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ub-gICfTT9M/YZBBcCDtncI/AAAAAAACPKI/mW7wm1a5DC8UYveadtKwfgK76F5ka1VaQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/finish.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ub-gICfTT9M/YZBBcCDtncI/AAAAAAACPKI/mW7wm1a5DC8UYveadtKwfgK76F5ka1VaQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h426/finish.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>Whatever those lights were behind me, they weren’t in the race. I got my belt buckle and medal. I got a text from Jennifer. I called her. I got some hot soup. I felt pretty unsettled and had a hard time sleeping in my car. I also was frequently urinating. (I’m not sure why this happens towards the ends of very long races, but I’ve experienced this before.) I told myself to try to remember that I was quite miserable and uncomfortable. Yeah, if this were easy, it wouldn’t be worth doing.</p><p>I want to thank my family and friends for their support, and the hundreds of volunteers who did such a great job supporting us runners. Thank you!</p><p>This race is also pretty generous with the schwag:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SL6wi5Lk6EY/YZA9xq4BpWI/AAAAAAACPKA/if5DBC_9IK4LhyfxlRw7XW-XG0CoRCsJQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/schwag.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SL6wi5Lk6EY/YZA9xq4BpWI/AAAAAAACPKA/if5DBC_9IK4LhyfxlRw7XW-XG0CoRCsJQCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/schwag.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>What went well</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I finished! I was also 31 minutes faster than the previous time I ran this race, although I had cooler temperatures than in 2018. If I hadn’t gone off course, I probably would have finished at least another 40 minutes earlier, in around 21 hours 50 minutes.</li><li>I didn’t get injured. I didn’t fall.</li><li>My muscles never got extremely sore. I could walk OK afterwards and go up and down steps OK, for example.</li><li>I was mostly comfortable for like 70% of the race.</li><li>It was fun running well and seeing the natural beauty and meeting other runners and volunteers.</li><li>I did some problem solving during the race, that worked out. I figured out a way to sort-of attach my chest light to my pack. I addressed skin care problems. I got over my upset stomach.</li><li>I think I paced myself well? It’s hard to say. I had an aggressive goal, for sure, to finish in 22 hours or maybe even 21 hours. I learned about the <a href="https://ultrapacer.com/" target="_blank">ultraPacer</a> website and I compared its results to my rough estimate and it seemed worth trying. I put in a very optimistic goal time of 21:30, with 1 minute 30 seconds of breaks for each aid station, and a 10% reduction in speed over the course of the race. That website claims to take into account day versus night running, and the difficulty of the terrain, for the many races that it has data for. I was mostly ahead of that goal during the race and if I hadn’t one off course, who knows, maybe I could have held on to that pace?</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Things to improve</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It’s hard to say, “be smarter”, but I was definitely tired around mile 70 and having a hard time thinking carefully. Still, I should have paid better attention to that critical 3-way intersection at mile 50 and 70, near No Hands Bridge. I count 4 such 3-way intersections in this race, where there is a choice of two trails, and both of them are part of the course. Unlike the other hundreds of intersections, where a wrong turn heads down an unmarked trail, these critical intersections have course markings no matter which way you go! So, it might take much longer to realize the error! I also should have trusted my doubts and taken the moment to check my map or slow down and talk with the runner at mile 50 who I was passing.</li><li>I’m not sure how I could have stayed hydrated better. I think I went at least 30 minutes without water due to going off course. It can take a while to catch up when you’re behind on hydration. It was also hard to just force myself to drink a lot. Maybe if I had taken a salt pill sooner? Not sure.</li><li>I didn’t notice that my velcro strips holding my chest light to my running pack had disappeared. Somehow, probably early in the morning on the drive to the start, they got stuck to my car’s carpet and detached from my running pack. So, I had no way of securely attaching my chest light to my pack. Maybe I should have sewed them on?</li><li>I didn’t get much chafing, but the worst was in my armpits! This is the 2nd time that this has happened. Did my shirts shrink? haha. I guess I need to start using anti-chafing cream there, or run shirtless!</li><li>I made a mistake when copying the distances that each aid station is at, when creating my pace chart. I had even double-checked it. But I had one typo, that moved an aid station 2 miles. This caused me to not quite plan correctly during the race. I also didn’t catch that Cardiac was water only and that this literally meant water only!</li><li>My pace chart was taped to a water bottle, which I have done many times before. For the first time, the tape didn’t stick well and completely detached from the bottle at some point during the night. Was it the bottle? It was the first time I had taped a pace chart to this particular bottle. I also pinched my lip pretty hard on the nozzle once, while trying to close it, giving me a blister on my lower lip. I don’t think I’ll use this bottle again in a race.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Random data</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I took 3 ibuprofen during the race, to help reduce soreness. I took the first somewhere around mile 35 or 40, I think. I took the last one at about mile 70. Later on, I was worried about taking any more while I was dehydrated. (My urine was a dark yellow.)</li><li>I took one salt pill, maybe around mile 90, to try to help my stomach and allow me to drink more water. I think it helped.</li><li>RunGoo anti-chafing cream worked well, I think, and protected my nipples and thighs and other spots. But notably, I still got blisters.</li><li>I wore Injini toe socks. I still got blisters.</li><li>Two water bottles (20 oz each) was enough for the cool weather conditions.</li><li><a href="https://www.athlinks.com/event/63638/results/Event/991871/Course/2142422/Bib/227" target="_blank">Race results</a></li><li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/6223494341/overview" target="_blank">GPS recording</a></li></ul><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPf9bTqAJQNgstp31gFpysDPYwOhJMlssd8-SdsSlNIqjKSxgDvq1re1I725kh5Eb87bce5dsU3WsizO5WwjF6wg1Tc6GVSHipnsRZv4QCry6c43CUNDbJsfZz37oZa4CmM6xVtBWnEcJiKtPjdX4Mplxq1XsCi0h_Kcweu8H0Y09IXuzdrwU/s600/Rio%20Del%20Lago%20ad.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="270" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPf9bTqAJQNgstp31gFpysDPYwOhJMlssd8-SdsSlNIqjKSxgDvq1re1I725kh5Eb87bce5dsU3WsizO5WwjF6wg1Tc6GVSHipnsRZv4QCry6c43CUNDbJsfZz37oZa4CmM6xVtBWnEcJiKtPjdX4Mplxq1XsCi0h_Kcweu8H0Y09IXuzdrwU/w180-h400/Rio%20Del%20Lago%20ad.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div></div>[Update on April 1, 2022] I'm in a photo in a Facebook ad. Fun!<br /><p><br /></p></div>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-60997248698394766742021-10-12T11:33:00.005-07:002021-10-18T14:40:44.350-07:00Boston Marathon #8 -- 3:09:00<p><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">Summary</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I ran my 8th Boston Marathon yesterday, finishing in 3 hours 9 minutes. This was my 4th fastest Boston Marathon and my 32nd road marathon.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I'm really pleased with the race. I probably went a bit too fast in miles 18-23, though, because I had some cramps (left hamstring, both calves) in mile 25. But otherwise the race went pretty smoothly. I was aiming for 3:10 and my official time is 3:09:00. The weather was good -- cool and overcast. The volunteers and organizers and spectators were fantastic as usual.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Details</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I had been looking forward to my first big in-person race since the pandemic. And the Boston Marathon is always a rewarding experience. This was the first Boston Marathon that my wife was able (and willing?) to come to with me. We made a nice trip out of it, spending three nights in New Hampshire and three nights in Boston. I only did two short runs, but we did two rather strenuous hikes, including going to the top of Liberty Mountain. The fall colors of New Hampshire were gorgeous.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8o2XainchaI/YWXKBWJ5DOI/AAAAAAACOoQ/kGJ1F0X3o8QxZpiSUnPPnVughzQnBz9qgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/New%2BHampshire%2BLiberty%2BTrail%2Briver%2Bcrossing.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8o2XainchaI/YWXKBWJ5DOI/AAAAAAACOoQ/kGJ1F0X3o8QxZpiSUnPPnVughzQnBz9qgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/New%2BHampshire%2BLiberty%2BTrail%2Briver%2Bcrossing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KNvvpbBEAr8/YWXN_I7IAtI/AAAAAAACOo0/kfAhk5K2ziktvRCPmG1LOak_qByFW4RUQCPcBGAsYHg/s15872/PXL_20211008_172351529.PHOTOSPHERE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="15872" height="104" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KNvvpbBEAr8/YWXN_I7IAtI/AAAAAAACOo0/kfAhk5K2ziktvRCPmG1LOak_qByFW4RUQCPcBGAsYHg/w640-h104/PXL_20211008_172351529.PHOTOSPHERE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lwADWG9oxjs/YWXONyBdN5I/AAAAAAACOo4/Yrfzw3M_aT05mNdUSmZelXG7imRs0i6oACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20211008_173916033.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lwADWG9oxjs/YWXONyBdN5I/AAAAAAACOo4/Yrfzw3M_aT05mNdUSmZelXG7imRs0i6oACPcBGAsYHg/w640-h480/PXL_20211008_173916033.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Once in Boston, we made our way to the covid vaccine check; it was smooth and quick. Thankfully, almost all of the runners were fully vaccinated, as the line for the covid test, for the unvaccinated, had just one person in it. The Expo was far less crowded and was much more spacious, with many fewer vendors, than in past years. My wife convinced me to buy the Boston Marathon 2021 jacket which I think looks pretty smart!</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bgXFByHsKr4/YWXK3-RTVbI/AAAAAAACOoc/FivQn7qWDtA2e36T7KhbdyM1PFtUDQ_twCPcBGAsYHg/s2793/original_a9f80483-fbdc-405d-9158-7c4a1f7eb839_PXL_20211009_211643077.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2696" data-original-width="2793" height="618" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bgXFByHsKr4/YWXK3-RTVbI/AAAAAAACOoc/FivQn7qWDtA2e36T7KhbdyM1PFtUDQ_twCPcBGAsYHg/w640-h618/original_a9f80483-fbdc-405d-9158-7c4a1f7eb839_PXL_20211009_211643077.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The next morning, Sunday, the day before the race, I got in an easy 4 mile run and then we walked for a few hours, getting lunch, going to a science museum, and then finding dinner. (I had a tasty spicy Moroccan rice and tofu dish.) The weather was pretty good, being mostly overcast and in the high 60s in the middle of the day, but rather humid. That’s still a little warmer than the ideal running conditions, but I’ve run in much worse in Boston. It was fun seeing all of the fit runners everywhere.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hTWxaZCFpkU/YWXLEIB4GaI/AAAAAAACOog/rxhPaGBQ4EAIBStSAGPnw22Z64K18am4QCPcBGAsYHg/s3264/PXL_20211010_172203406.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hTWxaZCFpkU/YWXLEIB4GaI/AAAAAAACOog/rxhPaGBQ4EAIBStSAGPnw22Z64K18am4QCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20211010_172203406.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I worked on my pacing plan that night, which is rather last-minute. I wanted to do well, but I also wanted to have a good experience, and I guess I wasn’t super-concerned about doing my absolute best. For example, in the preceding weeks, I always chose running with friends rather than doing fine-tuned race-specific workouts. I still preferred hills and trails, versus flat paved roads, too. And in the months prior, my focus was on getting ready for Tahoe 200 which ended up being cancelled due to forest fires. So, my training and mindset were not focused on this race.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I tried to memorize my pace plan, but it’s a little bit complicated, so I wrote it on a cheat-sheet that I took with me, to memorize while on the bus to Hopkinton. I had four goal paces for four different sections of the race, starting off a little slower and finishing faster, with a goal time of 3 hours 10 minutes. I figured that I was in about as good shape as I was two years ago when I ran CIM in 3:09:43. The pace plan came from this <a href="https://feelrace.com/marco/" target="_blank">Marco</a> marathon calculator which I have used a few times before, and I have the breakdown in a spreadsheet that I adjust for each race. For this race, the plan was as follows:</p><ul class="ul1"><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>7:24 per-mile for miles 1-2.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>7:19 per-mile for the next 7 miles.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>7:15 per mile for the next 8 miles.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>7:10 per mile for the final 9.2 miles.</li></ul><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">For elite athletes making word-record attempts, it’s better to run the same pace throughout. But I think it’s a safer strategy to start off a little slower because the cost of going too fast too early can be very high later in the race, if you “bonk” (run low on glycogen in your body) or get cramps.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I had a terrible night’s sleep before the race, just tossing and turning all night. It didn’t help that the hotel room was a bit warm and that big cities are typically noisy, especially sports cars and motorcycles with extra-loud exhaust pipes. My calves were sore, perhaps from this serious hike a few days earlier, and my legs were generally restless, too. I had forgotten to take any kind of sleep aid. Being on a computer late at night probably didn’t help either.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Finally, I fell asleep at some point but the 6:30am alarm woke me up and I was quite sleepy. Jennifer kindly made me a cup of instant coffee and I ate a light breakfast (1.5 bagels with peanut butter) and got ready for the day! Exciting!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1iehMK4rCmg/YWXLV3tHfWI/AAAAAAACOoo/CaSgEtWKd3QAmLQBuM-3106nJY84HrHDwCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20211011_113939597.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1iehMK4rCmg/YWXLV3tHfWI/AAAAAAACOoo/CaSgEtWKd3QAmLQBuM-3106nJY84HrHDwCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20211011_113939597.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It was a 15 minute walk to Boston Common and the endless line of buses was quite a sight. I wish I had my phone to take photos, but I didn’t want to take the time or to walk the extra distance to have a drop bag. The boarding process was quick and efficient. Excitement was in the air! We were allowed to board by our bib colors. There were 6 colors for the 6 groups, sorted from fastest to slowest, based on our qualifying times.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I rested my eyes occasionally on the bus ride, as did the guy who I sat next to. We were tired, I guess! Most people were chatting. I did notice that a few buses in front of us on the freeway started to exit while our bus continued on the freeway. They were taking the wrong exit! Oops! I’m glad our bus driver knew the route well!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">We arrived in Hopkinton! There were some spectators waving at the buses as we drove in! Neat! I just love how the local residents, from Hopkinton to Boston, really embrace the marathon. I thanked the bus driver as we exited and we runners started walking towards the start line.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This was the first year of using what the race called a “rolling start”. In the previous seven times I ran this race, going back to 2007, there was always an “athlete’s village” set up where we stayed underneath giant canopy tents and waited for an hour or so before moving towards the starting corrals. But not this time! We just kept walking towards the start. There was a large group of porta-potties for us, and most of us took advantage of one last stop. I ditched my thermal blanket and did some warm-up exercises. It was only when I got within sight of the starting line did I realize what a “rolling start” really meant. There were no corrals, no national anthem (at least not for me, being 15-20 minutes after the race started for the fastest runners). We just walked straight from the bus to the start line and then started running when we were ready! This was a great innovation! There was no particular crowding or anxiety about not getting to the porta-potty in time before the race started. There was no lengthy wait in the cold. And from the organizer’s point of view, they didn’t need to do nearly as much set-up and could have hundreds of fewer porta-potties and no giant tents and everything else required to keep us comfortable for an hour+. I hope they stick with the rolling start!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I normally eat an energy gel 15 minutes before starting a marathon, but I only waited a few minutes before walking to the start line, and then I was off! Woo hoo!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The steepest part of the whole course is right at the beginning, with a fast smooth downhill. I took it easy and ran at what I thought was a very comfortable effort that approximated a 7:24 pace on flat ground. I felt good!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I had a few minor random pains in the first 6 miles or so. Both calves felt kind of tight or sore and my left knee’s patella-femoral tendon was sore. I tried not to worry. I gave a thumbs-up to many cheering spectators. It was fun seeing the communities and terrain. I kept an eye on my pace and picked up my effort a tad after the first two miles.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I thought of friends and family who were probably following me online when I crossed the 5K checkpoint.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I finished off my 20oz of Tailwind at about the 6 mile mark and tossed my old water bottle. I usually eat an energy gel every 35 minutes or so in a road marathon, but because I was getting so much sports drink, I held off until almost an hour had passed. Still after all these years, I’m not sure about the right amount of water to take for the calories I’m getting. Through trial-and-error, ~24 ounces an hour of sports drink plus 100 calories of something else seems to work for me for long races (marathons and longer) in cool weather.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The aid stations are every mile, starting at mile 2. They were not too crowded and getting a drink was easy. There are *so* many volunteers. Thank you, volunteers! It’s really amazing how many people donate their time to make this race such a wonderful event.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The miles flowed by smoothly. My breathing was steady and easy. In-in-out-out, in-in-out-out was my cadence with my breathing and strides in sync. I enjoyed the spectators. I noticed a couple of other runners who were always nearby and at about the same pace. Whatever minor aches or sorenesses I had disappeared as I warmed up.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Around mile 13, I heard a roar up ahead. Wellesley College! This women’s college is always super-supportive of the race, with hundreds or maybe even thousands of young women cheering and screaming encouragement. The signage felt different this time. There were a couple of “kiss me” type signs, including one that stood out to me as being especially funny — “If you don’t kiss me, my boyfriend will be mad”. But many more signs were advocacy-type signs, like about climate change and social justice. I smiled and gave a thumbs up or an occasional cheer myself, but I didn’t stop.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There was a Santa Claus spectator. And a sign that said something like “Fear the fart” which made me chuckle. I passed a couple of single-leg amputees. I passed one runner who was a triple amputee — both legs below the knee had those blade-style prosthetics and he was missing most of his right arm, too. I wonder if those were war injuries.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I was running well and started passing people more frequently and was rarely getting passed. I started seeing runners who were struggling. In the town of Newton, at around mile 18, I actually looked forward to the hills, as a sign that I was getting closer to the finish and for the change of pace (literally). I passed a lot of people on these uphills. I was feeling good but tried to remind myself that I still had a long ways to go.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Miles 22, 23, and 24 were my fastest miles of the whole race. I was feeling good! But then I sensed problems. My calves, hamstrings, and thighs were getting twinges of cramps. I was very close to the limit. When I passed the mile 23 marker, that means I had just over 3.2 miles remaining which felt like a long time under these circumstances. “Just hold on. Keep it together for just a bit longer.” I told myself. I became more focused on the task at hand and was interacting with the crowds less. I was still steadily passing most runners, many of whom were struggling worse than me.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Somewhere in mile 25, the cramping got much worse, seemingly over just a few seconds. I slowed down. Tried to speed up. Boom. My left hamstring froze, clenched and not releasing. I didn’t stop but I had to hobble. “No no no no” I think I said out loud. “#%$@!” I had less than 2 miles to go, but I could see this going very badly. My hamstring unclenched, probably after just a few strides, although it felt longer. I ate my last energy gel, just in the the hope that it might help keep the cramps away. Breathing-wise, I was in good shape. I probably had plenty of energy, too. But some of my leg muscles just couldn’t do any more. I slowed down for a bit to try to recover.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The mile 25 marker went by. The “one mile to go” marker went by. I pushed harder. So close. Just hold on. Right on Hereford! Left on Boylston! The finish line is in sight, just 3.5 long blocks away. Another runner was standing in the road at the corner, leaning over. He vomited as I passed. Faster. Almost there. Faster. I heard my name! I glanced to my left and it was Jennifer! Woo hoo! Keep it together. Faster. I was going to come in under my 3:10 goal time! Finish!!! Whew! What a relief!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dztexQtCjC6UbGxOzd5qpTZ2AIGvTlUej8clXioo-sFq8s50BJ3dGmCq9gwTJKxLy_5DNBLu00t_14' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The volunteers again were so wonderful and the amount of effort that goes in to supporting us runners is just incredible. I got water, a bag of food, a thermal “space blanket”, and of course my medal. Whew! I felt good! I was sore, for sure, but didn’t have any cramps. I exited the finish area and went looking for Jennifer, but it was too crowded, so I made my way back to our hotel. She had gotten there a couple minutes before me and had bought Chipotle burritos for us! Nice! Thank you, my love!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">What a day! I wanted to rest and take a nap, but my phone was buzzing quite a bit. Thank you, my friends and family, for thinking of me. I texted my daughter and called my parents. I learned of my finish time — 3:09:00. Nice! I’ll take it! :-)</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">A bit later, we had a wonderful group dinner at Legal Sea Foods, with my friend Ned and his wife Leslie and a bunch of Ned's running friends from the San Francisco Road Running Club. I felt pretty good and could walk up and down stairs just fine. I was sore, for sure, but I had been much more sore after other marathons.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>What went well</b></p><ul class="ul1"><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I think I paced myself pretty well on the whole, but maybe was a bit too enthusiastic in miles 22-24.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>No blisters or bad chafing. I had used RunGoo on all the usual spots that can get chafing, like my toenails, nipples, and thighs. I was getting a spot of chafing on the top of both feet and a touch around both armpits, which is unusual, but otherwise, my skin was in good shape.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>No bathroom problems. I didn’t eat much fiber the day before, and I woke up at 6:30am for an anticipated 9:30am to 10am start. I ate and drank plenty (1.5 bagels with peanut butter, coffee, water) shortly after waking up, but then I didn’t drink or eat anything else until about 5 minutes before I began running.</li></ul><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Things to improve</b></p><ul class="ul1"><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>For the first time, I carried a handheld water bottle in a road marathon and this wasn’t necessary at all for this race. l was slightly worried about aid station crowding, but between the rolling start and about 10,000 fewer runners than in previous years (due to Covid-19), it was easy to get sports drink at every aid station. I finished off the 20oz of Tailwind by around mile 6 and I threw away this old water bottle.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I had a really hard time sleeping the night before. My legs were restless more than my mind, it seemed. I had forgotten to take a Benadryl or melatonin or any sleep aid. I was also on my computer, watching an episode of Squid Game on Netflix, right before going to sleep.</li></ul><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Random data</b></p><ul class="ul1"><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: Menlo; font-size: 9px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"></span>I ate 5 energy gels during the race, plus 1 right before the start. 2 of them were caffeinated. One of the energy gels I got during the race. Although I had brought enough with me from home, one of them got punctured somehow. Because I had Tailwind (200 calories), I didn’t eat my first energy gel until about the 1 hour mark.</li><li class="li1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/6098289754" target="_blank">My Strava activity</a>.</li></ul>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-41871736187908953782021-09-18T15:39:00.170-07:002021-09-19T17:18:32.976-07:00Berkeley Adventure Run 50K -- 5:18:42<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o9RgbMNGJTc/YUe9g1yQBXI/AAAAAAACOI0/QscKx43WjkQiTBjgdDAxzsk7oUCsPUZqgCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20210918_152417083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o9RgbMNGJTc/YUe9g1yQBXI/AAAAAAACOI0/QscKx43WjkQiTBjgdDAxzsk7oUCsPUZqgCPcBGAsYHg/w640-h480/PXL_20210918_152417083.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />I raced the Berkeley Adventure Run 50K (31 miles) today, put on by Inside Trail Racing. It was a challenging course, with 6800' of elevation gain, going all around Tilden Park. I had a good solid run and I did about as well as I could. It took me 5 hours 18 minutes 42 seconds and I finished 7th out of 64, and 3rd in my age group. (The first place male, Daniel Kono, was 52 years old!) The scenery and forests were pretty and interesting. The weather was great for running -- cool and overcast. I only felt warm for some brief periods in the late morning and early afternoon.<p></p><p>I signed up for this race on the spur-of-the-moment, learning of it only one week before. I didn't register until just two days before the race. I thought this would a fun experience and a good training run.</p><p>I think I paced myself well and executed the race about as well I could, all things considered. I drank only Tailwind sports drink, and even started out with 20oz of Tailwind that I prepared at home. I ate an energy gel about every 45-50 minutes. My energy levels felt pretty good the entire time, but I got a strong thigh cramp around mile 29 on an uphill. I felt like I was on the verge of cramps and couldn't push any harder, even when another runner passed me in about the last mile. He was in my age group, too! Oh, well.</p><p>The only real negative part of the race was that there was some trail marking vandalism that cost me 4-5 minutes. Someone had not only removed the course markings, but had relocated them to mislead us. 🙁 Otherwise things went smoothly -- no falls or injuries.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KjZ68X8Wjzc/YUfSX-xspnI/AAAAAAACOJM/gRG01oTGmo8zsYXU2635yip5vy_NHau9QCPcBGAsYHg/s3264/PXL_20210918_205636467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KjZ68X8Wjzc/YUfSX-xspnI/AAAAAAACOJM/gRG01oTGmo8zsYXU2635yip5vy_NHau9QCPcBGAsYHg/w480-h640/PXL_20210918_205636467.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cUFs1U8AxiU/YUfSDQj0a6I/AAAAAAACOJA/MOtXszEWpUsReI-evKOjd5o_GasRs_vawCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ron%2Band%2BSuki%2Bfinish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cUFs1U8AxiU/YUfSDQj0a6I/AAAAAAACOJA/MOtXszEWpUsReI-evKOjd5o_GasRs_vawCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ron%2Band%2BSuki%2Bfinish.jpg" width="480" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></a></div><p><b>Random socializing</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Suki's and my mutual friend Katie met us before the race. She ran the 10K.</li><li>I met Seth from San Francisco and we crossed each other's paths repeatedly and had plenty of time for conversation. This was his first ultramarathon and he did great!</li><li>I re-met Jason who recognized me from the Woodside Crossover 50K (in 2019, I think).</li><li>After Suki finished, I met Lulu, an ophthalmologist from Menlo Park, who is interested in running on Montara Mt.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>What went well</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Pretty much everything! I felt good and ran strong almost the entire time.</li><li>I carried one 20oz handheld bottle. This made aid station stops very quick. I ran out of sports drink a couple of times, but not for too long, like 10-15 minutes, I think.</li><li>I used RunGoo on my toes, nipples, and other likely chafing spots. That worked pretty well.</li><li>Inside Trail Racing puts on really nice trail runs. The swag (t-shirt, medal) and prizes (pint glass and coaster, for 3rd place age group) were thoughtful and attractive. There were lots of helpful volunteers and lots of course markings and signage. There should be some race photos available for free, too.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Things to improve</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I had never worn these particular Injinji socks with these particular shoes (Hoke One One Speedgoat 4 size 13), and the socks didn't cover all the skin that the tongue of the shoe touched, so I got some chafing there, with a bit of bleeding. If the race had been much longer, like 50 miles, I would have had to attend to the problem during the race, but it hardly bothered me for this race. In the future, I need to make sure that the socks and shoes will work well together.</li><li>I wish I had known the course really well, so that I could have followed the course by memory instead of following the colored ribbons, but that's just not practical for a race course that's an hour's drive away. There were about 50 turns in the turn-by-turn instructions, plus the trails didn't have signs anyways. It would have been very difficult to really memorize the course without running on the trails in advance. Some runners had the course's gpx file on their phones or watches, and that might have helped me, but I didn't want to carry a phone on this run.</li></ul><div><b>Random data</b></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I woke up at 5:30am which seemed to be fine for the 8:30am race start. I met Suki at 7am in Pacifica and we had plenty of time to get our bibs, warm up, use the porta-potties, and get ready for the race.</li><li>For breakfast, I ate a whole wheat English muffin with peanut and jelly, and a small bowl of corn flakes with honey.</li><li>I weighed 167.0 lbs the morning after the race. I forgot to weigh myself the morning of the race, but it was probably about the same.</li></ul></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-15176290145622290502021-09-12T15:15:00.003-07:002021-09-19T15:39:11.433-07:004 mile cross-country race -- 26:19<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--PHxXbK3r-U/YUe3T1B5iOI/AAAAAAACOIo/7iRvTdcBuS4q2mH-EHY5ZX0Vk_mmDGAyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--PHxXbK3r-U/YUe3T1B5iOI/AAAAAAACOIo/7iRvTdcBuS4q2mH-EHY5ZX0Vk_mmDGAyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5KMDT8Hf-mQ/YUe3T33DZuI/AAAAAAACOIk/sV3hN1ntbx0nonNfl3D_3pu4iB7Rlse7QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210912_163004495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5KMDT8Hf-mQ/YUe3T33DZuI/AAAAAAACOIk/sV3hN1ntbx0nonNfl3D_3pu4iB7Rlse7QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/PXL_20210912_163004495.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #242428; font-family: MaisonNeue, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", -apple-system, system-ui, system-ui, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #242428; font-family: MaisonNeue, Segoe UI, Helvetica Neue, -apple-system, system-ui, system-ui, Roboto, Arial, sans-serif, Apple Color Emoji, Segoe UI Emoji, Segoe UI Symbol;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">My friend Ned invited me to join a cross-country team with the San Francisco Road Runners Club. I haven't run a race like this since high school! We did two 2-mile loops in Golden Gate Park. It was a fun supportive get-together and a lung-busting 4 mile race. Good fun!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--PHxXbK3r-U/YUe3T1B5iOI/AAAAAAACOIo/7iRvTdcBuS4q2mH-EHY5ZX0Vk_mmDGAyQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8602.jpg" width="640" /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LvhtPQGaWSI/YUe3Tosh1fI/AAAAAAACOIg/YERNFGmI5k49-UDYCvj3nCC13y6gk4nzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_8649.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LvhtPQGaWSI/YUe3Tosh1fI/AAAAAAACOIg/YERNFGmI5k49-UDYCvj3nCC13y6gk4nzQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_8649.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Results: https://www.pausatf.org/data/2021/XCGGP2021.html</li><li>Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/5950048652</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-50711594092302080572021-08-29T16:13:00.002-07:002021-09-19T17:18:47.155-07:00Tiki Trot 5K -- 17:55.9<p> I ran a good challenging fast 5 km race this morning, in Pacifica. The Tiki Trot 5K was put on by Pacifica Runners and I knew many of the organizers and runners. It was fun doing an in-person race again.</p><p>Looking around at my competition before the race, I recognized Jason Reed who had beaten me in this race before and who is typically faster than me. I recognized Brandon Heiken who I knew had been training well, and was likely faster than me. My guess was a 3rd place finish, and I was right! But it didn't go down like that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DJkajW1cfe0/YSwR983UnII/AAAAAAACN0o/BiPQZFdX5GgLI2GZBRzfEGmyaQmgMkWtgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/TikiTrot5K2021.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DJkajW1cfe0/YSwR983UnII/AAAAAAACN0o/BiPQZFdX5GgLI2GZBRzfEGmyaQmgMkWtgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/TikiTrot5K2021.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>I tried to remember to not start off with a sprint. The start is a gentle downhill slope and it's easy to get carried away. A few minutes after 8am, and we were off! This time with chip timing. Jason seemingly sprinted out in front. I felt at ease, like I was holding back, but was still perhaps running too fast. I slowly caught up and passed Jason in the first mile.</p><p>Then a short while later, Brandon passed me. I congratulated him. Then this young guy passed me. Whoah! For the first time, this race was on the RRCA circuit, and so it attracted some speedsters. This guy was probably one of those speedsters. He passed Brandon, too.</p><p>They slowly pulled away from me and I pulled away from those behind me. I tried to keep a consistent effort, but I slowed down on the flat rocky dirt and sand, and slowed down again on the final uphill. (About 2/3rd of the course is on dirt.)</p><p>I was feeling desperate. I probably could have sprinted to the finish line a little sooner, but I waited until I could actually see it.</p><p>Under 18 minutes! I think that was the fastest I have ever run a 5 km race. I even beat my track time from January, and this course is definitely slower than a track. I got a special RRCA medal for being first in the 50+ age group. (That sounds so old, but I'll take it!)</p><p>Cool! It was fun hanging out with Lauren and Mor. It is kind of nice to have this whole race experience compressed into about 90 minutes (including warm-up and cool-down runs, and the after-race awards and raffles).</p><p><a href="https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=251956&fbclid=IwAR376jT4mBx-FFzbaR0mP1-VOR4XxadBoPpc4qZMb7YDQ2fHjUKmPijGkUI">Results</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/5872928398">Strava</a>.</p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-21015200831692713382021-07-17T21:08:00.011-07:002021-07-20T10:01:51.655-07:00Dear Prudence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXJ5clp_R6Q/YPODmtNdqhI/AAAAAAACNDo/RO3FvmVPKh4AJTWTWeDQxxAs6puboKkWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1536/Prudence_2007_Bend_Oregon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1536" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mXJ5clp_R6Q/YPODmtNdqhI/AAAAAAACNDo/RO3FvmVPKh4AJTWTWeDQxxAs6puboKkWQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Prudence_2007_Bend_Oregon.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>I met Prudence L'Heureux during <a href="https://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2007/08/redwood-regional-park-50k-3rd-place.html">my first 50K race</a>, in August 2007. We went on to become friends and I paced her at Miwok 100K one year, and she paced me in two of my races. I visited her in Bend, Oregon, on my work trips.</p><p>Prudence was funny and determined and full of life. She was strong and self-confident. She was an amazing ultrarunner and was <a href="https://ultrarunning.com/ultrarunning-news/pacheco-semick-named-2008-runners-of-the-year/">ranked #10</a> of all U.S. women ultrarunners in 2008. I greatly admired her and I’m grateful to have known her.</p><p>We texted as recently as April 2021 and she seemed fine and normal, and busy with tax season. She tried calling me that day, but my phone's volume was off and I didn't see her call.</p><p>She took her own life on June 17, 2021, in Mammoth Lakes, CA.</p><p>I want a memorial of her life to live on, so that she doesn't fade away completely. So, this blog post is my personal effort towards that goal. Another way to memorialize her is to <a href="https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/in-loving-honor-of-prudence-lheureux">donate to put her name on a bench</a> in the Royal Gorge trail network.</p><p>This is us at the end of <a href="https://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2012/07/tahoe-rim-trail-50-mile.html">Tahoe Rim Trail 50 Mile</a> in July 2012, where she joined me for the last 20 miles.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aouTwl4uhf0/UA-aXVxHDBI/AAAAAAAAZMc/2gYQaT9YMA0/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aouTwl4uhf0/UA-aXVxHDBI/AAAAAAAAZMc/2gYQaT9YMA0/w480-h640/photo+(2).JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p>She ran with me again at <a href="https://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2012/10/dick-collins-firetrails-50-mile-82344.html">Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Mile</a> in October 2012.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sjV55Bm7zFc/YPOAdaxI6xI/AAAAAAACNDY/7ZTGNsv-H14QuioFEqfdq2r4wh2VRqECgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSCN0710.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sjV55Bm7zFc/YPOAdaxI6xI/AAAAAAACNDY/7ZTGNsv-H14QuioFEqfdq2r4wh2VRqECgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/DSCN0710.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I joined her for part of her Miwok 100K in May 2008. To put her performance in perspective, I like to point out that in 2008, I ran my first 50 miler, the Headlands 50 Mile, which took place on many of the same trails as Miwok 100K. It took me 9 hours 47 minutes. Then Prudence ran Miwok 100K in 9 hours 47 minutes. So, on the same trails and in the same amount of time, she raced 12 miles farther than I did!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gQ_EHnJ0thI/YPODQWlRlmI/AAAAAAACNDg/B35MPU1KrMIzyV96iK6_b1siukI5kwWTQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Prudence_Miwok_2008.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gQ_EHnJ0thI/YPODQWlRlmI/AAAAAAACNDg/B35MPU1KrMIzyV96iK6_b1siukI5kwWTQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Prudence_Miwok_2008.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><b>Articles and sources of information</b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://ultrasignup.com/results_participant.aspx?fname=Prudence&lname=L%27Heureux#">Ultrasignup's list of her races</a></li><li><a href="https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/in-loving-honor-of-prudence-lheureux">Fundraiser for her memorial bench</a></li><li>Ultrarunning Magazine's <a href="https://ultrarunning.com/ultrarunning-news/pacheco-semick-named-2008-runners-of-the-year/">2008 runners of the year</a></li><li><a href="https://www.bendbulletin.com/sports/bend-runner-named-ultra-marathoner-of-the-year-for-2008/article_59516fb4-a1ff-59ad-a56b-d7b2385d455b.html?fbclid=IwAR2RXOjBB-e0aQTrmd_cb4Fy1J9E1m_mFrUnHAGr7jqeh10CvSCKGbK0CLA">Newspaper article</a> about her 2008 ranking as #10 female ultrarunner.</li><li><a href="https://www.bendbulletin.com/sports/bend-woman-takes-first-in-100-mile-run/article_0fed2a53-7406-5535-a941-6c15664bd211.html">Newspaper article</a> describes her win at Angeles Crest 100 in 2008.</li><li><a href="https://www.marinij.com/2009/05/02/running-grossman-semick-capture-titles-at-miwok-100k/">Newspaper article</a> about Prudence pacing Kami Semick at Miwok 100K in 2009.</li><li>An <a href="https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/profiles-people/blood-sport-2">article about Anita Ortiz</a> describes how Anita mistreated Prudence in a team race at Gore-Tex Trans-Rockies Run in Colorado in 2002.</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Music</b></p><p><i>Wide Open</i> by The Chemical Brothers somehow resonates with how I feel about losing Prudence, and how she faded away from me, and from the ultrarunning community in general, over the years. The dancer in the video, Sonoya Mizuno, even looks similar to Prudence.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BC2dRkm8ATU" width="320" youtube-src-id="BC2dRkm8ATU"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-82943007554884609492021-01-18T22:23:00.013-08:002021-02-11T23:38:59.946-08:00Yeti 100 Mile -- 19:07:40<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-66WQsaoOhZQ/YAZOiZY7hDI/AAAAAAACLB0/KqWUUjZ5jZInnqEUmKhboEQOyYzqRrKXgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/start.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-66WQsaoOhZQ/YAZOiZY7hDI/AAAAAAACLB0/KqWUUjZ5jZInnqEUmKhboEQOyYzqRrKXgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/start.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"><b>Summary</b></span></h2>Writing this, 10 hours after finishing this virtual race, I am *so* sore. I don't remember being so sore after a race before, such that sleep was very difficult. (I'm not sure I actually ever fell asleep before getting up a few hours later). Even my forearms are sore! </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">But I'm really pleased with how the day went. This was my 6th hundred miler and I set a personal record for this distance by almost 4 hours.</span><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The basic plan was to run four out-and-backs, of 25 miles each, mostly heading south which is easier, with one trip north which has bigger hills and some single-track trails. My goal pace would be 10:30 / mile during the day and 11:30 per mile at night, with 15 minutes of breaks each 25 miles. That would result in 19 hours 12 minutes.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The run basically went pretty smoothly and I was surprised at how closely I was able to stick to the plan, staying within about 10 minutes of my optimistic goal. What made a world of difference was having a different friend join me for each of those legs, in a safe manner. Knowing that someone was waiting for me, along with many other friends following online, helped keep me motivated, too. Also, I had to earn that belt buckle!</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I kept up my hydration and energy levels pretty well, I think. I drank about 20 ounces of Tailwind and ate one energy gel (or equivalent) about every 5 miles. I had some other snacks, like Pringles, noodle soup, and two iced coffee beverages at home. Oh, and my friend Suki brought a warm freshly-made quesadilla at mile 85! (The 4th 25 mile leg ended up being split into 3 shorter out-and-backs.)</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I want to give a huge thanks to Ned (25 miles), Ana (17 miles), Cesare (35 miles), and Suki (15 miles), for running different portions of it with me.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Thank you again to my family and friends for your encouragement and support!</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Lap 1 -- 25 miles with Ned</h2><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">We started at 7am. Thank you, Ned for getting up so early and driving from S.F. to meet me. Over the previous few days, I had either been sitting too much or sitting in a bad position, as my lower back was bugging me. It wasn't bad, but it was disconcerting. Otherwise, I felt ready! I had a good night's sleep two nights before (thanks partially to a melatonin) and I slept OK the night before (melatonin + Benadryl).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G-_UMEyWGsI/YAZPDMWrj2I/AAAAAAACLCE/J-g3anmmJOYvQZegtNQ1wMpztFtTkhQlgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/start2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G-_UMEyWGsI/YAZPDMWrj2I/AAAAAAACLCE/J-g3anmmJOYvQZegtNQ1wMpztFtTkhQlgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/start2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>The miles flowed by smoothly and I tried to take it easy. It was good catching up with Ned.<br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QmF_C4lVreg/YAZOwM1da-I/AAAAAAACLB4/53haO8sOPdwoPswwSHNIRUtRM9zdcAStACLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/Ned.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QmF_C4lVreg/YAZOwM1da-I/AAAAAAACLB4/53haO8sOPdwoPswwSHNIRUtRM9zdcAStACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Ned.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">After about 20 miles, I was starting to feel a bit sore. I was hoping that this soreness would "taper off" as the miles continued. My back pain disappeared somewhere along here and never came back.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This was a long run for Ned and his knee started bugging him, so he was glad to finish. I tried not to think about how much farther I had to go.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;">Lap 2 -- 25 miles with Ana</h2><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">The crowds were coming to the coast and getting back and forth across Hwy 1 took longer and was a bit more dangerous this time. I was feeling warmer in the bright light of day.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">I realized that I had forgotten my bag of Pringles at home, but I still had enough food.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ucclLTl9scY/YA40QiB222I/AAAAAAACLIY/uS2RsLW70qwOyQp3At1P9F5FUEN6hZjhgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Ron%2Band%2BAna%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ucclLTl9scY/YA40QiB222I/AAAAAAACLIY/uS2RsLW70qwOyQp3At1P9F5FUEN6hZjhgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Ron%2Band%2BAna%2B2.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hiwNPj3epfI/YA45C_52ZAI/AAAAAAACLIk/cXcVYJrBtJIblX5np__V92GAhRUlZsqFQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Ron%2Band%2BAna.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hiwNPj3epfI/YA45C_52ZAI/AAAAAAACLIk/cXcVYJrBtJIblX5np__V92GAhRUlZsqFQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Ron%2Band%2BAna.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">On the return trip, heading north, the winds had really picked up. Ana offered to run in front of me which was helpful. I think we were both starting to feel tired and we just persevered. I was somewhat more sore and feeling some hotspots on some toes. Ana was feeling some chafing and at a water stop I was glad I could lend her my anti-chafing cream.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">Ana hadn't been doing long runs recently and her left leg was hurting, so we parted ways earlier than expected; I think it was mile 17 for her. She was able to run home and then bicycle to my house in time to see me at mile 50. Thank you so much, Ana!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XcvrawMqP70/YAdgn-qNrrI/AAAAAAACLEs/iM5lPi4nSo8MlumDTCAEXf7L6QrtiK8NACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ana%252C%2BCesare%252C%2BRon%2Bat%2Bmile%2B50.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1608" data-original-width="2048" height="502" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XcvrawMqP70/YAdgn-qNrrI/AAAAAAACLEs/iM5lPi4nSo8MlumDTCAEXf7L6QrtiK8NACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h502/Ana%252C%2BCesare%252C%2BRon%2Bat%2Bmile%2B50.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mile 50 -- Cesare is taking over from Ana as my pacer</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Lap 3 -- 35 miles with Cesare</h2><div><br /></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">Cesare had braved the traffic when he drove to meet me at my house. Thank you, Cesare! He also informed me of a change of plans -- he was going to run 35 miles with me instead of 25, so that Suki would only do 15 (she had been having calf pain). I was very grateful that they had planned this out for me while I was running.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">So, I'm halfway done and was basically on schedule. I re-applied Run Goo to all the usual spots. I had no chafing on my nipples and just some minor hotspots on my toes. (I was wearing Injinji socks and my fast road running shoes, Nike Vapor Fly Next%.) I also quickly gulped down some hot ramen soup that Jennifer prepared; thank you, my love!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">This was my longest stop. I grabbed my headlamp and battery for my phone, and we were off! Cesare and I headed north for a change. The weather had gotten more overcast and I enjoyed the cool air.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g1hEtpgnp64/YAZf-XezuLI/AAAAAAACLCQ/He_Z3bdYmJArjEmCvbbfK8ItAqdQwuFywCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/Ron%2Bheading%2Bnorth%2Bat%2BGray%2BWhale%2BCove.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="2016" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g1hEtpgnp64/YAZf-XezuLI/AAAAAAACLCQ/He_Z3bdYmJArjEmCvbbfK8ItAqdQwuFywCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h312/Ron%2Bheading%2Bnorth%2Bat%2BGray%2BWhale%2BCove.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Cesare</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zedI5LGJYnA/YAZgFaOPLDI/AAAAAAACLCU/YNZVchClZfcKLLzwpNJvD3h_ePxXBeaqgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/Ron%2Bheading%2Bnorth%2Bon%2BDevils%2BSlide.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="2016" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zedI5LGJYnA/YAZgFaOPLDI/AAAAAAACLCU/YNZVchClZfcKLLzwpNJvD3h_ePxXBeaqgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h312/Ron%2Bheading%2Bnorth%2Bon%2BDevils%2BSlide.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Cesare</td></tr></tbody></table>I realized I was getting some bad chafing around my butt for some reason. We made one stop at this one public restroom that stays open late and I applied some of my Squirrel Nut Butter anti-chafing cream. Onward!<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rXo24shQiKI/YAZgPdSAjrI/AAAAAAACLCc/FNQQ0xISqIQOurY6wa0hBHrfoP006MM8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2016/Ron%2B100K.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="980" data-original-width="2016" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rXo24shQiKI/YAZgPdSAjrI/AAAAAAACLCc/FNQQ0xISqIQOurY6wa0hBHrfoP006MM8ACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h312/Ron%2B100K.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Cesare</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMKEcvpv1gs/YAZ8zEIC2CI/AAAAAAACLDg/flF_OQ-NhikbY4ODZrVm_WZEMCtlTc7fgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1632/Cesare.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1632" data-original-width="918" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VMKEcvpv1gs/YAZ8zEIC2CI/AAAAAAACLDg/flF_OQ-NhikbY4ODZrVm_WZEMCtlTc7fgCLcBGAsYHQ/w225-h400/Cesare.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">We got back to my house at mile 75, restocked, and then went out for two more short bits, to get to mile 85. Astoundingly, Cesare is in such good shape that he easily ran the 25 miles on just two energy gels, then grabbed some nuts and a bar for the remaining 10 miles, and he made it look easy. Thank you so much, Cesare, for the good company and good discussions about stocks, and politics, and health.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: left;">Lap 4 -- 15 miles with Suki</h2><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Suki! She was waiting for me and Cesare and even had made cheese quesadillas and pancakes! Wow! Thank you! I tried to be quick about getting refueled. I was tired and sore and really wanted to finish this thing. Soon we were on our way.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4TqQ_x5lO0/YAZ2rGLlFKI/AAAAAAACLC0/IYvmzkEZFhAJH37fjKdB7RUMmmgaMDf5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/Ron%2Band%2BSuki.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4TqQ_x5lO0/YAZ2rGLlFKI/AAAAAAACLC0/IYvmzkEZFhAJH37fjKdB7RUMmmgaMDf5gCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ron%2Band%2BSuki.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Suki</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Suki originally told me about this Yeti 100 Mile virtual race, and our plan was to run the whole thing together, doing a large loop around the San Francisco peninsula. But with the worsening pandemic and increased restrictions, it seemed to be against the rules to do the whole thing together along with a mobile aid station. Rather than wait indefinitely while trying to stay in shape, I decided to run this solo, doing out-and-backs from my house. We also got permission from the race director to do the race past the deadline.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Anyway, I was so grateful to have Suki with me. We're so close to finishing! Just 7.5 miles out, turn-around, and then back. Suki played some good songs and had lots of energy. She kept me up-to-date about my optimistic schedule. It was looking that I might really be able to hit my 19 hour 12 minute goal! I dug deep for the last few miles and finally finally got to the finish! Whew!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JSVUYHsGkz8/YAZ6FxaEqUI/AAAAAAACLDQ/9wtv5D_8XWove2yDOMwT_BxHDQKgwMUsACLcBGAsYHQ/s960/Ron%2Bfinished%2Btired.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JSVUYHsGkz8/YAZ6FxaEqUI/AAAAAAACLDQ/9wtv5D_8XWove2yDOMwT_BxHDQKgwMUsACLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/Ron%2Bfinished%2Btired.jpg" title="Photo credit: Suki" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Suki</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;">Random data:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=79111">Race results</a> -- I think I came in 3rd overall, out of 151. The current first-place runner has a typo and he probably took 25 (or 35!) hours and not 5 hours!</li><li>I weighed 166.0 lbs at the finish. That was 1-2 lbs less than normal.</li><li>I used Run Goo on my nipples, toes, and other common chafing points, and that worked great. For some reason, my shorts gave me some chafing on my butt. Ouch. I carried a small amount of Squirrel Nut Butter which I applied around mile 60 which probably helped. Carrying that also helped Ana during her run with me.</li><li>I found a $10 bill on the ground, picked it up, and then lost it some time later. Easy come, easy go!</li><li>I think I took 5 ibuprofen, starting at about mile 24. I know this non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) makes the kidneys work harder and so can be dangerous during an endurance activity, but my urine was clear and I was urinating frequently (every 45 minutes?), so I seem to be able to handle this.</li><li>I carried salt pills, but with all of the Tailwind and gels and cool temperatures (so I wasn't sweating much), I didn't think I needed any additional salt, so I didn't eat any.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZG0PbHOLAo/YAcWmTGRaqI/AAAAAAACLEE/y0X2pENZr0I0Xb5a9b6B3CztL8XJ6QVCACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20210119_172032637.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="321" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZG0PbHOLAo/YAcWmTGRaqI/AAAAAAACLEE/y0X2pENZr0I0Xb5a9b6B3CztL8XJ6QVCACPcBGAsYHg/w400-h321/PXL_20210119_172032637.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><p></p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-78678658608579776602021-01-01T19:04:00.001-08:002021-09-19T17:19:28.085-07:00Pacifica Runners' New Year's 5K -- 18:15<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cI2xNbo9Aes/YAZMqgJ96II/AAAAAAACLBo/grQWcHPoWzETsgVKcroSj04hmoGPvuD7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2032/Pacifica%2B5K%2Bfinish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="2032" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cI2xNbo9Aes/YAZMqgJ96II/AAAAAAACLBo/grQWcHPoWzETsgVKcroSj04hmoGPvuD7gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h478/Pacifica%2B5K%2Bfinish.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>What a nice way to start the year! Kevin showed us how to accurately run 5000 meters on this track. My time was 18:14.5 which I'm happy about. That is 45 seconds faster than 3 months ago.</p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-41712477328208001892020-09-20T18:59:00.014-07:002021-09-19T17:19:36.811-07:00Tiki Trot 5K -- 18:58<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gBtOlDUKKTQ/YAZL4rZ8xOI/AAAAAAACLBg/ly5Nh5w1ZlsnMvpuXULeTwboqOO76OC6gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Tiki%2BTrot%2B5K%2Bgroup%2Bphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gBtOlDUKKTQ/YAZL4rZ8xOI/AAAAAAACLBg/ly5Nh5w1ZlsnMvpuXULeTwboqOO76OC6gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Tiki%2BTrot%2B5K%2Bgroup%2Bphoto.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p> I ran this virtual race, along with a few friends (Kenny, Ana, Mor), on a high school track. We didn't know how to exactly measure 5,000 meters so I used my GPS watch. This was a good speed test!</p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-60591361705392578532020-07-12T18:32:00.000-07:002021-09-19T17:19:44.303-07:00Quarantine Backyard Ultra<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-94L4jKov2HE/YAZJNLeNBoI/AAAAAAACLBU/oAj_p6ZxlX4e0oVfZYLtOQpn--OC3-hvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/setup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-94L4jKov2HE/YAZJNLeNBoI/AAAAAAACLBU/oAj_p6ZxlX4e0oVfZYLtOQpn--OC3-hvgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/setup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>This was a virtual race that I was treating as a training run. The format is to start a new lap every hour on the hour. Each lap is 4.2 miles. The winner is the last person standing! Originally I was thinking of doing 24 laps which would give me 100 miles, but...</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Lap #1 was uneventful. It's a nice morning in Montara and Moss Beach. 41:14. I walked some of the uphills but that was still a bit fast. I listened to a good podcast by This Is Love, about birds, bird watching, and being a Black bird watcher.</li><li>Lap #2. 41:18. Listened to a good podcast by This is Love about wolves in Yellowstone National Park. Looking forward to running with Mor for lap #4.</li><li>Lap #3. 40:44. Feeling good. Getting warmer.</li><li>Lap #4 39:37. Was probably a little excited and a little too fast running with Mor! He told me about some podcasts he listened to (history of skyscrapers and monetary inflation). Dear reader, it's going to be a long day!</li><li>Lap #5 with Mor. 42:26. Getting warm.</li><li>Lap #6 ~42 minutes, with Mor. Laid down for 12-13 minutes. Was feeling sleepy.</li><li>Lap #7 41:20, with Mor.</li><li>Lap #8 42:53 with Mor.</li><li>Lap #9 43:37 with Mor. Mor is done. Thank you so much, Mor! Not many friends can run 25 miles on the spur-of-the-moment!</li><li>Lap #10 41:47 solo. Mor met me along the way at this shaved ice stand that some kids set up on Main St. They were stingy with the ice, but it was still a nice cool snack. I'm warm!</li><li>Lap #11 43:12. It's warm. I listened to a podcast on This Is Love about people who loved particular cities. It was interesting. Edit: I put on Run Goo on a hot spot on a toe. That's the second time I've taken my shoes off since 6am this morning. No blisters.</li><li>Lap #12 42:11. Feeling OK. A little tired and warm. Listened to more podcasts about cities in Italy. I'm half-way done! (50 miles)</li><li>Lap #14 42:06. (Where did #13 go? lol). Ran with Cassie. Now comes Lap #15 with my daughter!</li><li>Lap #15 with Claire! 47:10. Kind of tired.</li><li>Lap #16 (47:11), this time with trail running shoes and on Montara Mt. There's a lot more elevation gain, but I was tired of the old route. I'm thinking of the goals of this event -- it's a training run for Tahoe 200 in mid-September. I'm thinking a 70+ mile training run is fine! I'm thinking of just doing one more lap.</li><li>Lap #17 done. I'm done! ~71 miles is plenty for a training run. There are 79 runners remaining out of 1200 who started. I don't want to beat myself up too much or get injured.</li></ul><div><br /></div><p></p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-89940256962286959422020-05-31T14:43:00.072-07:002021-09-19T17:19:51.342-07:00Ultravirus 12 Hour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmWjSQMQXLI/YAY6t142q5I/AAAAAAACLAk/djCdrCfXK6c12evm8GDQVJtfo_LPS81iACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ron%2Bmile%2B60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HmWjSQMQXLI/YAY6t142q5I/AAAAAAACLAk/djCdrCfXK6c12evm8GDQVJtfo_LPS81iACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/Ron%2Bmile%2B60.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>With the pandemic in full swing, all in-person races have been cancelled, and I heard about this 12 hour race from a friend, so I thought I would try it out. It also happened to be on my birthday!</p><p>The format of the race was to start at 5am and check-in online with evidence of having run 5 miles. There's no partial credit; you have to run at least 5 miles and then you get credit for one 5 mile lap. The winner is the one with the most 5 mile laps completed by 5pm. In the case of a tie in the number of laps, the runner with the faster time wins.</p><p>I found the flattest fastest 5 mile course I could from my house in Montara, but it still has some significant hills, with about 330' of elevation gain. I practiced on this route many times. I also practiced the check-in procedure with my wonderful wife and daughter, to minimize my stops so that I could squeeze in as many laps as possible. I thought the absolute maximum number of laps I could complete would be 15, which would be 75 miles in 12 hours.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qYv9d7pHI_0/YAY7ANACVcI/AAAAAAACLAs/EejrZIvLsiQrlE0q32qus2CtHzcrWOYtgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/setup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qYv9d7pHI_0/YAY7ANACVcI/AAAAAAACLAs/EejrZIvLsiQrlE0q32qus2CtHzcrWOYtgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/setup.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f5skAeCETl8/YAY7GyiiVhI/AAAAAAACLAw/ZTccZzNLsNUV2IpZw8SnlQZuMZ2olW67gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ron%2Bstart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f5skAeCETl8/YAY7GyiiVhI/AAAAAAACLAw/ZTccZzNLsNUV2IpZw8SnlQZuMZ2olW67gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Ron%2Bstart.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>How did it go? It was quite a long and sometimes challenging day, but was very fulfilling. I ran 14 5-mile laps (70 miles) on my "flat" course that still gave me about 4700 feet of elevation gain. I was 3rd place male out of 387 runners and I won $50! That almost covered the cost of registration and the shirt, so I'm definitely not into running for the money!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jW_17Qz6img/YAY8GFcqFWI/AAAAAAACLA8/Y94okugvOMgxqegw4onZikm2PFpB-RG5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Ron%2Band%2BMor%2Bmile%2B25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jW_17Qz6img/YAY8GFcqFWI/AAAAAAACLA8/Y94okugvOMgxqegw4onZikm2PFpB-RG5gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Ron%2Band%2BMor%2Bmile%2B25.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zT6pF1jiAeg/YAY8KZlqObI/AAAAAAACLBA/6ROMNXYWc6gNPSvGsiTJT8uXPwjaB5e9ACLcBGAsYHQ/s960/Ron%2Band%2BMor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zT6pF1jiAeg/YAY8KZlqObI/AAAAAAACLBA/6ROMNXYWc6gNPSvGsiTJT8uXPwjaB5e9ACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Ron%2Band%2BMor.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1l9Rpd-1lmg/YAY8N_ekSVI/AAAAAAACLBE/0eDDI-wuAVsZq5xYlU4_XXdchtVfxsyVgCLcBGAsYHQ/s960/Ron%2Band%2BRob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1l9Rpd-1lmg/YAY8N_ekSVI/AAAAAAACLBE/0eDDI-wuAVsZq5xYlU4_XXdchtVfxsyVgCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Ron%2Band%2BRob.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>I'm super-grateful to have been joined by many friends along the way. Rob ran 15 miles with me (the longest he had run in a year) and he made it look easy. Mor ran 10 miles, including the final lap, which with his encouragement was the fastest of all 14. Julie surprised me with running a lap in the afternoon with me. Ana joined me for a couple miles during her virtual trail marathon. HMB Review sports reporter, August Howell, ran the slowest 5 miles of his life by doing lap 13 with me. Kristan was along the course multiple times and ran about 2 miles with me. Carol and Pete and Jen D. and Michelle and Mandy all cheered me on. Most of all, I want to thank my wonderful wife and my amazing daughter for their support and for staffing an aid station and doing the per-lap check-in process for me.</p><p>The HMB Review had a nice <a href="https://www.hmbreview.com/sports/setting-pace-for-12-hour-race/article_df075f6c-9f99-11ea-aab8-ff4ae9a5d902.html">write-up</a> on me.</p><p>Notes on the laps:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Lap #1, started at 5am</li><li>Lap #2, started at 5:45am</li><li>Lap #3, started at 6:32am</li><li>Lap #4, started at 7:19am</li><li>Lap #5, started at 8:06am. Mor joined me!</li><li>Lap #6, started at 8:55am. Ana joined for a bit!</li><li>Lap #7, started at 9:43am</li><li>Lap #8, started at 10:35am</li><li>Lap #9, started at 11:25am. Rob joined!</li><li>Lap #10, started at 12:18pm. Took 46:42. That's 50 miles in 8 hours 5 minutes. Rob ran this one with me, too.</li><li>Lap #11, started at 1:06pm. Struggled. Rob, on the spur of the moment, ran a 3rd consecutive lap with me. Awesome! This was the farthest he has run in a year, but he made it look easy.</li><li>Lap #12, started at 1:55pm. Struggling. Diarrhea. Julie surprised me by joining me!</li><li>Lap #13, started at 2:50pm. Hit 100 km (62.1 miles) at about 3:10:36 pm. So, that's 100 km in 10 hours 10 minutes 36 seconds. Struggling. Tired. Sore. Diarrhea. August, the HMB Review reporter, surprised me by joining me. Later, my wife asked him if this was the slowest 5 miles he had ever run. "Yes, yes it was."</li><li>Lap #14, started at 3:47pm. I went all out on the last lap; it was my fastest! Whew! My friend Mor surprised me by joining me.</li><li>Finished: 4:32 pm. 70 miles.</li></ul><p></p><p><br /></p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-18704885123303471812020-02-22T21:00:00.006-08:002020-06-07T00:12:18.495-07:00Mt. Umunhum 14K<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sYU7nOcHxFA/XtySOQPIZgI/AAAAAAACJuA/4D_y2QZl8HASWa4V2BX-aXNgcLCKyvZRACK4BGAsYHg/s3264/MtUmunhum14K_selfie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sYU7nOcHxFA/XtySOQPIZgI/AAAAAAACJuA/4D_y2QZl8HASWa4V2BX-aXNgcLCKyvZRACK4BGAsYHg/w300-h400/MtUmunhum14K_selfie.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I ran a fun steep race this morning -- Mt. Umunhum 14K (8.8 miles), with 1,963' of elevation gain, in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. This race is on the calendar for one of the running clubs I'm in, Excelsior, and multiple clubs were competing for points, so it was quite competitive. It was fun meeting up with so many Excelsior runners and other friends and acquaintances, too.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The weather was nice, and I only felt warm briefly in the bright sun on the uphills. I ran every step. The hills are so steep and long, that my ears popped on both the ascent and descent! I don't recall that happening in a race before! I carried a water bottle but could have done without it -- I had expected to take 1 hour 20 minutes and the aid stations are cup-less, but it took me 1 hour 7 minutes 43 seconds. The race results say I averaged 7:46 per mile, which was good enough for 2nd place in my age group. I didn't trip or fall or go off course.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eP72clJSILw/XtySYyiB-7I/AAAAAAACJuM/vsJ_STHGOwA3JBHzsK6HFEWyxOrR8IHzwCK4BGAsYHg/s4032/MtUmunhum14K_podium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eP72clJSILw/XtySYyiB-7I/AAAAAAACJuM/vsJ_STHGOwA3JBHzsK6HFEWyxOrR8IHzwCK4BGAsYHg/w480-h640/MtUmunhum14K_podium.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The event was well organized. I want to give a big thanks to 1) my friend Suki for volunteering all day and 2) Excelsior-member Simone for the after-race picnic and 3) the Belmont Runners for the good speedwork sessions. It was also very helpful to have visited the park once before with a Belmont Runners group; it was nice recognizing many of the trails.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vxve1MYiNPw/XtySgAjIwmI/AAAAAAACJuY/w-7I7PFZOmooykGdOm9bnd9pydIp_0IgACK4BGAsYHg/s960/MtUmunhum14K_Excelsior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vxve1MYiNPw/XtySgAjIwmI/AAAAAAACJuY/w-7I7PFZOmooykGdOm9bnd9pydIp_0IgACK4BGAsYHg/w640-h480/MtUmunhum14K_Excelsior.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vU2O0EvObI4/XtySxGQnzjI/AAAAAAACJuw/bee0ptWHLzg34upcxHoROAVllzaM2UQXgCK4BGAsYHg/s960/MtUmunhum14K_Excelsior_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vU2O0EvObI4/XtySxGQnzjI/AAAAAAACJuw/bee0ptWHLzg34upcxHoROAVllzaM2UQXgCK4BGAsYHg/w640-h640/MtUmunhum14K_Excelsior_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-50345029396255666002020-02-01T17:22:00.000-08:002020-02-27T13:44:25.940-08:00Fort Ord 50K -- 4:50:01<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Summary</b><br />
I basically had a solid race and felt pretty good most of the time while still pushing myself hard and doing the best I could. I felt quite warm in the last hour, with a high of 82F according to my watch. Unusually, I ran alone for the second half of the race and didn't even see any other 50K runners in the last third of the race. I finished 7th overall out of 76 starters.<br />
<br />
<b>Details</b><br />
I met my running friends Margaret and Mor at my house in Belmont at 5:15am. We aimed to arrive by 6:45am for the 7:30am start. Gloriously, there were plenty of porta-potties and I was able to go twice without any wait. We had plenty of time to get ready for the race.<br />
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<br />
The race starts off with 4 miles of downhill and I kept on reminding myself to take it easy. I guessed that there were 15-20 runners in front of me after the first mile. The air was cool and the surrounding grassy hills were pretty in the early morning sun. I noticed one guy not carrying any water bottles and who was wearing headphones and I passed him at one point on a steep downhill. Sometimes I could see far ahead and I caught a glimpse of the first place guy.<br />
<br />
My right shoe felt a little tight on my ankle. Oops. I hadn't realized this while walking around. I was using a different shoe-tying technique, the "lace lock" (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IijQyX_YCKA">video</a>), in the hopes of keeping my feet from sliding around. Be wary of trying new things in a race! It was kind of annoying but I didn't think it was going to hurt my ankle. In a longer race, I would have stopped and retied my shoe.<br />
<br />
Once we started heading uphill, I heard someone approaching me. I glanced back and it was the headphones guy. "Good morning!", I said, wondering if he wanted to pass me, but he didn't hear me. Soon, he spoke, asking, "How many miles is a 50K?" This was kind of surprising, but I figured he was accustomed to the metric system. "31" I replied. He said this was his first 50K. I asked if he had run a trail marathon before. "No, but I did a 35K once." We talked a bit about our time goals and I said I was aiming for 5 hours and he remarked, accurately, that we were well ahead of that pace. "Yes, but the beginning has a lot of downhill." I replied. He asked if he could pass, and I pulled aside and wished him luck.<br />
<br />
Coming to the first aid station, Sandstone, at mile 4.8, I checked my chart taped to my water bottle, to see how far this next little loop is, until we return to this same aid station, 3.6 miles later. I checked my inventory and I had plenty of water and energy gels, so I skipped this aid station. Headphone-guy was right with me and he skipped it, too!<br />
<br />
We were now following pink ribbons and I recognized lots of the terrain. I knew we had a tricky left turn about half way through this loop and I was going to warn headphone-guy but he was pulling ahead of me and he was playing music again I think. This left turn is tricky because the markers don't seem to be on a trail -- it's a steep wide cleared area on the side of the hill. I made the turn and looked uphill and didn't see headphone guy, but I did see the guy who had previously been two places in front. Oh oh. Perhaps half a mile later, headphone-guy caught up to me! He had missed the turn but hadn't gone too far off course. I passed him again at Sandstone.<br />
<br />
In the next leg, headphone-guy caught up to me again and we chatted briefly again. He said his name was Avi. He was moving well. I thought for sure I would catch up to him later, walking and dehydrated, but I never saw him again!<br />
<br />
A little while later, a fast moving runner approached behind me. I thought he might have been the first place runner from way earlier, but I didn't understand why he was there now. I asked if he was in the 100K. "No, I went off course for a while. This is a training run, so it's no big deal." I joked that he got some bonus miles for his race fee. He pulled ahead and I never saw him again.<br />
<br />
I think I skipped the next aid station at mile 12.2. Somewhere in the next five miles, I passed a 50K runner near the top of a hill, and someone else caught up to me, but then on the downhill, I pulled ahead of both them. I ran alone for the rest of the race!<br />
<br />
I occasionally had twinges of discomfort in both my IT bands around the outside of my knees. But otherwise, I was moving pretty well and felt pretty good.<br />
<br />
While hiking up a steep single-track trail, I heard a bang and a commotion in front of me. I glanced up and jumped off the trail, as a mountain biker was going too fast on the downhill. I don't think he could have stopped in time if I hadn't jumped. I was glad I wasn't wearing headphones. "Whoa! Careful!", I exclaimed. Then I yelled after him, "There are lots of other runners out there!".<br />
<br />
I was getting warm in the late morning and in the exposed sun. I ran out of water for about 25 minutes prior to the last aid station at mile 24.6, and I was feeling sluggish. I think I was going about 9 minutes a mile on the gentle uphill coming into the last aid station. I filled up, drank a bunch of sports drink from my bottle, and filled up again. Onward to the toughest climb!<br />
<br />
This last big climb is quite a slog -- 2 miles of steep exposed uphill, gaining about 570 feet in elevation on this fire road. I slowly jogged almost every step. I caught sight of a bicyclist and gave myself a goal of trying to reach him. I slowly got closer and almost passed him by the time I made the left turn on to a single track and was heading downhill.<br />
<br />
I came across a large enclosure with hundreds of goats. Cute! I said "hi" to them.<br />
<br />
I passed a handful of 25K and 100K back-of-the-pack runners.<br />
<br />
I was moving well, but was getting desperate to finish. I started hearing the sounds of the race cars at Laguna Seca race track, but still had a couple miles left.<br />
<br />
Finally, finally, I sprinted up the last short hill and turned left into the finish chute. Whew!<br />
<br />
I had a few cramps after crossing the finish line and I enjoyed laying down in the sun as I cooled off. (The start / finish is on the top of a hill and there was a slight breeze.)<br />
<br />
I checked the results, and to my astonishment, Avi was the first place finisher! Way to go, Avi!<br />
<br />
Then I happened to glance over towards the finish line -- Mor! I hobbled over to him to greet him. He had a good race, too, with even energy levels. Mor and I chatted and ate and drank a bit. While sitting down on the ground, a bad calf cramp hit him suddenly, and I grabbed his foot and stretched his calf muscle, releasing it.<br />
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A little while later, Margaret finished! She had a fine race, too.<br />
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<br />
<b>What went well</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Basically everything -- I didn't trip or fall, didn't go off course, and had pretty consistent energy levels.</li>
<li>My new Hoke One One Speedgoat 4 Wide shoes did well. I like the wide version much better than the standard width.</li>
<li>Wearing gaiters and carrying one 20oz water bottle worked fine. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Things to improve</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I was getting the beginnings of two blisters on the tips of two toes. There was also one small spot where a nail of one toe had bumped into an adjacent toe. I still want to improve my foot protection for my upcoming Quicksilver 100K and Tahoe 200.</li>
<li>My socks left an imprint in the skin on the top of my feet! Their stupid logo, "Feetures!", was so thick that it was pressing into my skin too much. That will be the last time I wear those for a long run!</li>
<li>I had tried a new way of tying my shoes, using all the eyelets, and it turned out that my right shoe was just a bit too tight. In a longer race, I would have stopped and retied my shoe. During the race, it was just a bit uncomfortable occasionally.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Random data</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Took 2 S-Cap salt pills and one ibuprofen during the race.</li>
<li>Weighed about 170.4 lbs.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/3063211376">GPS watch data</a></li>
<li><a href="https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=71392">Results</a></li>
</ul>
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<div>
<br /></div>
Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15203267.post-5863053435131648412019-12-08T23:06:00.000-08:002020-02-27T13:46:10.107-08:00California International Marathon -- 3:09:43<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MZGIIQ1ygvY/Xld_x6P4QSI/AAAAAAACIVY/0bPhvUM7o-Yq03NSSy5qs4MbOsiUs0-fwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MZGIIQ1ygvY/Xld_x6P4QSI/AAAAAAACIVY/0bPhvUM7o-Yq03NSSy5qs4MbOsiUs0-fwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/finish.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Summary</b><br />
The weather was cool with some light rain from miles 3 to 5 and then again during mile 20. This being my 7th time running the California International Marathon, I did the best compared to expectations, although it was still the slowest that I've run this race. My goal was around 3:15:00 and I finished in 3:09:43 with my fastest miles at the end. This should qualify me for the Boston Marathon in 2021.<br />
<br />
<b>Details</b><br />
I had wanted to run the Boston Marathon again and so I needed to get my "BQ" or Boston Qualifier. After coming back from an injury in 2018, I never quite regained my speed. Some of the problem was motivation -- running 70 miles a week takes a lot of time and my family and I had moved to Belmont, and I didn't have a strong local running community any more. The other problem was probably my training for Sinister 7, a tough hundred miler in the Canadian Rockies; I just wasn't doing enough speedwork. So, my attempt to qualify at the Santa Rosa Marathon in August failed. (<a href="https://ronlittle.blogspot.com/2019/08/santa-rosa-marathon-31955.html">Race report</a>.)<br />
<br />
So, for CIM, I did some key things differently:<br />
1. I learned about the Belmont Runners, a local running club, and I started attending the track workouts every Thursday night.<br />
2. I got in maybe 8 long runs of 20 miles, and those were getting better and faster.<br />
3. I paid the most I have ever paid for running shoes -- $275, including tax and delivery -- for the Nike Vaporfly Next%.<br />
<br />
On the day before the race, I traveled with my friends Rachael and Bob and their big old dog to Sacramento. Rachael was also running the race and she also wanted to qualify for the Boston Marathon, but without having done any speedwork or long runs for a couple of months, her chances of qualifying were quite low.<br />
<br />
The expo was in a new location, a stadium, and it worked well. We enjoyed listening to a panel of interesting speakers talk about their various accomplishments and challenges. I met up with an Excelsior running club member (my newest running club), to pick up a shirt that I would wear during the race.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HBqIcZeI3i4/XleDpIGo6lI/AAAAAAACIV8/LGd0tjrQ1YEAVK-hNMiIAqPLNat2T8l-QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Ron_Rachael_CIM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="837" data-original-width="1080" height="496" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HBqIcZeI3i4/XleDpIGo6lI/AAAAAAACIV8/LGd0tjrQ1YEAVK-hNMiIAqPLNat2T8l-QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Ron_Rachael_CIM.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachael and I at the Expo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I stayed with my and my wife's friend Elise. Thank you again, Elise!<br />
<br />
Race Day<br />
4:10am -- woke up. Ate 1.5 bagels with peanut butter and drank a Starbucks Mocha. I felt full and didn't want to eat any more.<br />
~5am -- was picked up by Bob and Rachael.<br />
~5:10am -- dropped off at nearest bus pick-up spot. The bus departure time was listed as 5am, but that would just be the first bus. With so many runners and such a long line of buses, we had plenty of time and there were a lot of people behind us.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dZiFlYbG_xs/XleD9obVNiI/AAAAAAACIWE/zgssctqRnU0rZypOiGcpFWCmtNGOTrGlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20191208_052239148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dZiFlYbG_xs/XleD9obVNiI/AAAAAAACIWE/zgssctqRnU0rZypOiGcpFWCmtNGOTrGlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_20191208_052239148.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Catching the one-way bus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I felt thirsty and drank 20 ounces of water on the bus, about an hour before the race would begin.<br />
<br />
The weather at the start area was fine -- cool (but not freezing) and without rain. After standing in line for the porta-potties, it was time to drop off our drop-bags and then get positioned for the start! We didn't have time to do a proper jog or any strides to warm up.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4XhKjLLnWtg/XleEE3osTgI/AAAAAAACIWI/sI-5ySVNNs4BBDIou23gEkuEXv6fSlsXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20191208_064143541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4XhKjLLnWtg/XleEE3osTgI/AAAAAAACIWI/sI-5ySVNNs4BBDIou23gEkuEXv6fSlsXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_20191208_064143541.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excitement is in the air!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I found my way to the 3 hour 15 minute pace group, which was identified by a large sign. The sign also listed the pace in minutes per mile and I was momentarily worried that I hadn't remembered what the pace would be. I double-checked with the pace group leader and he said the sign had a mistake. My rough plan was to stay with this group and then see how I felt.<br />
<br />
Soon, the race began! I hadn't experienced this two-lane start before, but it worked really well. Each large group of runners was instructed to walk up to the start line, and volunteers with ropes controlled our pace. This led to a very smooth start where we could run as soon as we crossed the start line.<br />
<br />
The first two miles felt easy and I stayed just in front of the 3:15 pace group. I recognized a bright neon-yellow shirt of another Excelsior club member and I said "hi" to her. She had started near the front, in order to have a "gun time" even though her goal pace was substantially slower than my goal pace. We wished each other luck and I pulled ahead.<br />
<br />
I started pulling ahead of the 3:15 pace group and I wouldn't see them again for the remainder of the race. I felt good and at ease, running about 7 minutes 20 seconds a mile.<br />
<br />
A light rain occurred for around miles 3 to 5. It was pleasant.<br />
<br />
The miles ticked by pleasantly. I ate an energy gel at the 40 minute mark and then the 80 minute mark.<br />
<br />
Around mile 11, I felt a twinge of a cramp in my right foot, which felt like a tug on my foot, bending it inwards. Oh oh. I hoped that eating a caffeinated energy gel would help relax my muscles somehow, so I ate that early, at around the 13 mile mark. Otherwise, my breathing was easy and I felt good.<br />
<br />
The volunteers were great and the aid stations were well organized, and the volunteers shouted clear instructions about who had water and who had sports drink. I always went for the sports drink, figuring I could use the salt and calories.<br />
<br />
The race has multiple categories of wheelchair divisions, but I came across a kind that I had never seen before. It was a three-wheel racing-type wheel-chair, but he had working legs and feet and was pedaling, with gears, and steering with his hands! I was very confused. He was older and heavy-set and all of the runners were passing him on an uphill. Then on the downhill he flew by us, going at least 20 miles per hour, and I never saw him again. How can a running race have pedaled racing tricycles? Maybe the guy was unable to walk but could still use his legs?<br />
<br />
My cramps seemed on the edge but under control. Another problem was developing, though. I started feeling both the need to pee and poop! Doh! I kept telling myself to go just one more mile. Argh, stupid body.<br />
<br />
I seemed to be passing people more often, and I wasn't being passed by others. Somewhere around mile 17, I noticed another runner keeping pace with me and we were slowly passing people together. At mile 20, I commented out loud, to myself as much to her, "Just a slow 10K left. We do this all the time." I was starting to feel desperate. We reached this awesome cheering section on a bridge, that had a bunch of stationary bicycles with hard-pedaling people and a cheer section and pumping music. It was the best cheer section of the race. We chatted a bit over the next few miles. I was pushing harder and harder. My breathing and heart rate felt under control, but I was "red lining" my legs and energy levels. Around mile 22, she said she needed to slow down to a 7:15 per mile pace and I think we had been running at 7:05 pace. I wished her luck. Onward.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K5bR2S15J7Q/XleEP-TO5_I/AAAAAAACIWQ/GAHRBvJMLlcU3CWYhy9xcbVubsY61EcFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/79829442_10219097135795229_5927531330676981760_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K5bR2S15J7Q/XleEP-TO5_I/AAAAAAACIWQ/GAHRBvJMLlcU3CWYhy9xcbVubsY61EcFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/79829442_10219097135795229_5927531330676981760_o.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staying focused while making a left turn in mile 25</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally, finally, I got to the familiar downtown and I rounded the last two left turns and put in a nice sprint to the finish line in front of the capitol building. Woo hoo!<br />
<br />
I wandered over to the women's finish area and waited for a while for my "friend", but we somehow missed each other. I started feeling cold, so it was time to get my drop bag.<br />
<br />
In the exit area, the food and drinks were really nice. It was the first time that I've seen them hand out reusable water bottles with optional Nuun tablets.<br />
<br />
The drop bag pickup area had moved from previous years (it used to be on part of the lawn on the capitol grounds) but was now on a street. It was worrisome that there was quite a crowd around each sign that listed the bib number range for that area. I was four rows back. I'll try not to exaggerate -- it seems like a drop bag was delivered over the fence about every 45 seconds to one minute, and it took from 15 to 20 minutes for me to get mine. We runners were all holding our bibs above our heads, so that the volunteers could see our numbers. As one arm got tired, I switched arms, back and forth. The volunteers were earnestly scanning the crowd of runners, and occasionally searching the bags on the tables in front of them. Other volunteers had bags in their hands and were occasionally calling out the numbers of runners who weren't there. Some bags seemed to be passed up from far back and were piling in a heap near us. We runners cheered every time a bag was delivered to us. The race organizers later acknowledged that this new process had problems. I've never seen anything like this in prior years or in any other race!<br />
<br />
I found Bob and then Rachael finished and on the drive home we stopped at Ikeda's in Davis for some fresh-from-the-oven pies. Mmmm. What a wonderful day!<br />
<br />
The day after, Monday, I didn't really feel any muscle soreness. I sensed a deeper kind of soreness, like in my joints and bones, but otherwise, I felt quite good. I commuted to San Francisco as usual. To catch a train, I was even able to run down a flight of stairs. I went right back to running with the Belmont Runners on Tuesday and Thursday.<br />
<br />
<b>What went well</b><br />
<ul>
<li>I was 10 minutes 12 seconds faster than my recent Santa Rosa Marathon and I will almost certainly get in to the Boston Marathon for 2021.</li>
<li>The Nike Vaporfly Next%, according to a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/13/upshot/nike-vaporfly-next-percent-shoe-estimates.html">careful analysis by NY Time's Upshot</a>, probably gave me between 4% (7 minutes 37 seconds) and 5% (9 minutes 25 seconds) of the improvement.</li>
<li>My training was better, too, and gave me, statistically speaking, the additional minute or two of improvement. It was helpful running with the Belmont Runners, as I was more consistently doing speedwork.</li>
<li>Moleskin (from a new roll) on my nipples stayed on well and prevented chafing that had crept in from recent training runs.</li>
</ul>
<b>Things to improve</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Before the race, maybe I should have drank more water closer to when I woke up rather one hour before the start.</li>
</ul>
<b>Random data</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/3026855436">My watch's GPS data</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.athlinks.com/event/3241/results/Event/891887/Course/1723361/Bib/6330?source=internal">Results</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div>
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Ronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15764467043221298433noreply@blogger.com0