Bighorn 50M, June 2010

Waking up on race morning a little after 2AM I felt surprisingly relaxed and looking forward to the run. Then again Kami was driving us to the race start so technically I may have still been asleep. We’d signed up for this race many months before and were excited to be making the trip to the Bighorn Mountains. However, on the drive down to Sheridan, Wyoming (from Billings, Montana) the day before we had spent more time talking about our next excursion – Where’s Waldo 100K in Oregon – than we did about tomorrow's race. Somewhere amidst the planning I had forgotten the Rocky Mountains took in eastern Oregon along their journey though the western states and remained convinced that there’s no way that course had elevation above 5000ft, no way it could be more difficult than tomorrow’s adventure, no way... later in the hotel I checked the race website. All of a sudden Bighorn didn’t seem so daunting.

[2021 Edit: Apologies Cascade Mountains - I didn't know you back then!)

We arrived at Scott Park in Dayton (race finish) with plenty of time to spare before the bus to race start left at 4AM. Despite the early start I felt ready to run by the time we were lining up at the Porcupine Ranger station at 8800ft (also the 100M turnaround) for the 6AM start. I knew it wouldn’t be easy but one tough climb and a few shorter ones, as well as miles of rollers, seemed pretty doable, albeit with much of the course in the 5000-8000ft range. Though I wasn’t sure if my training would stand to me today. It had been 5 weeks since Superior 50K where I’d felt tried and out of shape. In that time I’d had a few good training weekends including a long run on the Ice Age Trail and then a long weekend on the SHT. And the past two weeks I’d taken it easy with no running at all last week. So my legs felt more rested than for any race so far this year. I’d had no trouble with the cyst in my foot and didn’t expect it to bother me on the run other than some numbness which I was now used to dealing with. Some familiar faces among the crowd – we found Jim and then I spotted the other MN representatives, Jan and Wendy, and a few others I recognized from other races. A few words from the race director and then it was time to run.

We knew there was some snow and a lot of mud in the first several miles and with the downhill grade that made for more than a few hairy moments. I soon fell into a line behind two girls from CO. There was some nifty footwork going on to keep upright as we wound through the trees and started to catch glimpses of what promised to be as scenic a course as you can imagine. The temperatures were in the forties. I’d considered wearing a long sleeve but was happy I’d settled on the t-shirt and arm warmers. Apart from wet feet for the first few hours I felt pretty comfortable all day. I was wearing my North face hydration pack which I have to say is the most comfortable one I’ve used, a snug fit on my shoulders. In retrospect I would have been fine with a large handheld but with the altitude and potential for heat I had decided to wear it through the early sections for the longer climbs and swap for a water bottle at the second drop bag (mile 34.5). I heard the girls in front mention Jemez Mountains, a 50M race in New Mexico that I’d run in 2008, so I asked them how it compared to this one. I liked the response - Jemez is a mini-Hardrock and Bighorn in a mini-Western States. I realized I’d actually spoken to Cindy the day before in the running store in Sheridan - she’d given us some good info about the course as we were looking at the map. I also heard from the girls that Darcy Africa (CR holder and definite favourite) was in CO running San Juan Solstice instead of this race – I’d assumed she was somewhere up ahead. So naturally that got me thinking...

I knew there was a few girls ahead but was liking this early pace, keeping it steady and seeing how my legs felt on the small climbs. The early aid stations seemed to come quickly. Elk Camp at mile 5 (0:52) was water only and then a limited aid station at Spring Marsh (1:26, 8M). I didn’t need to refill at either so just kept moving along. I’d gone by the two CO girls and I think had passed another girl by now. But it was so early and I was just trying to think about my race. I was running through wide open meadows, across creeks and generally adding to the mud content of my shoes. I came to a lovely section through the woods with a steep slope off to the right down towards the canyon. The course got somewhat more technical along here and I was enjoying what felt like a few fast miles moving across the rocks and roots. Went by a few runners including one female and felt like I was probably in the lead – I have no idea how I "knew" as I really had not taken notice of who was where at the start.

Came into the Narrows AS at mile 14.5 with 2:30 on the clock still feeling pretty fresh. I was so glad I had done nothing but yoga and swimming all week. I left the aid station with a few guys and followed them long through the next section which boasted some of most stunning views so far with technical switchbacks down through Little Bighorn Canyon. We stopped briefly just to take it in. Yes, it was that beautiful! And then more rocky terrain as we reached the river and ran alongside the water for a half mile or so. Shortly after I had to stop for my one and only bio break of the day so I arrived at the Foot Bridge AS (mile 18) by myself. I refilled my water and was about to look for my drop bag when a volunteer handed it to me – such service! I sat in a chair, pulled off my filthy shoes and socks and on with the nice clean dry ones. Meanwhile the guy beside me was carefully lifting his feet out of a basin of water and drying them on a towel. You read correctly. I was up and gone by the time he was reaching for his clean socks. I know, I know, it’s not all about speed but at that moment all I could think was guys can be such pansies. 3:07 leaving here so I was happy with that. I knew the climb out of Foot Bridge would be tough but had imagined it as a straight up climb whereas there were several level sections and even a bit of downhill - we all know how annoying that is when you know how far up you have to go - so I could actually run every 5-10 minutes though I didn't feel much like it at times. I was expecting several guys to pass me on the climb but I think only one went by.

Along here I started to see quite a few 100 mile runners – including John Taylor who was looking awesome for 70 miles. I had thought it could take me 90 minutes to cover the 3.5 miles to Bear Camp AS so was thrilled to arrive in just over an hour (4:09, 21.5M). As with many of the aid stations this one was in the middle of the woods. It was probably accessible by dirt road but still I was amazed by how much they had carried in. Having said that when my request for coke was turned down I was a little disappointed – there is nothing better after a tough climb! A few pretzels and I was off again. By now I was thinking more and more about my goal of 10 hours that I had set back in January when planning out the year. Closer to the event with some good and some not so good races behind me, I was thinking 10:30 would be a more reasonable goal. But as I approached halfway and knowing I was in the lead, I decided there was no way I was going to win this race in anything more than 10 hours. It just didn’t seem right! After Bear Camp the trail continued mostly through the woods for the next few miles of rolling terrain – somewhat technical but after the big climb anything felt good. Even being called names by the 100 mile runners I was passing. I wanted to say I know how you feel but at this stage it’s been quite a while since my one 100 miler. At this point my goal was to reach halfway in 5 hours.

The course being 52 miles long I figured I’d need to get to the next aid station at mile 24.5 by 4:40-4:45. This was a water only station – and boy was I glad I stopped. Firstly because I had not refilled at the previous one thinking my pack was still half full only to find it was almost empty, and secondly because the guys here were filling the water jugs from a spring – that water tasted so good! Looked at my watch as I continued on – 4:45 (24.5M) – so far, so good. The next section through the woods was pretty nice and before long I was running through open meadows once again. It was so beautiful taking in the huge expansive views – looking north towards the canyon where we’d been earlier, and ahead towards the mountains – quite glad I didn’t have to climb much higher today than where I was currently at. Twenty minutes later and I could smell the bacon. Well, not quite, but I knew that must be Cow Camp aid station up ahead where they were grilling something like 20lbs of bacon over the course of the race. But first a sharp descent, across a creek and then an equally sharp climb to get there. I figured I deserved a few pieces by then. Quick chat with the aid station volunteers here who were more interested in where in Ireland I was from than how I was feeling, which was a good thing as I was sort of in the mood for complaining.

Those next few miles were probably the toughest of the race. 5:32 on the clock. 28.8 miles done. 6 miles to the next aid station. Two thirds of the way through the race. This is often a rough spot for me in 50 milers. My legs were a bit tired and I wanted to walk more than run. I was glad to have the 100 mile runners on the course. I know it can’t have been much fun for them having people continually pass by but for me it was definitely motivating to see them ahead and know how hard they’d worked for the past 24 hours. No way I could come up with a good excuse to walk. As we emerged onto a dirt road all I could see ahead was r o l l i n g hills. Oh crap. Immediately followed by YAY – legitimate reason to walk! Along here I caught up with Nathan from South Dakota who remembered me from Lean Horse last summer. Which made me think how much better shape I was in back then. I was glad today’s race was on a completely different course – the kind that is well served by my decent strength and endurance base and forgiving of my slower leg speed this year. More dirt road and then a trip through the woods again. Some walking, mostly running. I learned later from Nathan that a guy who had been just ahead of us had seen a bear in this section. It was easy to remember the place as there was yellow tape blocking part of the trail. Bears running through the woods, moose sightings along the course and even a few rattlesnake stories - but not so much as a dropping to indicate this is also the home of these guys...

Out of the woods again and more rolling hills. And then, just as I was wondering if the next aid station (Dry Fork, mile 34.5) would ever appear I spotted cars along the ridge quite a distance away. I remembered Cindy explaining this section to us in the shop, cautioning not to look up as it was still a ways to go. But for me it was good to have that ahead as a goal and at 6:25 on the clock I decided I should try to get there in 20 minutes. Passing a few people along here as I tried to power hike at a good pace. The grade wasn’t so bad at first but got decidedly stepper so I knew there wasn’t much point in trying to run. I could tell this would be a busy aid station and even half way up the hill there were people out cheering. It was quite the party atmosphere. I reached the top feeling pretty strong. Before I knew it I was being offered pizza – looked good but no thank you - and then was handed my drop bag and swapped my hydration pack for a handheld which another volunteer filled for me. These guys were so on the ball. Chatted briefly to Andy who’d arrived just ahead of me and then into the tent for some fruit and pretzels. On my way again at 6:46 (34.5M). Nice. Things were going my way. I could tell. And wasn’t that, like, the second big climb of the race? Surely it was.

Out onto the gravel road which started off at a pretty gentle grade. Once I’d eaten that half banana and a few orange quarters it was time to run. Passed a few 50K runners along here. It is seriously impressive to see the number of 60yr+ runners in that race – including two guys in their mid-70’s. Across a few meadows as the trail continued to climb, all runnable, and then some downhill and flat gravel roads through more farmland. This was a welcome break from the rough dirt roads and it was nice to be able to settle into a running pace again. Several creek crossings to keep the feet refreshed and a few marshy sections. A short steep climb up to a dirt road that we followed towards some rougher terrain as we descended to Upper Sheep Creek. I was losing track of aid station distances at this point so I asked how long to the finish from here – 13 miles was the reply and 5 to the next aid station. At 7:40 on the clock I was feeling pretty positive about my 10 hour goal. After all I’d passed the last tough climb. Right? Wrong. A half mile out of the aid station and I was looking up, up, up. Horse Creek Ridge. Seriously? That sort of knocked the wind out of my sails. My hamstrings which had felt pretty good all day were beginning to complain quite loudly. Things improved immensely once I realized I was catching a few 50K runners on the climb. And though I would not have believed it on the way up, when I reached the top and took a moment to look around me – all that lactic acid seemed to dissolve... WOW – if this is what running in the mountains is all about then I am all about running in the mountains.

As I started the descent, the next mile of the course clearly visible as a line of runners wound their way through the meadows below, I thanked whatever god was listening that I had the ability and the desire to do this. I reached the wire fence and continued along the now flat trail, passing a few more runners and looking forward to more sweet downhill as we headed in the direction of the Tongue River Canyon. The sky so blue, the meadows full of wildflowers. The setting could not have been more spectacular. Sting’s “Fields of Gold” came into my mind. The wildflowers were purple and blue but there you go. I don’t listen to music much while running these days and not at all while racing but this is a song that often comes to mind when I’ve run myself into that state of mind where I feel like nothing can stop me (usually the grade is downhill). Long before I was a runner I associated that song with heaven. I guess there are no up-hills in my running heaven. There were several more runners along here as the narrow trail passed through some long grass on either side which made things a bit tricky a times. Mostly 50K runners, a few 100 milers and then one 50 miler who didn’t let me get very far... we had good fun running through the next section of mostly steep downhill with a few muddy sections and still more creek crossings. It was great to have someone "chasing" me especially as I was beginning to wonder how long this 5 mile section was. We chatted a little bit but mostly I was concentrating on the terrain and trying hard not to damage my toes any more than necessary. I expressed my strong desire to finish this race in under 10 hours and was told no problem. I didn’t quite share his confidence. Especially as my watch ticked over 8:30 and still no sign of Lower Sheep Creek aid station from which I assumed I still had 8 miles to run. How pleased was I to reach it a few minutes later and be told seven miles to the end! The course info says 7.5 miles but either way it was less than 8 and that was all I needed to hear! 8:33, somewhere around mile 44.5. Only 2 miles to the next aid so I quickly refilled, a few pretzels, coke and a small bunch of grapes.

My friend had left before me so it was my turn to chase him. What happened next was most unexpected. A bagpiper standing on a rock in the woods. And further along the trail two guys on guitars. I would bet a few of the 100 mile runners thought it was their imagination getting the better of them. That took my mind off the trail which had decided to climb through the woods despite the volunteer’s assertions that it was all flat from here home. But I was alongside the river again, the canyon narrowing ahead of us - and it’s hard to complain when you’ve got nothing but natural beauty all around you. But I am meant to be chasing someone here. Off I went in pursuit of my friend. I passed two 100 milers who were in great spirits along with their pacers. I took half a gel. I tried to take more but my stomach was having none of it. In general I did pretty well all day on the nutrition and hydration fronts. I probably drank a bit more than usual to offset any altitude affects (which I really didn’t feel). I’d eaten granola and yogurt on the bus earlier, 2 hours before the race and then starting at about 2 hours in I’d taken a gel every 45-60 minutes, along with a few electrolyte tabs. Pretzels and few pieces of fruit at all of the stocked aid stations. But now, 8 gels or so later my stomach was beginning to revolt a little. Before I knew it I was descending towards the Tongue River aid station – the last fully stocked one, 5 miles from home according to the volunteers (5.5 according to the course map). Exactly 9 hours on the clock. I was going to do this. Gravel roads all the way. It was nice to know there really were no more climbs but I had totally enjoyed the previous section as it wound along the river, lots of short sharp climbs and a few scrambles across the rocks. It was fun and fun is always needed at around mile 45. I could see my friend up ahead. Earlier when I was running in front of him on the downhill section I’d asked if he wanted to go by. He said no because even if he did go ahead he knew I’d catch him on the road. So I got a told you so and keep running hard all the way as I went by.

Ahead I saw a lady who looked like Alicia and sure enough it was - a veteran at the Bighorn races. I was half expecting to see Vishal along the way but also hoping not to as it meant he’d be well under his goal of 30 hours. It was pretty warm along here now that the sun had escaped all the clouds. The conditions had been close to perfect all day. Some sections got a bit toasty but most of the time it seemed like the sun would dip behind the clouds regularly and at times it even felt cool, especially when the breeze picked up on some of the more exposed sections. Quite a few people along the course now, passing a lot of 50K runners, a few 100 milers and maybe 2 or 3 50 mile runners, one guy suffering pretty badly with IT band issues. Also, a lot of supporters along this stretch of road – all weekend I was impressed by how the locals seemed to really get involved with the race. A guy came along on a bike and told me if I kept running at this pace I’d be home in 20 minutes. 9:23 on the clock.

Quick diversion to grab a freezepop from the ladies at the Homestretch aid station – it was pretty neat to have this last stop to get you over the finish line. I took another half a gel. Just in case bike guy was a bit off on his predictions. Around a few more turns and then the edge of town started to appear. I passed Vishal along here, with less than a half mile to go. He was in great spirits and moving well. I was so happy to be almost done. Volunteers made for a safe road crossing, heading towards Scott Park, onto the sidewalk and into the park, around the edge of the field, searching for the finish line and very glad to see it a few hundred yards ahead, along the river. As scenic a finish line as I’m ever likely to cross. 9:42:59. Bike guy called it. 1st Female, 5th overall. I'll enjoy the memories of this race for a long time to come. The afternoon was still young and after a ten minute soak in the chilly waters of the Tongue River, I got cleaned up, hung out with Karen and Alicia, chatting to several people I’d met along the way and just enjoying a really great post-race party. And if that wasn’t good enough, the next morning’s post-race breakfast was outdoors in the plaza in downtown Sheridan. It was just perfect – pancakes, fresh fruit, coffee, good company. Not to mention a nice $100 gift cert for the sports shop across the road and a rock that would put a fair dent in my luggage allowance...

This was one of the most enjoyable races I’ve been lucky enough to participate in. No question winning helps brighten the memories but I think more so the breathtaking views every step of the course, the incredibly well organized aid stations and, as always, the people... the runners, the volunteers, the supporters. Its memories like this that make sitting on my ass recovering from the (unrelated) post-race surgery just about tolerable! On that note – a big thank you to Kami who gently persuaded me to reconsider my initial plans to schedule that surgery for 2 weeks prior to the race thinking I was better off just getting it done and that somehow I would be okay with spectating on the day. I am so very glad I took your advice!

Photos First the course map and elevation profile (the downhill section around mile 43 is responsible for the current state of my toenails)...

A few from the finish line...

Kami and I drove back out to Tongue River Canyon the day after the race and hiked a very short section of the trail...

And these delightful photos of the trail are courtesy of Chris Gerber...

For anyone interested in the stats: 0:52 (0:52) 5.0 (5) Elk Camp 0:34 (1:26) 3.0 (8) Spring Marsh 1:04 (2:30) 6.5 (14.5) Narrows 0:37 (3:07) 3.5 (18) Foot Bridge 1:02 (4:09) 3.5 (21.5) Bear Camp 0:36 (4:45) 3.0 (24.5) Water AS 0:47 (5:32) 4.0 (28.5) Kern’s Cow Camp 1:14 (6:46) 6.0 (34.5) Dry Fork Ridge* 0:54 (7:40) 5.0 (39.5) Upper Sheep Creek 0:53 (8:33) 5.0 (44.5) Lower Sheep Creek** 0:27 (9:00) 2.0 (46.5) Tongue River** 0:28 (9:28) 3.5 (50) Homestretch 0:15 (9:43) 2.0 (52) Finish Line in Scott Park, Dayton *the splits on the website list me coming in at 6:58 but I know that’s off and also I came in after some of the guys listed below me so the times are definitely a bit off here ** the volunteers at these aid stations said 5 and 7 miles to go, respectively, so I am not sure if the website info is correct – from my times I would guess it is 44.5 miles at Lower Sheep Creek and then 2.5 miles to Tongue River (27 minutes). And Homestretch is more like 1.75 miles from the finish.

Recovery x2

Well, the good news is that I haven't gone crazy... yet! This is my third day of sitting on the sofa with my foot elevated. I had the cyst removed from my right foot on Monday. It was a ganglion cyst - decent size, about 5 cm long and a visible bump just below my inner ankle bone. The surgery went well and I got all bandaged up and was out of the clinic within 3 hours. I have some pretty strong painkillers but haven't needed to take them much - took a few yesterday to help with the inflammation but only getting a few random shooting pains. The cyst was intermingled around the tendon and nerve so those were probably a little upset but it seems to be healing well. I'm seeing the doctor later this afternoon so hopefully it looks good when the bandage comes off. I guess I'll get a smaller bandage then and be back next week to get the stitches out. I'm using crutches to get around though I am allowed to use the shoe and put some pressure on it.

It's grand being at home as I can do most of my work from my laptop anyway. And then there is always the World Cup... and Wimbledon... and... I won't tell you the trashy TV I've been watching on Bravo!

Apart from the foot my legs are feeling good after Bighorn (working on the race report!). My toenails are in bits though - I had covered the two big toenails with band-aids before the surgery but they took the one off my right foot - I can just imagine what they were thinking!! The first question I got as I was coming around was what on earth do you do to your feet? And also that I should have told the anaesthetist I was very active - he was getting a bit worried when my pulse fell to 37. A few years ago my resting heart race was in the high 60's but now it's low 50's.

Now, back to the longest tennis match ever... they are at 38 games each in 5th set!! work.

Thursday Update -

The good news is the foot is feeling better each day. The swelling was pretty much gone yesterday and the doc replaced the bandage with a smaller one. And I got a walking boot to use as I can put pressure on the foot just need to keep it stable. Bad news is the cyst was bigger than expected and while the surgery went well I will be in the boot for longer than I'd hoped. Oh well, I guess I just have to do as I am told and in the long run it will be worth it.

Thanks for the advice on the pills - as it happens I've hardly had any pain so only ended up taking 3 between Day 1 & 2. No ill effects. So far.

World Cup got pretty exciting between yesterday and today - have to say the US goal in the 91st minute was worth waiting for. And today the Slovaks scored some great goals to send Italy home. Another big team fails to move past the first round. This is the World Cup of upsets so far.

On the tennis front - how about that mega match that finally ended at 70-68 in the 5th set. They played for 11 hours and 5 minutes!! As well as all the records set during the match it was probably the first time the word Ultramarathon was uttered by a Wimbledon commentator - when it went past 9 hours they figured Ironman triathlons are usually done by then (elite men perhaps...) so they were wondering how long it would take to complete a 100 mile race!

Steve - I am slightly embarrassed to admit that you are spot on regarding the Bravo TV :)

Superior 50K, May 2010

The title would suggest a race report, right? You will not be disappointed! But since my general lack of enthusiasm for the race spilled over into a complete meltdown when it came to writing a race report, I am going to borrow a much more entertaining one that I ever could have written. Many of you who run locally have met my friend Deirdre by now - Dee is over here for 6 months with work and, as you will see, is very much enjoying the trail scene. Click here to read an account of her first trail adventure in Minnesota.

I hope to run this race again next year. I think it was probably a bad idea just two weeks after Miwok. Though it was probably more the big week after that race rather than the race itself. I should know better! But don't get me wrong just because I didn't have a good race myself I did really enjoy the event. Very well organized and what's not to love about a day with friends on the Superior Hiking Trail? As Jen Pierce told me at the Sawbill aid station when I was acting like a spoilt brat just because I wasn't having a good day - "A bad day on the SHT is still better than a day in the office" - it was just what I needed to hear! Things did get better soon after that and the second half was actually kinda fun. Kinda. It was cool to run a few miles in the middle with Vale and then towards the end with Erik. Huge congrats to Margot who won in a great time - on her FIRST ultra! That was awesome.

Race articles here.

And a few photos from the race start, trail (Thanks Wayne!) and finish line party on the lawn at Caribou Highlands Lodge - no better place to spend an afternoon in the sun!

Shorts...

So I haven't been doing a great job keeping up to date here but hoping to improve that... will be on my butt the next few days between race recovery and then surgery recovery! For now, some life shorts...

- Have failed miserably to write up a race report for Superior 50K but have a cunning plan to make up for it. Next post.

- Ran Bighorn 50M today. One word - BEAUTIFUL. Hard to believe the scenery. My race went well. I was really thrilled to finish under 10 hours - 9:42. And since Darcy Africa decided not to come I took first female. Thanks Darcy :)

- That race report will most definitely be written in a timely manner!

- Work is busy. So between that and trying to get a decent amount of sleep blog writing and more importantly - blog reading - gets left behind. I gotta get caught up.

- The World Cup got infinitely better when Mexico kicked France's butt. France who should not even be there. In case you are not in the know (possibly not being FOOTBALL fans) - google Hand of Gaul.

- I love that 'google' is a verb

- I hate that sportswriter Rick Reilly felt the need to explain in his report that vuvuzella is pronounced Voo-Voo-Ze-La

- Steve's Afton shirt is at the printers. He will enjoy it. We all will.

- Good news - I am getting the stiches out 10 days after Monday's surgery rather than 2 weeks so I will be out of the boot in time for Afton. No, I am not running it. But it will make volunteering easier.

- Honestly I am looking forward to 10 days of limited activity.

- Of course, I say that now. By Thursday I may be a basket case.

Kettle Moraine 100M - Girls rock!

But then again, so too do the guys...

The comments on KG's facebook page got me thinking about whether or not girls do better than guys in tough conditions - particularly in ultras. Anecdotal evidence (a.k.a. my own personal opinion) would suggest yes. So I ran the numbers from KM100 which was surely a miserable day on the trail if ever there was one...

155 Starters: 34 women, 121 men
51 Finishers: 9 women (26.4%), 42 men (34.7%)

So I guess it's just the central Wisconsin gals that rule the guys then... the LPTR gang were well represented... but who made it through 100 miles? Ladies 4 for 4, and the boys 0 for 6. Hence, it was only right to steal Christine's comment to say that yes, Girls rock!

Congrats to all who raced regardless of how it went on the day. I think its fair to say that Kettle Moraine is known for it's tough conditions so anyone who signs up is worthy of praise. On a good day it can be a speedy, relatively non-technical course. On a bad day it can be, well, ask the LPTR guys...

In the 100K - Brian Peterson ran a super fast first 50K and then a... slightly slower second 50K. I cannot wait to see what Brian is capable of when he figures out the pacing for longer than 50K races! Christine Crawford ran a strong, smart race to win for the women and finish 2nd overall. Paul Holovnia took 3rd and 1st masters. And for the record, he is not ashamed of getting chicked.

Afton Trail Run 2010

A lot to catch up on - had a brilliant weekend up north and need to post some photos. And still need to finish my Superior 50K race report. But in the meantime I thought I'd mention one of my favourite trail races in case you have not yet signed up...

*image courtesy of ATR race director

The Afton Trail Run 25K/50K - one/two loops - covers a mix of challenging terrain and climbing as it winds through the beautiful Afton State Park along the bluffs of the St. Croix River. This year's race will be held on Saturday July 3. A great way to kick of the July 4 holiday weekend!

I ran my first ever trail race here in 2005 and have not missed an ATR since (and yes, volunteering this year will count!). As much as I love checking out new trails and entering races where I have no clue of the course, I don't think I could ever tire of training and racing at Afton. As many of you know, the park offers a lot to us trail runners - a diverse set of trails from technical singletrack to wide ski trails, more climbs than you may want but with several fast sections including the mile+ river trail, and then there's the MTB trails and the ski hills when you need to mix it up even more. And of course the river itself to soak in when it's all done. Although I wouldn't recommend this so much in November.

Check out the website for more info on the race. There will be a few minor course changes this year due to trail closures but I expect similar times will be posted. And remember, course changes are no excuse for getting lost... the advice at last year's race start: "Follow the trail markers and don't get lost. But if you do get lost, come back and tell us where you got lost." Got it.

Overall we may well see faster times given that the race will be hosting the first ever USATF-MN trail running championship, which means... YES, prize money!

Though of course, if you've run the race the past few years - or any of the other local ones for that matter - you will be familiar with the most prized possesion of all... the ATR shirt. Like the race director himself it's a pretty unique piece of work! Check out the photos on the race blog.

Get signed up today. This is one race you don't want to miss.

Happy Place

I am spending the long weekend up here on the Northshore. Hard not to be happy! Managed to get a cabin in Tettagouche SP - would have camped but then saw that a cabin was available and decided to put an unexpected bonus to good use (got a few $$ for some extra project work recently). I had originally planned to volunteer with the SHTA on Sunday as a group of high school kids had build a wooden bridge to replace one near Cramer Rd and were putting it in Fri-Sun. Then I got an email during the week to say the project would likely be done by Saturday so that was no problem - I would help out Saturday and do a long run Sunday instead. Then when I got to Duluth earlier today I got a call to say the project was completed... nice work kids! So now I get to run Saturday and Sunday and Monday. And a short trot later this evening. Happy indeed.

I did decide to go ahead with the surgery. Thanks for all the feedback. I appreciate people giving their perspective. I am really happy with my doctor and sought other opinions too. June 21 is the day. The soonest I could have done it was June 8 which meant I'd still be in the walking boot for the Bighorn trip so I figured that would really be no fun at all! And while I would have survived not running the race this wasn't a trip I had any intention of cancelling as Kami and I planned it ages ago. So Bighorn 50M and then I shall recover from that and the surgery for a few weeks and see how it goes. No Afton or Voyageur which is disappointing of course but there is always next year, and the next year... and I know how much fun it is to volunteer at races where I know a lot of the runners so I am looking forward to that. The cyst is bothering me too much to put it off and given the size of it - and the amount of running I like to do - there is the risk that I'll damage the tendon if I try to ignore it. It won't be easy maintaining fitness while off my feet but now that I've been going to the gym a bit it won't be such a shock to focus on strength training for a while. I'll likely be able bike more than run during July which is fine as I've been wanting to do more of that. Hopefully I will be in decent shape by Where's Waldo.

Meanwhile, I got some running to do on my favourite trail...

When being one of the 90% would be OK...

So much for my last run with a numb foot. I had my apt with the foot doc this afternoon. After a few attempts, he numbs up the ankle area, cleans it and then punctures the skin with a rather large syringe. I am watching it intently - I love this stuff - expecting the syringle to fill with a bloody mess of fluid and gunk. Nothing. Not even a drop! Well okay, maybe like half a cc. Let's try this again... puncture #2 about a half inch to the right. Nada. Puncture #3. Nada. "This works about 90% of the time"... the other 10% the cyst either moves about too much or is too dense. The MRI showed mine to be somewhat dispersed around the nerves and tendons but the bulk of it is right there and the doc can hold it pretty good with one hand as he tries for a final time. Nothing. It ain't being sucked out. Not today, and probably not ever.

I have three options: surgery now, live with it a while longer and have surgery later or ignore it and see if the symptoms go away (unquantifiable probability). So two options really.

Now or later. I feel it on every run, almost straight away on roads, a few miles in on trails. The ball of my foot goes numb (so I suppose technically, I don't feel it), then the base of my toes get painful. And sometimes my whole foot and lower leg feel like they are full of fluid. I could live with it and run the summer races and then take care of it. But it's not like I feel I am in super shape right now so why put it off. It's hard to tell if it's really 'impacting my racing' but I suppose it isn't helping it. And after all the donughts I had for breakfast today, I need all the help I can get. So one option then.

Now. But how soon is now? The soonest I can get surgery is 2 weeks time. So my big dilemna is do I have it then and skip Bighorn and Afton and see if I can race Voyageur. Or do I run Bighorn, then have it, skip Afton and probably Voyageur - and focus on Where's Waldo. On the one hand the choice is obvious - run the races I may never have a chance to again vs the local ones. But Afton and Voyaguer are probably my two favourite races!

I'll sleep on it.

In the meantime...

I've not yet gotten around to the Superior 50K race report. But soon. Can you tell I don't write up race reports ASAP for the races I don't seem very happy about ;)

I almost titled this post "Book Review" but I am too lazy to write an actual review...

Let The Great World Spin by Column McCann

This is the first book by Column McCann that I have read. It caught my interest about a month ago when I heard McCann interviewed on NPR and I realized the book was linked to Philippe Petit's walk between the Twin Towers in 1974. I watched the documentary of that walk last year - Man on Wire - and found it truly fascinating. I would recommend seeing that first and then reading the book as the visual impact of the walk is stunning.

But either way the book is a wondeful read. McCann's ability to weave in and out of his characters lives is impressive, linking them by the flimsiest of threads while leaving you with the feeling that six degrees of seperation might really be two or three. The parallels to today's world are quite intriguing. Though maybe you can always find those parallels if you look hard enough. The backdrop of the Vietnam war vs today's unpopular campaign in Iraq. The start of the internet vs today's explosion of social media networks. And an image that leaves you with a sense of wonder about the world. A man standing on a wire high in the sky vs (for me at least) a plane landing on the Hudson river.

Running

Had a good week. Finally got back to see my old PT whom I fell out of the habit of visiting. My hamstrings have been getting worse over the past few months despite regular hot yoga which has a lot of stretching and strengthening. I couldn't believe the difference I felt the day after the 25 minute ART (active release therapy) session. I felt so good running at Hyland Friday morning that I then had to go and ruin it all with a fall on the heavy duty plastic grid on one of the hills. I slammed down on my hip and gave myself a lovely bruise and what looks like several 4 inch long claw marks - it could easily pass as a large animal attack! But alas, it was my own fault as I should know to run on the side going down that hill...

Saturday morning went over to WI to meet up with Karen who I'm crewing/pacing in a few weeks time at KM 100M. We ran the Chippewa course along the Ice Age Trail. Not quite the full thing as we decided to turn around rather than negotiate a major blowdown. Got eaten alive by mozzies - very silly not to have put on bug spray. I have bites all over my arms and legs. And I must have picked a dozen ticks of each shoe. Yesterday was an even more humid run at Afton. And then a nice bike ride in the afternoon - I am going to try to bike one evening a week also as I think it'll be good for my hamstrings. AND I've even visited the GYM twice in the past few days. Whatever it takes. I can't run another race with that sort of tightness.

And hopefully yesterday was my last run with foot numbness - getting the cyst aspirated later today.

I've been looking at my training plan - and race schedule - and will be making some more changes. I need to focus on a few races and probably drop some of the planned ones. OK I'd better finish before I start to sound like I'm retiring without retiring.

Miwok 100K, May 2010

A little behind in my posting here given that I've another race report to write from yesterday! But first here's my account of a (mostly) wonderful running experience on May Day 2010.

It’s pretty common a few days after a race for me to think about how much I’d like to do it again the next year. But I have to say that long before the finish line of Miwok 100K I was already mentally adding the calendar reminder for the lottery entry. Yes, it really is that cool of a race. The beach start, the scenery throughout the entire course, the people, the trails, the climbs, the downhill finish... everything about this race makes me want to run it again. Not to mention the areas for improvement.

Best laid plans

On the day, I was certainly happy with my finish. But it wasn’t what I had hoped for when I got my spot last December. I’d put in good miles but not enough hill work. Definitely not enough core work. And in the past few weeks too much travel, too much junk food and not enough sleep. I had spent two weeks in Ireland immediately prior to the race. I’d had hopes of getting in some good training that first few days back home but that got rudely interrupted by a volcano in Iceland which had me traveling for an additional 30 hours and pretty wrecked for the first few days of my trip. Though still well able to enjoy a wonderful weekend with family and friends. That was followed by a pretty busy week of work in Galway and catching a cold along the way. I’d run a 10 mile trail run and my right foot had bothered me almost the entire way. I’ve been dealing with numbness under the ball of the foot for a few months now but every so often the whole foot goes numb, and then my ankle and leg start to feel like they are full of fluid. It doesn’t actually look swollen but just feels that way. Anyway, enough whining. Things I could have controlled such as eating rubbish every day were just as much to blame for my lack of enthusiasm leading up to the race. Thankfully, the second weekend at home, a week before the race, I had gotten out for a fabulous mostly off-road 10 mile run. Sun shining, peace and quiet, just the ragged looking mountain sheeps for company... I knew with every step of that run I was absolutely getting on the plane for San Francisco. First I had to get on the plane back to the US and that all went a little smoother on the return journey. A few days in MN and then off to California Friday morning. I had time to check out the start/finish area and enjoy some of the amazing scenery I'd be running through the next day...










The Oscars

Miwok 100K: This huge race is of course going on in California today and I had to laugh when I read the live update: "Tony Krupicka just arrived at the start with Jen Shelton." What is this, the Oscars? I was hoping for an update on who Helen Lavin arrived with, but no such luck.

SLG posted this on her blog and it made me laugh too as the Oscars was exactly what I was thinking lining up on the beach among this star-studded cast many of whom I recognized from the pages of UltraRunning magazine. On the early out and back sections it was fun to see all of front runners settling into position and then later past the halfway point seeing who was still up here in the mix.

It never always doesn’t get better

Things started out just fine. Still a little dark with the 5:40AM start, we trotted up the trail from the beach at Rodeo Lagoon in a long line of 300+ runners and out onto the road after a few minutes. Up a paved road for a mile or more to a turnaround and back down, enjoying the first of the many amazing views of the day with the Golden Gate Bridge off to the right and the sleeping city beyond it. The bridge looked unbelievably beautiful in the dawn hour. Soon we were off road again and onto the Costal Trail before another short road section and then back on the trail and uphill to the second turnaround. This was a nice climb that I ran most of. Just as on the road out and back we got to see the top runners coming against us. A sight almost as glorious as the famous bridge.

Back down and we were already at the first AS at Bunker Road (6.2M) – no need to stop here as I had plenty of water. Heading north now and onto the grassy Rodeo Valley Trail and then the first of the real climbing started with some walking as we headed up the Bobcat Trail. At the top we could see across towards Sausalito and north along Highway 101. And then as we turned again towards the coast, the first of the steep descents... down, down, down the Miwok Trail which is mostly a dirt/gravel road surface. I guess they are called fire roads but I associate that term with grassier trails from the races I’ve done in Virginia whereas out here it was mostly dusty, slightly rocky terrain. Onto Old Springs Trail for yet more downhill, dropping almost 800ft in total by the time we arrived at Tennessee Valley AS (11.9M). I was feeling good all along here but it was still so early in the race. My foot felt a little numb coming down Miwok but it wasn’t bothering me. I’d taken a gel before hitting this AS and then refilled with water and nuun. Onto a road section for a half mile or so and then we were climbing once more as we met up with the Costal Trail again. There is an amazing myriad of trails here! Not a huge climb, maybe 400ft, on a packed dirt surface. Spectacular views from the top and soon we were descending again. It was difficult to keep my eyes off the ocean but the trail was narrow in places and while not technical it still requires concentration. The field had pretty much spread out around me at this point. I knew from the early out and back sections I was in about 20th place among the females. Going into the race I had abandoned my January goal of top 10 but I was still been hoping to get closer to that. Still, I didn’t want to get too wrapped up in those thoughts so early in the race. I’d been feeling good and wanted to enjoy just being out there on these beautiful trails. Well, within about five minutes of thinking that, things started to go wrong. My foot was still a little numb and my toes were a painful on and off but more than that I just felt so tired. The trail was winding in and out along the bluffs with some climbing but not much. But even those little climbs seemed to be taking a lot out of me. My lungs felt great, stomach ok but my legs just felt done. I couldn’t believe it after not even 15 miles... I wasn’t even thinking about the distance still to go. It was mostly wondering how could I feel this awful after only a few hours out here. I wasn’t wearing a watch and didn’t want to know the time until at least the turnaround but I was beginning to think it might be a very, very long day. I kept wanting to just stop and lie down in the grass looking out towards the ocean. What a lovely day it would be for that! I tried to think of Susan’s text message... enjoy, happy, lucky... except I didn’t feel happy, I wasn’t enjoying myself. I felt tried and slow and fat. I was walking any chance I got. And then I fell. I was on a narrow trail through a meadow high above the ocean and completely not concentrating. It was the best thing that could have happened. I’d been half wanting my foot to get worse so I could have an excuse to drop out but the fall, which almost sent me rolling down the hill, woke me up. I had a little talk with myself – good thing nobody was close behind – and got moving. Like, actually running, quite fast. I decided I hadn’t come all this way to feel sorry for myself just because the race wasn’t going as I would have liked. I was here. I was lucky to be here. I love running long distances. It would get better. It always gets better.

Soon the trail started to descend towards the Muir Beach AS (16.0M) where I took another gel and refilled water. Helped myself to some fruit and a few pretzels and walked out of the AS trying to tell myself I wasn’t really feeling that bad. Scott Jurek was cheering on runners here which was pretty cool. And having read his interview in Runner’s World recently I was actually kind of motivated by seeing him. There was a small group of us leaving the AS together so I kept with them as we meandered through the mostly flat few miles on the Redwood Creek Trail. I have to say this was my least favourite section of the course. I was getting my head back into the running but it wasn’t very interesting along here long grass on either side of the narrow trail was a little annoying. We crossed a road and headed up Deer Park Fire Road... and I immediately regretted not enjoying the flat terrain. Up, up and up... merging with Costal Fire Road and more uphill! For much of this section we were on a trail parallel to the Dipsea trail. I can see why that race is so appealing. A total gain of ~1500ft over a few miles. Fun indeed. Finally, it leveled off somewhat as we continued along the rolling Old Mine Trail towards the Pan Toll AS (21.7M). Boy, was I glad to get here. I’d started to walk more than I needed to again and was very happy to hear that the next section was much nicer with little climbing. I remembered from the altitude profile that after the first really significant climb there was a few miles of flat before the major descent to the turnaround. I needed to enjoy this section!

We entered the woods and back onto the Costal Trail. This section was beautiful – probably the closest to local trails here in MN – winding through the woods on hard packed dirt trails. Some technical sections but mostly very runnable. Ken from Toronto passed my along here and we would see a lot of each other over the next few hours. Life was looking better with each step. The sun was filtering in through the trees and before long we were out on the ridge as the narrow trail meandered through meadow, in and out and up and down, for the next few miles. I was feeling so much stronger along here and the views of the ocean were majestic. After a short road section we were back on the costal trail and descending towards another short wooded section. This section was the longest so far at close to 7 miles but it felt shorter than the previous two!

I arrived at Bolinas Ridge AS (28.4M) a lot happier than I had imagined a few hours earlier. I had passed a girl a while back and maybe a guy but I was mostly running by myself. No music on this run, I didn’t feel like any distractions today. I was getting curious about my time but decided I’d wait until the next AS to ask. We’d started at 5:40AM and I figured the turnaround which was at around 35 miles could be considered halfway in terms of time. Knowing I’d lost some time in my late morning stupor I was hoping to get there in around 6 hours with a goal of 12 hours and possibly 11:30 if things continued to go well. After a water refill at Bolinas I was off again along the wide dirt trail. Some rocky sections and rolling ups and downs. I figured I’d be meeting the front runners before long. Before that I met Gary Robbins who had dropped and was heading back towards the AS. His race report is a good account of how tough it is to make that decision. Soon enough along came Anton, followed a few minutes later by Hal Koerner. The next few guys I didn’t recognize but looking at the results they mostly maintained these positions through the finish. Kami Semick looked super strong leading the women’s race and next Devon Crosby-Helms and others followed. They were all so friendly, particularly Jenn Shelton who’s smile probably betrayed how she was feeling as she dropped from third to eight place over the remaining miles. The fire road had entered the woods by now and the softer terrain continued to roll along with mostly runnable hills. About 5 miles in we took a left onto Randall Trail and down we went along this old, rutted fire road, switchbacks all the way, 1.7 miles to the aid station at the bottom. I hit the turnaround at Randall AS (35.6M) just behind another girl figuring from the female count that I was in 16th place. Not so bad. After refilling and a few cups of coke I asked the time before starting the ~1000ft climb out of here. 11:50AM. Cool – 6:10 on the clock. A little behind what I hoped but that was okay. Nothing much I could do on this uphill other than stay focused and try to maintain good form. I didn’t attempt to run any of this. A few passed by but I was sort of enjoying the break and looking forward to running once we hit Bolinas Ridge Fire Road again. And run I did – feeling strong on the rolling terrain and swapping places with Ken and another guy many times along here. A lady with an English accent passed me – I ran behind her and her friend for about a mile but knew their pace was just a touch too fast for me at that point. I was very impressed to see she finished 9 minutes ahead of me.

Got back through Bolinas Ridge AS (42.8M) – refilled water and took off through the nice wooded section and before long back out on the high meadows. Ocean views off to the right now. It was pretty hot in the afternoon sun now but there was a light breeze every time the trail turned out towards the sea. I had pulled down my arm-warmers by now and would leave them in my drop-bag at the next aid station. By the time we ran the short road section and the volunteer said it was a little under 3 miles to Pan Toll, I was feeling it in my legs again. But I knew it was under a half marathon from there and we would be cutting out some of the early hills to get back to the finish line a different way. Of course, I would find out later those hills would be replaced with bigger hills. But for right now I was keeping positive about how fast I could finish! I was running by myself all along here though every so often as the trail turned I could see a few guys up ahead. But no women. Darn. There were lots of hikers along this section also and for the most part they were very friendly and stepped off the trail for the runners. It was such a narrow trail in places, and cut into a steep slope that often the hikers could only turn to the side to let us by. I was feeling pretty bad for these folk who had come out here for a beautiful hike in the sunshine only to have it rudely interrupted every few minutes. That was until I came up behind this group of four hikers and while three of them stepped to the side this one guy stood in the middle of the trail with his back to me, telling me to go by in a not very friendly tone, knowing full well I couldn’t get around him. Eventually he half moved and I got by biting my tongue to say nothing more than a thank you. Didn’t have the energy to waste it being annoyed and since we were the ones messing up their day I left it behind. Happily this section seemed a little kinder than the outward journey and I was hoping to reach Pan Toll with about 8:40 on the clock thinking that possibly I could still try to finish in 11 hours. That was a bit ambitious given how slow the hike out of Randall had been. I got there just behind a few of the guys and as I was grabbing a few things from my drop bag I asked the time – 2:30PM. Closer to 8:50 then depending on how close to 5:40AM we’d started – I was hoping of course that we might have started a little late...

Retracing our steps for a few more miles, we had some gentle downhill along Old Mine Trail and onto Coastal Fire Road before the huge drop down Deer Park Fire Road. I caught up with Ken again here but once we started climbing on the next section he was gone. We crossed the paved road and were back on the Redwood Creek Trail that I wasn’t so keen on earlier. I’d been trying to figure out when the course would change knowing that we didn’t return to Muir Beach. Soon enough we came to a left turn. As it happens there were a few hikers sitting on a rock here and told us ‘our gang’ weren’t far ahead. They were sending us straight saying that some people had just gone by that way but the pink markers were turning left. After a moment of indecision we turned left. Very odd especially to hear later that it’s that junction where most people do miss the left turn and here we had people innocently trying to send us the wrong way. We were back on the Miwok Trail now and it soon climbed up and out onto a ridge. I passed a lady and her pacer here and soon a few guys also with pacers. There was another girl just ahead and I passed her but then almost straight away got a sharp pain in my middle back and had to stop for a bit to stretch it out. I continued along a few hundred yards behind the girl as the trail rolled up and down for the next mile. It was hard packed dirt road again now and we were reaching the top with vistas out over the Mill Valley area. I knew we must be getting close to the next aid station now and was in need of a coke boost. I’d been taking gels every 40-50 minutes, nuun tabs in my water bottle and a few salt pills every so often, coke and pretzels at the aid stations. My stomach had been good for most of the day but every so often I felt a little nauseous. I was drinking more now though especially with the warmer temps and the climbing. Got to the Hwy 1 AS (54.7M) and checked the time. 3:30PM. I was pretty happy to have covered a little over 5 miles in the hour especially as my back was really tight on any downhills. I had no clue what was causing it as I’d never had a pain there while running. I suppose a combination of the hilly terrain and my lack of core strengthening. Someday I’ll be disciplined enough to do it. I left the aid station just behind the other girl, walked for a bit up the hill and then got back into a decent rhythm for the next section of dirt road as we approached the steepest downhill of the course along Fox Trail. We’d climbed up from Tennessee Valley earlier that morning on a parallel trail which was a good thing as bad and all going down this hill was I could not have imagined coming up. I passed the girl on the downhill but even at that it was too steep to really make up any time so I knew it was going to be close to 11:30 than 11 hours at this stage. Down onto the paved road and up the half mile to Tennessee Valley AS (58.4M) once again. 4:12PM meaning I had about an hour to cover the final 3.8 miles and finish in 11:30. Sounds very doable right? Until I remembered the downhill to get to this aid station that morning. Though it wasn’t actually too bad and I was able to run some of it. But I knew the course had to turn south at the top rather than where we had come from that morning, in order to head back to Rodeo Beach. I optimistically thought maybe there’d be a trail that cut right through the hills... and then half way up I looked over to the right across the valley and saw runners high above on the trail making their way around the headland back to Rodeo Beach. Before long I was turning right onto Miwok once again and then right onto the steeper than hell Wolf Ridge Trail. Or at least that’s what it felt like at mile 60. Checking the watch regularly and looking over the shoulder more than once. Finally the top and the paved bike trail down the other side. The finish line was visible now, and the beach where we had started, and more fabulous views of the Pacific Ocean. It really was glorious running down that trail. And then a slight uphill with a serious headwind before a final section of the Costal Trail – the rocky stairs probably the most technical section of the day. Down around what seemed like too many turns and finally the finish line. 11:20:14, 13th Female, 63rd overall.

It was a glorious day to wander along the trails in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Mt. Tamalpais State Park. The race was superbly well organized, the course well marked and the volunteers very helpful. The views really are breathtaking and enough to carry you through the roughest patches. I would highly recommend this race to anyone, especially if you haven’t run in this area before.

Kurt posted a great video clip of the lead guys mid-way through the race on his blog.

And here's me at the finish, the altitute profile, one of the many goodie bag items, and a few pics from the race website...

Chippewa Moraine 50K, April 2010

I started this the day after the race (3 weeks ago) but didn’t get very far. And given that I now have another race report to write I will keep this short... for a change!

Like many people I was disappointed when the race was cancelled. Wynn had put together a really great event for the past two years – with the first snowy frolic sure to remain in our memories for a long time and last year’s race being just a perfect day to enjoy the trail and the 50+ lakes along the course. But then I got into the Miwok 100K lottery and decided I should find a 50 miler for early April. I’d just been down to Virginia for Hellgate and heard about the Bull Run 50M in northern VA. Since there was nothing within driving distance from home I figured returning to VA where I’ve enjoyed quite a few races would be a good option. So I signed up. I was delighted that Jeff resurrected Chippewa but, figuring I needed the distance, I was still planning on the trip to Virginia… right up until the week before. With a lot of travel in the previous weeks and more to come a few days after the race I made a last minute decision to pull out of the race and stay close to home for the weekend. I even got almost the full entry fee back which is pretty rare these days.

Training had been going pretty well and even though I hadn’t tapered much I was feeling good about the race. The previous weekend a few of us had driven up north to run the Duluth section of the SHT with Lisa as local tour guide. It was a great day out. And the day before the race I’d spent a few hours down at Zumbro 100 cheering on the hardy souls out there on a tough 5 loop course. With a fabulous early spring in Minnesota the training and racing season was shaping up well.

It was fun catching up with everyone in and around the visitor centre on race morning. It was a little chilly out but the day promised to be perfect for a long run in the woods. Shorts, arm warmers and my new TCRC "race team" shirt (Thanks Kurt!) and I was ready for off. I was wearing the Montrail Masochist which continues to treat me well though I’ve having a few aches and pains from the old bunions these days. The men’s field was definitely less stacked than last year. Many of the Hyland training gang in particular was down in KS running the Olathe marathon (major congrats to Brian Peterson for running an awesome 2:36 for the win!!).

The first few miles rolled by easy enough. A few guys up ahead and Valeria among them. I love the first section of the course in the woods. At least on the way out. On the way back it is torture as the trail winds around in a seemingly endless series of twists and turns and ups and downs. I chatted with the guys behind and we were all hoping for something around 4:40-4:45. I had run 4:41 last year and said I just wanted to beat that. Though if I’m being honest I actually thought I could run something closer to 4:35. It baffles me that this trail is as tough as it is. I guess I just keep comparing it to Afton and think it should be a faster course. I know it is earlier in the season but you figure the running conditions are much kinder. I guess the cancel each other out. As do the endless rolling hills vs the longer, steep climbs at Afton.

I remember last year how totally done in I felt towards the end. Especially when Nic came tearing by me! I had nothing left in the tank. So I thought I would try to go out a bit slower and have some strength left. It seemed like a good plan. I felt great for the first several miles. Running totally within myself. Enjoying the day. Thinking of the runners at Zumbro getting closer to their goal. Shelly was there to greet us at the first aid station and then a few miles later there was a water station. I liked that idea of a water only station in between the others – it makes sense on a 50K where you really don’t need a lot of aid but allows you to carry just one bottle. The lakes were pretty as always. It really is amazing how much water you go by on this course. Met up with Val just past the second supported aid station at around mile 10 and we ran along the road together. Then back into the woods and a lovely short technical section by another lake. Once I’d crossed the fence I figured it couldn’t be too long until the turnaround… remind me to read this race report before next year’s event – it is still a few miles to go!! I think it was along here where I met race leader Jim, or it could have been back farther. He looked very smooth. I kept seeing what seemed like the hill up to the turnaround off to the left – but it was never the actual hill. Until finally, it was. 2:20. Last year I was there in 2:18. So right on plan then? We would find out.

The return journey is always fun for the first few miles – meeting many familiar faces along the way. It was great to see everyone enjoying the lovely day. I was feeling pretty good and able to run all of the hills unlike last year. But still I wasn’t exactly making stellar progress. I was keeping an eye on my watch but trying not to get too caught up in the calculations. Though once I hit the mile markers I couldn’t help it! Jeff had put on a 10K also and so there were mile markers out for the first 5 miles. It was funny on the way out seeing the mile markers and trying to figure out how exactly the runners were going to get back to the visitor center in 1.2 miles!! Of course the trails wind around so much it’s hard to tell how far you are away from the start/finish area. We gave Jeff a hard time about it at the finish but I am sure the runners enjoyed the inaugural Chippewa Moraine 7+ mile race :)

Upon seeing the 5 mile marker I was at around 3:56 on the clock – could I do 9 minutes miles all the way home? I had come out in about that so I thought it was possible. Not thinking about TFH finish. But as I passed mile 4 and then mile 3 and was running more like 9:15-9:30 I wasn’t so sure. Soon enough I came to the section that goes close to the visitor center – about 2 miles to go. That next mile is the longest. It takes forever to get out of the woods! And then onto the prairie and the finish area visible... wouldn’t it be nice to just run straight up the road. I mean, it’s still a decent hill! But no, and not even straight across the meadow like last year… we had to go the long way around!! Yeah – it is surely 50.2K! It was cool to hear to cheers from the finish area as I rounded the edge of the field, looking at the watch every 10 seconds… and then the HILL. And there’s Jeff snapping photos and I’m cursing him under my breath. And then not so much under my breath. Finally at the top and the lovely slope down the grass to the finish line... 4:41:00! I am not sure if I had rounded up or down last year’s time until later when I check my blog and see that it was 4:41:20... but I didn’t care too much at that point. I was just very happy to be done. And of course to be awarded the prize t-shirt...


Though to be fair, this piece of original artwork by Wynn is perhaps a bit more special!


It was a glorious afternoon hanging out in the sunshine with all the runners and supporters. Great to catch up with Karen and Angela and the other WI and northern MN runners I usually only meet at the races.

I hope to be back again next year and see if I can’t figure out how to get that sub-4:40. Or maybe even sooner for some training… perhaps that’s the difference with Afton where I train on a regular basis. Ah, the strategy of it all!

Thanks to Jeff, Patrice, Randy and all the volunteers and supporters for what was another wonderful experience on the Ice Age Trail.

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A few more photos from the trail - (Thanks Vicky!)

Miwok - brief post race update

I did surprise myself - but not in a good way... I wanted to lie down on the trail and sleep at mile 20!! I felt so done. Zero energy. I was walking even the smallest of hills. Thankfully I recovered over the next several miles and the second half actually felt better than the first. Mind you, it's all relative. This is one tough course. And it did all the kicking butt today.

11:20, 13th F

Happy enough. I know, I know, I should be thrilled all things considered. It was such a beautiful course and I am incredibly lucky to be able to spend the day running along trails with views that are all worthy of screensavers. But man it hurt like hell!

Kami Semick won (again) in 9:10 and Tony (God) Krupicka in 8:02. Zach Gingerich (the only other mid-westerner) was among the early leaders but must have dropped in the first 20 miles.

In other racing news - Congrats to Pam for taking 5th in her AG (another podium finish) at IM St. George, Utah... likely the toughest ironman course out there!