Saturday's 30k (18.6 miles). What can I say about Saturday's race. Hm . . .
IT - - SUCKED. Plain and simple. I knew there was suppose to be quite a bit of climbing in the first half, and I even looked at the course profile, but I absolutely did not anticipate what we were up against. Guess I need to pay better attention next time. It probably didn't help that I was still sort of recovering from our big running weekend.
Anyway - 95% of the first 9.6 miles was uphill, and probably at least 40% of that was steep uphill. It took me 3 hrs to get to the 9.6 mile aid station, and in that time, I ran maybe a total of 15 min. Other than that, it was all power hiking. I dawddled a little bit taking a few pics, but nothing significant. By about Mile 6, all I could think was, "Are you kidding me?!?" The race site says there was 4268 ft of elev gain/loss. I have that there was 4500. Regardless, almost all of it was in the first half. My 50k on Memorial Day weekend had 4500 ft of elev gain/loss over the entire 31 miles.
Once we reached Mile 9.6, there were 2.5 miles of steep downhill that completely trashed my quads. There were a few switchbacks, but mostly pretty much straight down. By the time I got to the nice undulating part, I was so done with the whole thing, I just didn't care. Took advantage of almost every little running water area to soak my bandana and hat because it was warm and there was no breeze. That obviously slowed me down a bit, but like I said, I got to the point where I just didn't care. During the climbing, my HR monitor went off so many times, I turned it off. The only way I could have kept my HR within the range I was suppose to was if I crawled.
When I got to the end, CDF (CA Dept of Forestry) were the medical personnel. One of the guys says, "How was it? Some people have said humbling." Me: "Yes. VERY humbling."
There were 5 people from the Sacramento area who I passed in the first couple of times. For two of them, it was their first 30k. I saw that they all finished about 42 min behind me. Good for them!!!
The top three finishers: (1) 2:17:07, (2) 2:38:29, and (3) 2:40:47. They were well on their way home before I even got to the halfway point. That's humbling.
The way I feel right now, I would do the 10.5 mile distance, but not the 30k again. My legs are still barking at me. I also need to remember that this was not a race for me, but a supported training run. Somehow, when there's a time clock at the end, that's hard to keep in mind.
Leslie Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain -------------
Trail Runner Nation
Sally McCrae-Choose Strong
Bare Performance
As far as a 30K distance, I think I'll stick to our local 30K offered the end of April. You should come out for it next year. It's a 30K on the trails that run the perimeter of Lost Creek Lake. How gorgeous does that sound?!!
I can't even imagine the trauma of those poor Sac people doing this as their first 30k.
by your description of this race, I wonder if even a grasshopper could have hopped up that hill? sounds pretty brutal Leslie! Congrats on finishing your power hike up and quad thrashing run down!
Tammy
The poor woman was doing her best to "run" up the hill. I contemplated suggesting she dial it back to a power hike to conserve energy, but I didn't. Had I known what was in store for them, I definitely would've thrown in my 2 cents worth.
Lost Creek Lake sounds like a nice run. Will definitely keep that in mind ~
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/118128741
such a beautiful elevation chart, don't you agree? LOL
Oh my . . . .
I am going to add come to CT for a 30k! We have two really flat ones each year, one in the fall the other in the spring! You are welcome to crash at my place. No hills higher than 10' guaranteed! As to that elevation chart . . . shudder!
Live like you are dying not like you are afraid to die.
Drunken Irish Soda Bread and Irish Brown Bread this way --> http://allrecipes.com/cook/4379041/
God gifted you with some strong legs and a heart that embraces challenges, my dear friend!
Rest up now!
Great job!
"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard
Carolyn
+1! Hills are your friends....mountains are even better! I think you forgot to "embrace the suck" at your race! (Who said that originally, anyway? Great line!)
I have no flat races to offer you, but I can offer a free place to stay and some awesome races here!
I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.
You guys all crack me up!
Embrace the suck - I need to remember that. I sort of did . . . begrudgingly.
don't ask me why, but 'embrace the suck' made me think of an incident that happened at David's 3000m race at State. On the final lap, there was this kid ahead of him by a few strides on the backstretch. David said that something was smelling pretty bad in the air and he thought the kid was expelling gas fumes, but on that back stretch, the kid yelled out to his dad on the sidelines "Dad, I'm taking a crap!". David heard that and thought he better pass this guy. and fast!. So that is now our little inside joke - in a race when someone is ahead of you as you near the finish line, you gotta run like the guy in front is crapping his pants!.
so embrace the suck.
run like your hairs on fire
run like the guy in front is crapping his pants . . .
MM #5615
don't ask me why, but 'embrace the suck' made me think of an incident that happened at David's 3000m race at State. On the final lap, there was this kid ahead of him by a few strides on the backstretch. David said that something was smelling pretty bad in the air and he thought the kid was expelling gas fumes, but on that back stretch, the kid yelled out to his dad on the sidelines "Dad, I'm taking a crap!". David heard that and thought he better pass this guy. and fast!. So that is now our little inside joke - in a race when someone is ahead of you as you near the finish line, you gotta run like the guy in front is crapping his pants!. so embrace the suck. run like your hairs on fire run like the guy in front is crapping his pants . . .
I love that story!