Masters Running

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first barefoot ultra - Green Lake Dizzy Daze 50K (3/29/08) - Seattle, WA (Read 349 times)


MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803

    Private message to soundi (others skip to event report below) - remember at the Pink Door when you and arf and souci were up on the tra. . . , I mean you were telling us about how you carry a water bottle in one hand and it’s hard trying to retrieve your shot blocks from fanny pack? Well, at the Dizzy Daze, I tried some of the ideas we talked about and, while being lapped by one of the local ultra-goddesses who also carries a hand-bottle like you, I showed her the neat little zipper pouch I’d velcrowed onto my water bottle for holding shot blocks. When I asked if she had any ideas, she put her hand down her shirt for a zipbag of some and asked, “do you want one?” INTREPID SUMMARY : First Annual Green Lake Dizzy Daze 50/100K (3/29/08) - Seattle, Washington 11+ laps of inner 2.8 mile loop 7:12:15 OA - 38/38 (DGL) Sex - 24/24 (DGL) AG - 1/1 (DGL) Starting on a whim with some ski buddies in 1977, it’s been possible to run at least one marathon a year without any walking, albeit slower and slower every time it seems, on little, if any, training. However, I always assumed ultra-marathons would require special training and couldn’t just be entered on a whim with the same motive of good exercise and fun as marathons. Nevertheless, even after training for one in 2006 and missing the 14 hour cutoff by more than an hour, in 2007, on half as many miles and registering at the last minute, I made the 14 hour cutoffs in two of them by swallowing my el stupido macho pride and doing plenty of the dreaded walking as recommended by an experienced ultra-friend. However, those ultras were in the late summer and fall when I was in good shape from a spring/summer of fun runs, triathlons, and marathons. Especially since I winter taper in Dec/Jan/Feb (19 miles this year), I never ever dreamed to take on an ultra-distance early in the year. Nevertheless, when a new ultra was announced for the end of March around the 2.8 mile barefoot-friendly pedestrian path around Green Lake that had been my very first long distance barefoot run back in 1990 of five laps as a test run for the weekend Goodwill Games Marathon, I knew its smooth surfaces instead of rocky/rooty trails typical for area ultras to be a one-and-only chance to complete a barefoot ultra. Snow, sleet, and rain from Friday had abated by the 5am early start as, with two of the 100K runners, I started off in the darkness in a pair of compression jammers, a zippered turtleneck underwear shirt from cross-country skiing days with fleece vest and MM cap with headlamp and red blinkies on the back strap, testing running at a ~13m/m+/- pace for five minutes and walking one minute. The single aid station at the start/finish didn’t open until 7am but the nearby parking lot made it convenient to stop at the car every lap for warm tea, ramen with oysters I love, cliff blocks, etc. for at least 20oz liquid and 40gram carbos/hour It wasn’t a race for me and, not being sure I could do it anyway, I kept each lap at a pretty consistent 35-36 minutes and, knowing that hydration/nutrition is the major cause of DQ’s in ultra events and Ironmans, I gladly took took an additional three minutes plus each lap to be sure that any DNF would not be due to inadequate hydration/nutration. However, after three laps with eight to go, just as I was beginning to wonder what in the world I was doing there with all the experienced ultra-runners in top condition, upcoming ultra-Goddess Franci and her soccer-star DH joined me for a couple of laps. Only her Saturday store schedule had prevented her from entering too as her long runs have to be set for Sundays. Cento gracie franci. Then, after being delayed for two hours by a snowstorm on the way up from Bellingham, 50K veteran (five of ‘em, all on trails) Barefoot Chris ran a warm-up lap with me before pulling away for his fastest 50K time by almost two hours. As lap-after-lap amongst the morning walkers, strollers, joggers and sprinters and by Canada geese, mallards and grebes was checked off at the aid station, I remembered the words of the up-and-coming butterfly ultra-goddess about the joy of running no matter what the clock says (gracias comadre), until it was number 11 and getting to be like a giddy dream when Chris, now running with Barefoot Ted and a local ultra-goddess who had just returned from a nearly 50 mile race up-and-down the Grand-Canyon scale Copper Canyon in Mexico, caught up to me. Probably still wishing he was in the Mexican warmth, poor Ted, who had just run a 100K too, was feeling too much under the Seattle weather to enter the full Daze but, when I said assured him that I was doing fine, the three of them glanced at each other and said, “okay, . . . let’s go” and promptly took me to 31 minute final lap (11:09m/m), my first barefoot ultra, and my first finish ever with barefoot friends on either side. Making me realize how lucky we are to be able to run, after photo ops (below), I picked up an event t-shirt too for an ultra-friend who DNS’ed on a sore hammy but said, “I'll wear my shirt with pride, because this is the first time I've been smart enough to say "no" when deep down inside I really wanted to run. Just sticking to that decision was much harder than running 31 miles... and I deserve to wear the shirt!” I hope to see it on her next year. AFTERMATH - as has become the norm after barefoot running, except for tired calves and, this time, tingling soles (probably because of the cold even though I wore a neoprene gaitor to keep Achilles warm), though I was tired for the rest of the day, there was no soreness at all the next day at all (except for getting out-of-breath walking up stairs) so I’m already looking forward to this weekend and redeeming missing last year’s Yakima River Canyon Marathon because of being ill. Somehow, I think my training is a lot better this time. barefoot jon/ted/ultra-Leah/Chris

    "Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)

    SteveP


      Mr. Tetsujin, what a wonderful event!!!!!!!!! You have a number of qualities to be admired. Thanks for the RR.

      SteveP

      Barefoot Rick


      Barefoot Runner

        Way to show 'em how it's done, Jon! I'm proud of you!
        Romans 10:15 - How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!
          http://barefootrunner.org
        arf


        MM #405

          Your big smile in the photo says it all Big grin You are giddy with happiness. Congrats on a super ultra, having fun with friends and enjoying a fantastic day! Wish I could've been there with you. I think you have perfected the hydration, nutrition and pace strategies jon, nothing can stop you now. Onward Ho on our path towards "The Big One" Wink Have fun at Yakima, I bet there will be TONS of maniacs there, shod and barefoot...will Chris be there? I remember when he and I became Maniacs. Then we all jumped in the Hot tub, remember? I will have big congratulatory hugs for you in Wenatchee, see you soon Smile
          Mariposai


            Taper boy, you make running ultras so easy and fun...you make me want to try it some day. Tongue. Great report and great pictures. You are doing Yakima this weekend? Wow, how I envy you. Yakima is in my "to-run" list. Enjoy the gift of running.

            "Champions are everywhereall you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard

              I am in awe of the barefoot running, and I am in awe of you obviously having perfected the hydration/nutrition/ pacing issue. Congratulations. You have an amazing attitude and truly sound, and looked, like you had a great time.

              Leslie
              Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain
              -------------

              Trail Runner Nation

              Sally McCrae-Choose Strong

              Bare Performance

               

              evanflein


                Wow, Chris had quite the run, no? Congratulations on the run, Tet. You are an amazing person and remind us all of the pure joy of running. Thank you.
                TammyinGP


                  wonderful wonderful wonderful!!!! And you make running around green lake 11 times sound so enjoyable! LOL great running Tet!

                  Tammy


                  King of PhotoShop

                    Very well done Tet! Great job to finish and thanks for the report and pictures. You look pretty good for someone having done all that work. Spareribs
                    Franc59


                    Half Fanatic #36

                      Jon, Complimenti....!!!!!! Hadn't I seen you and Chris just a few hours earlier in the morning ,I could have thought 50K was a typo!! As always, your amaizing determination and will power are an inspiration, my DH and I were very honored to run those two laps in your company! Now , have fun in Yakima and see you the following week at The Mt. Si 50M !!
                        Taper Boy indeed Tongue Great RR Tetsujin. Your smile says it all.
                          Wow, you scored another one! What an amazing last lap too! That was some cold morning...maybe it helped having tingling numb feet. So great to see you had so many equally crazy fun friends to run with. I am going to have to try this barefoot thingy someday and I can think of no better place than the Green lake path. My backyard is just too small but I enjoy running back and forth across it in the summer time sans shoes. PS - did you know they sell those handhelds now with pockets! I have one without pockets and I got used to carrying it on long runs after about the second time. Now I don't even notice it and it actually works to relax my tight shoulders.

                          "During a marathon, I run about two-thirds of the time. That's plenty." - Margaret Davis, 85 Ed Whitlock regarding his 2:54:48 marathon at age 73, "That was a good day. It was never a struggle."

                          huskydon


                            Jon, Good job! I got dizzy just thinking about going around Green Lake so many times. You had a great time with great people, and that's the most important thing. See ya soon! huskydon
                              That was fun, tetsujin! How's Dale?
                              LaVita


                              GreenMan

                                Congrats on your first barefoot ultra, Tet. You amaze and inspire me. From 5K up to post-sanity. Thanks for sharing. jjj
                                Iron Mt. Trail Runners blogsite .... JJJessee blogsite ....Spring is here. Go outside and play.
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