Trailer Trash

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Pacing report Miwok 100..err..60k (Read 48 times)


Ultra Cowboy

    I agreed to pace my friend Lori in the Miwok 100K  Saturday May 4th.  Pacers are permitted for the last 12.1 miles, from Tennessee Valley along the Coastal Trail through Muir beach and up to Cardiac on the Dipsea trail finishing in Stinson Beach.

     

    We arrived at the Beach Parking lot at 4:00 am on the dot, and recieved the news that the Park service had closed all trails north of Pantoll due to Fire Danger.  It had been in the 80's all week and word was the RD received word at 11:30 the night before.  I'll spare you what I think of this NPS district... The re-routed course was reduced to 60k

     

    So the Start was moved to 8:00 am. In  the next three hours we found a Starbucks open in Mill Valley and got a quick bite and coffee.  We still planned to continue our pacing and Cre

     

    The Start was pretty low key, as we jumped in the car and drove to Muir beach, only 7.8 trail miles away.  This was supposed to be the second Crew point with a total of 31.5 miles on our runner. That was out the window.  We just filled water and ice for Lori at this point and wished her well.

     

    Our tightest window in travel time was getting to Tennessee valley.  Due to Weekend crowds, and the race, the parking lot was full, and we had to park 1/4 mile from the aid station.  This is when we realized we needed to consolidate our aid supplies for more efficient transport.  For Example there was no reason to pack 6 liters of water when Lori was only going to need 2 at most at this aid station.

     

    When she came in from the exposed hot section she said her tummy was a little iffy, and drank an Ensure.  We loaded her bottle and bandanna up with Ice and sent her on her way up Marincello

     

    We had about a 2 hour wait while she did the 12 mile loop through Rodeo Valley.  During this time I ate half a turkey sandwich, drank a Gatorade and changed into my running clothes.

     

    At this point I started getting nerves.  Lori was coming in with 24 fewer miles on her legs than we had planned on.  My 2 weeks prior had been horrible for running with a cough that kept me down until the previous Tuesday, when I eeked out a 5 mile run and declared myself ok to pace.  This weighed heavy on my mind while we waited for Lori.  I did not want to be holding my runner back...

     

    When Lori came in she said that 12 miles was a little rough for her.  Mostly heat. We refilled her reservoir with 5 scoops of Tailwind, Ice and water.  she ate some solid food, and drank some coke.  I joined her as we jogged down the Tennessee Valley trail and we hiked up the long, exposed hill before dropping down into Pirates cove.  Here we encountered the leading edge of the fog bank over the ocean.  We picked off a few runners on this stretch.  I could tell Lori got stronger along here.  We crested the hill and saw Muir beach below.

     

    My crew partner Liana was waiting at the Bridge in Muir beach where I refilled Loris bottlesand bandanna with Ice and got out another Ensure.  Lori brought us half a can of Coke and I finished it when she had her fill.  She really tried hard to drink the ensure but only managed to get 1/2 a bottle down.   We trucked out of Muir beach at a steady trot along the Redwood Creek Trail and I think we picked up the pace along here especially where the shade helped.  We passed another few runners and fell in behind a fella who was running a comfortable pace.  When we crossed the highway, beginning our 3 mile climb to Cardiac, we struck up a conversation with him as we marched up the Deer Park Fire Road.  Turns out he is a Western States Veteran with 7 sub 24 hour finishes.  For the next two miles Lori managed to get some good nuggets of what to expect this June.  Things like "36 switch backs" and "45 minutes to Devils Thumb", etc.  It was a worthwhile conversation.

     

    We pulled ahead on the last mile into Cardiac,  and said there hello to John Medinger and Lisa Henson.  I drank 1/2 a bottle of water in the aid station and got Lori a wet sponge.  Shortly after we hit the cool fog bank on the downhill and we were headed for the barn.  I didn't remember so many stairs on this section of the Dipsea down into Steep Ravine and Stinson.  as we ran to the finish line Lori motioned for me to run across with her, so I obliged.  It was a great feeling to be a part of her race.  She finished 60K around 7:45:00

     

    The Post race schwag was pretty cool.  A custom labeled bottle of Lagunitas IPA  was probably the most unique race  gift I've ever seen.  Lori handed it to me as a thank you.

     

     

    So now we need to find another 100k for Lori, or construct a long training run before WS100.  This was a good, safe, practice session for our crewing but 24 more miles might present a better insight into her needs for that distance.

     

    Despite last minute FUBARs by the NPS, the Miwok is still a good race in a beautiful place and is on my list If I ever decide to go 50 miles or more in a race.  (if it was solely a 60 K I'd enter in a minute).

    WYBMADIITY

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    AT-runner


    Tim

      Nice job, Rocky.  The beer looks cool.  I have a childhood friend who works for marketing at Lagunitas.  She loves the company and says everyone comes to work each day with a smile.

      “Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway! 

      muppy


        Nice job! That really sucks the park service cut the race down the night before, think I'd be a bit pissed at them!

        jamezilla


        flashlight and sidewalk

          Too bad on the course changes.  When I read the title I was worried that the event didn't go well for your runner (Lori).  Even if it wasn't the full mileage, it sounds like you guys learned some lessons that you can take to WS100.  Really cool of you to do the pacing...cool of Lori to hand off the beer Big grin.

           

          **Ask me about streaking**

           


          Ultra Cowboy

            Nice job, Rocky.  The beer looks cool.  I have a childhood friend who works for marketing at Lagunitas.  She loves the company and says everyone comes to work each day with a smile.

             

            I hear that all the time.  It is a company that has really become well respected in the community.

            WYBMADIITY

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            Watoni


              No surprises, unfortunately with the PS there.

               

              They prevented us from using roads in Mt. Tam state park one year with the budget cuts ... Anyway, the only sensible decision they made was to reroute the North Face 50 mile/50-K since those trails would have been underwater in December.

               

              I wonder whether feedback or just not wanting the uncertainty caused the planned changes to the Inside Trail Marin Ultra Challenge for this year?

               

              BTW, sounds like great prep. Given the timing of Western States, what are your other long run possibilities?

              Sandy-2


                Nice job on the pacing.  Sounds like you guys made the best of a messed up situation.  I guess the Park Service has to err on the side of caution (also thinking about the current fires), but it is still kinda messed up.  Guess they were worried about all those smoking-fast runners giving off sparks...

                 

                But ...  you may want to send the following AJW article to your runner, interesting thoughts on Miwok and WS.  Maybe that 60k distance wasn't a bad thing.  He even got the beer of the week right.

                 

                http://www.irunfar.com/2013/04/holding-back-the-ultrarunners-art-of-restraint.html

                2/17/24 - Forgotten Florida 100 Mile, Christmas, FL

                FTYC


                Faster Than Your Couch!

                  Nice work, great pacing! Sorry for the route change, but that's life as it happens. Still sounds like a great race to me, and the ale is really the icing on the cake - cool!

                  Thanks for sharing the report, good read.

                  Run for fun.


                  Ultra Cowboy

                    I should clarify...apparently it is the STATE Park, that closed the trails.  But DAMN it was sudden.  The evening before the Miwok  folks had put out Aid station supplies at Bolinas Ridge, that they couldn't even go get until the next day.  (when it was cool and Foggy and overcast)...

                     

                    This was the third incident in the Stinson Beach area like this.  I really hope someone gets ahold of the SOB who pulled the plug in the middle of the night.  Watoni, I think your assertion is right.  They just aren't worth dealing with...

                    WYBMADIITY

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