A big thank you, again, to Fatozzig and Amores Perros for their prerace advice.

I snuck back into the 50 miler on the sly.  It was really on the advice of my husband (a non-trail runner but athlete).  He beleived I could do it and what was the worst that could happen? (Ignorance is bliss)

Got into San Fran on Thursday night and treated myself to an awesome yoga class and brought take out from Whole Foods back to my room.

Spent Friday picking up my race packet, shopping and had a lovely pasta dinner.  Did not sleep a wink Friday night but was expecting that- normal for me the night before a race.

The race began at 5:00AM.  My headlight sucked but was not an issue as so many people were running near me with brighter lights and the road in this section was relatively flat.

The first 19 miles were quite uneventful.  I had some very nice converstions and felt relatively comfortable.  I was eating and drinking well.

My story changes at the Bootjack Aid station.  There was a tight climb up to it and many bodies flying back down from it.  I grabbed something to eat and went back to the Bootjack Trail.  There were many volunteers recording numbers and I shouted out "50 milers?".  It was noisy and busy and I did not hear anything to the contrary.

I loved this section.  It was downhill and rooty - just like we get at home and I was moving well.  I passed two ladies who I had been running with earlier.  Well over 2 miles along a lovely looking 50K man asked me "How was the Gulch?" to which I replied "Have not done it yet." - Then I realized what had happened.  My next word was "F&%^".   I deflated like a balloon.  My first instinct was to stay with the 50Ks and be happy with a 50K race.

Luckily, I did not let myself do this.  I started back tracking - uphill and conscious of the fact that I had an 1800 foot climb coming up and the first hard cut off - 6 hours, 27 minutes.  I was angry that the two ladies behind me did not yell at me once they realized we were off track. Back at the Aid Station I made my first grumpy comment to a volunteer EVER.  The guilt stayed with me until i returned back to this station several hours later.

I started the lovely climb.  I was in such a bad place in my head.  I was not focused and had a big fall right on my kneecap.  When a runner falls in the forest does anybody hear?  It was very sore-  some blood and there will be a big bruise but could walk it off.  Finally after about 20 minutes I passed my first runner.  I started to feel badly for these laggards as I passed them as many looked very uncomfortable and I knew their chances of finshing were not great.  The trail leading to the Gulch was very narrow and it was pissing me off that those coming down assumed right of way every single time leaving me precariously close to the edge and slowed down time and time again.  I saw many I was running with earlier exiting this section and well over an hour ahead of me.

At this point part of my heart was hoping that I would not make the hard cut off and could call it a day.

I made it to the top with 10 minutes to spare.  And, of course, very friendly and encouraging volunteers were everywhere.  A few friendly words and a couple of salted potatoes and I was fortifed.  This was my turning point - literally and figuratively.

I sailed down from here.  My attititude totally changed.  I compeltely accepted that it was my fault that I took the wrong turn at the aid station and wasn't this a better situation to be in than facing the prospect of continuing the race with a bad knee or upset stomach or one of the many things that can go wrong in such a race?

14 miles later I was back at Bootjack and feeling really good.  The volunteer captain joked "Nice to see you for the third time!"  I laughed and told him how badly I felt for feeling grumpy earlier.  We had some nice words and I was off.

I never run with an IPOD but had brought one for the miles past 30.  I had an awesome mix I had put together for my husband's 50th Bday party last week.  This kept me very happy.  At each runner I passed I took the buds out of my ears and had friendly words.

I got to do the great rooty downhill AGAIN.  This was followed by some beautiful forest and some flat muddy road.  I was feeling good and happy and proud.  Miles 30 to 40 were most definaltey my best - a pleasant suprise as I was expecting to be suffering.

There is a large climb from mile 37 to 40.  Can you believe it?  There was a rainbow at the top of the summit.  It looked stunning to have the late afternoon light with the runners inching up the trail and a rainbow coming out of the mountain.

The next 10 miles I plugged along.  I knew I was going to have a problem with the crappy headlight.  I asked if there was a spare at the 45 mile aid station.  There was not and the captain was not going to let me continue.  I asked if I could run beside someone with a light and a woman volunteered to share with me.  She had a pacer with her for this section.  I think this revitalized her to a point where  I could not keep up with them.  There were glow sticks marking the path of the relative flat fire road leading out so told them I was OK.  The last 5 miles were dark and slow but I knew I had this one in the bag.

Finally the end.  Waiting for me was a very nice 20 something woman I had met earlier.  She looked very athletic but clearly was not prepared for a ultra.  On this cool and drizzly day she left in a tank and shorts and no water bottle.  I was so worried for her and had arranged to give her a shirt and gloves at a drop bag station.  I did not have a bag at that station.  I was telling the volunteer my dilemna and a man named Ted said "I have an extra jacket, would she want that?".   Problem solved- I love those demonstraions of generousity.  Someone else gave her one of their gloves.  What a sight she was with one glove and a street jacket running along.  Man, was she tough.  She finished and was very happy.

It was a great day - so great I made my 50 miler into a 55 miler! 

Woo Hoo!!  Congratulations!!!

I was grinning the entire time I was reading your report.  It's unfortunate about the extra 5 miles, but you made the best of it and did a most excellent job.  You should be very, very proud of yourself. 

Good job, Perfesser!

Both of you - take it easy over the next few days and eat well.

At the moment, I have a trail marathon (which I need to turn into a 50k) on February 19 in the Marin Headlands, a 50k on March 19, also in the Marin Headlands, and my second 50-miler, Leona Divide, on April 30 in SoCal.  I'm already getting nervous about it since I will be totally on my own - no crew, no pacer, no one to drag my sad, sorry ass back to the hotel 30+ min away when it's all over.  Egads!

Of course I'm a big Marin Headlands fan now.  I thought we were lucky in Vancouver to have such great trails in our backyard.  Man, those in San Fran are really lucky!

Isn't it funny, leading up to this race I thought that I would get back to the road next year (I did 3 50Ks, 3 25Ks and the 50 miler along with some shorter races) but just as I was leaving the race site on Saturday night I bumped into a friend who is one of the nicest and most talented trail racers I know.  That one encounter was enough to pump me up for another full year of trail adventures in 2011!

Fatozigg:

You will have to come up to Canada.  In April we have Diez Vista 50s which is a lovely run in the woods - 6000 ft of climbing.  It is a small race and the race director's wife makes a mean apple crisp for afterwards.