this is roughly a 14 mile trail race held in Missoula each year in early June, this my third go at it

the course has some challenging vert, first the climb of the "M", later a climb of University Mountain, then a climb of Mt Sentinel

I ran the course this year w/ a close friend and former co-worker Randy (he was the neighboring game warden for several years).  Our paces matched up pretty well and we ended up running the entire course together.  It was hot for early June and this course has a lot of exposed areas, so we knew we were in for a bit of a beating (we'd be in for a beating regardless of weather, the heat certainly didn't help).  We pushed a little on the numerous switchbacks up to the M and found our way around a couple dozen folks before hitting the fire road where it levels off for about 3.5 miles.  Several of those folks ended up re-passing us on this stretch 

The fire road ends and turns to single track through some much appreciated shade, leading you up to the "Dip"- the saddle between University Mtn and Mt Sentinel.  It climbs pretty decently up to the Dip and we managed to pass some of the same folks we passed earlier and had passed us.  The climb up to University Mountain is brutal, not a single switchback just over a mile of tip toe steep climb straight up (cruel!).  At the top is an aid station (there also one at roughly 3-ish miles in on the fire road and also one at the dip that you end passing three times) and for the adventurous they were serving margaritas- I'm not that adventurous and hate to puke.  Coming down that stretch is just slightly better as it's too steep to run, more of a skid/slide affair.  After hitting the Dip for the second time, we had to climb Mt Sentinel, this one isn't too bad and for the most part runnable.  Back to the Dip for the third time and then a long (3-ish miles) descent down some tricky, switch backed single track- thankfully though shaded for the most part.  I need to back up a little, as I was coming down Sentinel my calves started to cramp, not bad, but a warning of things to come.  Surprisingly, Randy also started cramping at about the same spot.  This isn't my first race where I've cramped, I made it a point to stay up on the water and electrolytes- I'm beginning to think it's just simply muscles over fatiguing 

As we headed down towards the Clark Fork River, we were both plagued w/ numerous episodes of cramping, basically every time I had to clear a water bar or rock in the trail, my calves would seize- not fun, but misery loves company and Randy was suffering as well.  We got passed by a few folks, but surprisingly we passed about as many other folks- some were obviously cramping- stopped and rubbing calves, hams and quads.  When you hit the Clark Fork, there is only a little over a mile to go and it's perfectly flat.  For some reason this stretch always sucks, I've talked to a lot of folks and they all concur!

We finished in 2:44 which is a new PR for me by about 10 minutes, so I was tickled.  It was Randy's first Double Dip and I think he was pleased as well.  We ate a few tidbits at the finish line, but quickly made our way to the Clark Fork to soak- the river was very chilly, but can't tell you how good it felt.  We stopped off at a Five Guys for a recovery lunch of double cheese burgers and fries- never tasted better.  That evening I continued my recovery with some grilled ribeyes and several Session Lagers, just what the doctor ordered

Finish

No worse for wear

Cooling off!

Wow! congratulations on a great race (and amazing time).  That post-race recovery plan sounds perfect to me.

Looks like you had a beautiful day for it.  Thanks for sharing.

Thanks all!  The soak in the river was heavenly, every race should have something cold to soak in at the end.

You received a leis if you drank a margarita, there were quite a few folks sporting leis, a few folks with more than one!

Lei and margarita? I'd prefer a mai tai if it goes with a lei. 

 

Or a finisher's medal that goes with a beer. 

My first year doing the event I made it to that aid station and a pretty young girl asked me with a straight face "do you want a lay/lei?"  My mind always being in the gutter, I said sure I've got time, just as I figured out lei and that you had to drink a margarita to get one