Ultra Runners

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painful elimination 15 hr race report (Read 22 times)

T Hound


Slower but happier

    Race Report: Painful Elimination, August 25, 2018, Hudson, IL.

     

    Training:

    Since Kettle 100K June, my training has been very gestalt. The heat/humidity was oppressive enough to make workouts just frustrating in July so I kind of dispensed with those doing ocassional strides and hill sprints. Avg about 45-60 mpw. I feel like by August I had adapted to the heat somewhat. Enjoying some nice trail runs and finding new routes. Got a good number of 20 mile runs in but nothing above that since June. Running almost exclusively in Clifton4 and Altra Torin even on trail. Trails here are not super tech.  The last week before taper week I started running some fixed hr. runs at pretty low effort (65%-70% max) to explore the idea that training closer to my actual race pace (i.e. slower) may be good to both improve endurance and speed recovery perhaps also opening up more energy for workouts.

     

    The race:

     

    The race is located 2 hours’ drive southwest of Chicago. It is put on by Shady Hollow Trail Runners club who put on the Evergreen Lake 100K that I did last year on some of the same terrain. The course is mostly single-track trails with a few sections of open grass trail next to a farm/prairie. So, a lot of it is shaded, but very humid next to the lake. The format is 4.25 mi loops every hour. If you are not back at the start line by the start of the next hour you are eliminated. It goes until the 15-hour mark (so not indefinite). 15 hrs. works out to about 100K. My goal was to stick it out to the end of I could. Its also only $45, so it is pretty cheap as races around here go.

     

    Pre-Race:

     

    I had hoped to campout the night before, but when I realized it was going to be raining and I would get to the campground after dark, I gave in and just got a hotel room. So, I got a good night’s sleep at least. It did rain but not horrible, so mud was not an issue. The race was bring your own aid station, they provide water and heed. Since I can’t stand Heed, I brought tailwind. I brought a cooler with drinks (coke, ginger ale, chocolate milk, Rouge Dead Guy (for after), some pickles, ensure, and lots of ice. Another cooler with food: chips, pbj, M&Ms, kit kats, snickers, gel blocks, cheese slices to have “ungrilled” cheese sandwiches, beef jerky, olives. The am of the race I went to Dunkin Donuts (my usual because it is the only thing open). Overall, as usual, I had way too much food/drink. But I guess that is better than being short. Not sure.

     

    Race Day:

     

    My only issue with this race was that the website didn’t have a map for the race or location. The link was down. It did say what park it was at and since I was there last year, I thought no big deal, I will just go there. So, I drive into the park the am of the race and there are cars all over, people standing around, but something is wrong, they have boat trailers and they are putting boats in to go fishing.   No race start to be found. Then I drive around the park looking for the race start. There are no signs which is ominous. Its getting close to start time and I realize I really do not know where the race starts. I check the website again and the link is still bad for the location. Then I remember Ultra Signup, and I go there and the directions tab gives a gps link. So its 10 min to start time, I know where the race starts finally. I arrive at the race start late and get started about 10 min late. The guy who guides me in to park says “oh did you have problems with finding the place also” which leads me to believe I am not the only one. At least I am not a total idiot.  The RD says if I run quick I can still make it around the first loop. My race plan was to keep my HR very low like 65% max like I have been training and very even paced. Right from the start this is over, I have to run faster, basically since I am starting from rest my heart goes like tempo pace as I buzz around the course. I was in my white t-shirt I slept in (no time to change) and she said just run without a bib for now so you have time and put it on next loop. In the end I did get around in time, but not the way you want to start off the day. At least I didn’t get eliminated on the first loop LOL.

     

    The next few loops went well. I had pretty even paces and low effort. There was a good number of little ups and downs to do some hiking. Also, lots of twists and turns, so the gps pacing was wacky, but that didn’t really matter. The good thing is it was cloudy and relatively cool even though humid.

     

    My hydration plan was I put duct tape handle on a 20 oz water bottle and for the first half loop I had tailwind or soda and the second half I could refill the bottle with water. (there was water only AS about ½ way through the loop) As the day heated up that refill was mostly dumped on myself to cool off. Then during the water part, I would have some snack like peanut M&Ms or Chex mix. I did learn crushed potato chips are out for me, I almost choked to death on them (I have had luck with crushed Ritz crackers before). On one of the loops I had coke instead of tailwind and another I had ginger ale instead. But overall, I would say I was likely getting about 25-30 oz fluid per hour. Calorie wise it would be 200-300 calories. I didn’t have any gels or gel shots.

     

    Nothing much remarkable happened for the first 25 ish miles. They gave a 7-hour award for those of us who made it that long (about 30 mile). Then the sun came out, the open sections got really hot, and the wheels fell off. I am not sure exactly why, but my HR and then respiration started to go up. I slowed the pace to preserve the stomach. I also starting getting really negative thoughts like “what am I doing out here, this isn’t fun, and I should be home with my family/kids, like really guilty feeling” I wonder now if besides having some truth, wasn’t a sign of my brain needing more glucose.

     

    I have a good idea now how to prevent stomach issues from getting out of hand, but unfortunately that mostly involves slowing down, cooling off. Problem for me was I didn’t have any margin for this. I was pretty hot. I did get a lap with my stocking stuffed with ice which is nice. But I didn’t have enough time between laps to fill it. It was grab and go. Anyway, at that point I was ready to hang it up and go home. I got into the start/finish around mile 34 and said F it, and sat down to cool off. Then when the clock was 30 seconds until next lap I decided I was not going to eliminate myself, I would have to be eliminated by the race not take myself out. I got up, grabbed a water bottle and a coke and a Ziploc bag of ice, and went out for a final lap. I heard somebody say there were 14 people left at that point. Not sure, but I was solidly back of the pack. I think one guy behind me of the remainders going out.

     

    That last lap was better, because I wasn’t really chasing the clock anymore. I knew I would not get around before the cutoff based on my pacing. Once I did get some water and coke in and with more walking, I started feeling better and was able to pick up the pace.   The last lap (mile 38ish) that I did I came in about 5 minutes past the cut off, so that was it. I sat down and hugged my big bag of ice in the cooler. I was so hot, just sat there and cooled off. All told, I got about 38 miles in 9 hours (and 5 minutes!). I cooled off a little while, then drove 2 hours home. It was still hot when I left, it was 87 but the humidity was 77% and it said “feels like” 98, which I believe. So still some hot rounds to go for those who left.   As of this writing, I don’t see results on Ultrasignup, so I am not sure how many finished. I did see some leaders come in 45-50 minutes after the next loop looking pretty hot but still keeping a decent pace. I will be curious to see how many finished all 15 hours. For me, 9 was all I could do that day. I didn’t enjoy the rushing around to get ready before the next loop started or hurrying to get done. I did like not having to wear a vest or pack drop bags. I like having my own custom aid station. I think I would like a timed race without the elimination thing, that would be great. To do long distances, I sometimes need a little stretch of walking or resting to regroup and go at my own pace.

     

    Epilogue:

     

    The odd thing is, I often get stomach cramps and nausea, and while I had a little this race, like I said, I know to slow down and manage it, so they weren’t bad. But, after I drove home, while pulling up in the driveway, I got severe nausea. I basically had to go to bed and just lay still. Also leg cramps pretty bad. I suspect I was more dehydrated and overheated than I realized. I am not sure why this delay in symptoms. It may be because I didn’t drink enough after the race and on the car ride home. The day after, I was not really too sore. I am taking a couple days off until I really feel squirrely like I need to run/want to run. Next is the North Face Endurance Challenge (50 mile) at Kettle Moraine in September. This is my home stomping ground so I look forward to getting back there. Also, I am hoping it is cooler. Then finishing up in October with the Indiana Trail 100 one way or another.

     

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    2020 goal:  couch to 5K, currently working on the couch block

     

    RWD


      I so enjoy the little details of your RRs. "Gestalt training" - as you know, I can relate to that. I would have been eliminated right away from that race - there is no way I'd have been able to do 4.25 miles in 50 minutes. Well, maybe. But ugh.

       

      This RR confirms this race format is not for me.

      nOOky


        Sounds like the heat got to you. I know you said you don't like wearing a pack, but when that pack is filled with lots of ice in water it really cools you down.

        Even training in it doesn't really mean you can run a long ultra in it without problems, I'd say you did pretty good. Sometimes it's just the day too.

        Istria 110k 4-6-2024

        WS100 6-29-2024

        UTMB 171k 8-30-2024

        MCM 10-27-2024

         

         

         

        drock69


          Nice report! Sounds like a tough day, I hate getting to the start late, which is one reason I don't like depending on someone else to get a ride. I would melt in that humidity. A lot of races here I estimate 5km/h, a lot of that is from the climbing, I've only done a couple flatter 50ks. Having longer cutoffs is good if you have nausea, I feel like I could have finished my 100k in April if I had extra time, since my nausea was just starting to clear by the end. Nausea after the race is weird, maybe heat exhaustion?

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