Notes
First attempt at a 50k today at SOB 50k. Was very excited for this, eager to cap off my first serious training cycle in a long time with a solid race. Legs felt fine, nothing special one way or another. Thought that made sense since I hadn't done any workouts since April, so there was nothing to peak or taper. Day of, logistics were good. Got up to the mountain early, relaxed in my car for a while. Met JJ, did a little jogging/shuffling around. Used the R3 for a bit, took multiple dumps. Only thing I forgot to do was use Bodyglide (a fatal mistake, my thighs chafed like none other).
Race started off pretty good. Felt very relaxed and easy through the first two aid stations, well under the 9' pace I figured I'd be at. Legs felt good, wasn't working too hard. When I hit the long uphill stretch out of the second aid station, I walk/ran it, running until my HR hit 160, then walking until it dropped back down to 150. Started to struggle a bit mentally heading into the third aid station, mostly because you see it from about a mile or two out, and have to go all the way around this little ridge before actually getting there, running uphill the whole time. Felt a lot better once I got there though, and physically was still feeling good. A little tired, but not bad. Took a gel at halfway, and started running downhill. Knew right away something was up with my stomach.
Kept running as best I could, walked most of the deceptively tough uphill a few miles out of the halfway aid station. Ate it around 19 or so, which helped distract me from how much my stomach hurt. Kept going to the aid station at 22, where I was struggling. Shuffled through, and threw up maybe a mile down the trail. Struggled even to walk up the tough uphill section, had to stop a fair amount. Thankfully, there were a few folks who checked in on me and one or two who walked with me. That section was the hardest I've ever had to work to simply move forward.
Once I made it to the last aid station, I felt a little better, mostly because the long uphill was over. Tried sipping some ginger ale to settle my stomach, and it did the opposite. Tried shuffling down the trail a bit, but that didn't work. So I kept walking all the way. The final uphill into the ski resort and the walk through the parking was tough, but at that point I knew I could make it, so I just kept pushing. Kept expecting JJ to catch me, but he wound up finishing a few minutes behind me.
Crossed the finish line, sat with Mary and the dogs waiting for JJ, and threw up a second time. Waited for JJ to eat lunch (something I had absolutely no desire to do), before JJ drove me back to my hotel. Felt significantly better after a shower. Crashed for the rest of the day. Voice was crazy hoarse for a while. Thankfully, there wasn't too much in the way of physical damage. Rubbed my right Achilles raw in one spot, some scrapes on my legs from eating it, some sunburn on my shoulders, and chafed thighs were about the worst of it. Soreness subsided within a couple of days.
AS #1 - 5.60mi - 38'
AS #2 - 9.10mi - 64'
AS #3 - 15.6mi - 138' (split above)
AS #4 - 22.0mi - 200'
AS #5 - 25.5mi - Did not take/recall split