Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Miler:[back]
I managed to finish in 26:24:28 (Sub 30 hour finisher's hardware shown on the left) which is actually a respectible time but I felt it was below what I could have done. But mistakes were made and yet it could have gone a lot worse. The weather was perfect. I got my wish for a hot day but since we started at 5 AM, it was cooler than last year's 50 miler. I was remarkably warm and pleasant at night even at the highest point of the race at 9000 feet at Snowy Peak. Of course the last time I was there it was already daybreak again. An intentionally conservative first 50 mile loop resulted in a 50 mile time as fast as last year's 50 mile time of 10:29. Looking at the 50 mile race finishing times my 10:34 first loop was good enough for 15th place overall. And with not much extra effort it would have certtainly been possoible to break into the top 10. This was very encouraging after the various injuries and missed races and poor performances earlier this year, I felt I was due for a good day. So when I came bouncing across the Start/FInish line after the first loop looking frresh and envigorated, it was a surprise of my wife and crew Debbie and my pacer, Keith Blom.. After the first loop I stopped and we tried to find a convenient spot so I could clean off my feet, fix a couple problem spots, and change my shoes and socks for the second 50 miles. I had smashed my right big toe pretty good on the first loop kicking an immovable rock and so the nail was quite loose now and sore along with a big blood biister that needed relieving. Quick work with a pin and then wrapped it once easily with tape and it was ready for another 50. A couple other smaller blisters were developing that also needed protection so I slapped some tape over them as well and that was that. I stocked up my gut on food and then we were ready to leave on the second 50 miles.
It was still daylight but the sun was setting as we left for Mt Rose 9 miles up the trail. I had opted to stick with my two water bottles even though there might not be any water left at Diamond Peak, 1/2 way to Mt Rose. And there wasn't. I had plenty of water during the day with two bottles so it seems in the coolwer evening conditions it waould not be a problem. It was. Shortly after leaving for Mt Rose on that second loop I had some seriousd "crash and burn" episodes. I took Salt, ate a Gu and drank some water. 30 minutes later, the same thing. So I repeated the treatment. 30 minutes later same thing... but now I'm essentially out of water and we have about 3.5 miles left to get to Mt Rose. Keith had a few sips left so I ate an e-Gel this time and drank what was left of Keith's water. Somehow the e-Gel and small amount of water lasted me the 90 minutes it took us to get the rest of the way to Mt Rose. No more crashes, but then again we weren't trying to run any longer now that we were both completely out of water. As we approached Mt Rose aid an couple guys on bikes with lights gave us some water to help us get the rest of the way there. Great to run into them. We hobbled into Mt Rose and I immediately started getting replenished. I ate and drank and sat by the propane heater in the tent. Got supplies from my wife/crew and got ready to head out. As I stepped out of the tent into the cold night air I immediately started to shivver and could noty move. I started coming down with chills. I assumend this was a salt thing and so took some extra salt. Sat under a sleeping bag (reminiscent of WSER 2003) and tried to get warm. It was not getting significantly better so I took 2 more S-Caps and waited a little longer. Meanwhile people were coming and going as I sat there trying to recover so I could continue my race. Monica Ochs, whom I ran with for a bit on the first loop came through. And a guy who Keith and I had offered words of encouragement to hours before coming into Tunnel Creek when he was having a low spot, Davey Crocket, came and went, but not after thanking us for the ecouragment.
The aid station person a was right. After starting to move down the trail the chills subsided quickly and so I only had to deal with the usual digestion issues while trying to run once again. Keith and I made our way back to Tunnel Creek and like during the day two water bottles were once again enough to make the trip. We refilled ouf bottles again and ate a little bit more and headed off to Hobart. Long switchbacks and a couple ridges later we ended up at the 90 mile aid at Hobart. Where we prepared to make the last climb up to 9000 feet to Snowy Peak and then finish. By that time now the dust of the trail which was much worse at night due to the calm conditions was giving me some mild asthma. SO the hills was getting a little harder and the altitude was having some effects now. So the climb up to Snowy Peak which suring the day was no big deal was quite a deal. We went very slowly. Wheazing my way up the hill. As we got to the top the sun had just come up over the ridge to the east. Wish I had my camera. It was stunning. At snowy peak I decided I had had enough to eat. Especially of things that seemed not help my ability to run. My legs had just felt so sluggish the last several hours. Not tired mind you. I really felt fine. They just felt like I was running in mud all night. That usually occurs when I don't have enough water in my system as it is being used to digest food instead of helping my muscles to work. So I only tooka gel with me after snowy peak and a bottle of plan water to help me be able to hoepfully loosen up and have a good finish. The first part of the 6 mile downhill was pretty slow going. Technically difficult and with tired legs even harder to move with any speed through the rocks and boulders than the trail wound its way through for the first mile or so. After that the trail opened up and you could run pretty safely and if you were feeling well, quickly without worrying about tripping and falling - which I am happy to report I did not fall once in the entire race! (Wahoo).
Keith later reported he thought pacing 50 miles this year was harder than running the 50 miles Debbie was very happy to see me looking so strong at the finish considering the rickety shape I was in 7 hours earlier. She is always relieved when these races are over. I am always extremely grateful for her support and help. She seems to have a good time and really gets into it. Next year though I need to be a bit more organized about what I need at each aid station. This being the first shot at the Tahoe Rim Trail 100, I shouldn't expect to have my best time and will have made some mistakes. Nothing that I can't learn from for next year. This is such a great and difficult course. It is quickly becoming my favorite race. I have been officially challenged now so we'll see how it goes next year. But I couldn't have aske for better conditions to run in this year. My bg concern was how cold would it be getting in the night and how windy. This year it was hot during the day and warm to cool at night. Fantastic conditions.
Skyline 50K in 2 weeks. I will probably go for a run tomorrow just to see how things feel. I already ran on Monday. Well it was a walk/run at Del Valle. The day after never counts as you are still in shock from the 100 miles. Have to let your body "wake up" and let all those little aches and pains show themselves, like my ankle did today. At least the knee which was giving me trouble before the race was no trouble at all. And does not seem to have bee degraded because of the race. Last year my left knee ached after the 50 miler. This year my legs ached the night after we got home during the night, but a coue Ibuprofen fixed that right up. Now everything os just tired. But not a sore muscle on me. Which also tells me I could have worked harder. Next year! |
The second loop wasn't so easy. I ate way too much just then and so walked most of the way up the first few hills to Hobart aid station 6 miles into the course. But by the time we got there I was feeling much more able to run havong gotten most of what I ate out of my stomach. Even so it was still hard to run. We went 5 more miles to Tunnel Creek and then for a second trip on the Red House Loop. The last climb out of that canyon was pretty tough the first time and it wasn't any easier on the second. 
One of the aid station volunteers suggested the chills might be sue to the fact that blood has all gone to the stomach to digest all the food I ate. I decided that was the answeer since the additional salt did not help like it did at WSER a few years aerlier. So I forced myself to get up and very wobbly left the aid station kissing my wife goodby and telling her I'd see he at the finish. 
So as I wound my way down the hill drinking my water my leggs did start to loosen up as I had hoped so that by the time we got to the last aid station 1.7 miles before the finish, I was running well again. Well at least for already having run 98.5 miles. I went through the last aid station and grabbed a little more water. It was 7:10. I wanted to at least get n before 7:30. So not being able to do math at that point, I pushed the last bit pretty hard and when I crossed the finish line in 26:24 I was pleased and VERY glad the 100 miles was over. I was ready to be finished, for the last several hours now. Somehow I don't think that is an unusual sentiment. 
Now that its been a couple days since the race I can report I didn't damage anything. I do have a little left anjle compression tenderness which started to bother me after the first 50 and went away when I changed shoes. That means for the next few races I will probably go with the good second loop shoes and NOT run in the shoes I wore on the first loop for a while untill the tenderness goes away.