2010 Rocky Raccoon 50 Miler

Last weekend Sam and I traveled to Huntsville, TX so I could run the Rocky Raccoon 50 mile trail race. There were 5 or so Trail Nerds running the 100 mile race and a couple of us on the short course. Sam was planning on pacing a friend from 60-80 in the 100 miler. Due to some unfortunate circumstances only a couple of our runners finished the 100 mile race. Bad Ben had several shelters reserved and made home base for everyone.

The 50 mile race was three 16.67 mile loops. The sun was out and the 58 degree weather was a welcome change of pace. My original goal was to set the 28 yr old age group record at 8:32 (that's 8 hours). I went out really fast and ended up doing the first lap at sub 9:00 miles and 10 minutes faster than I hoped. I was on pace during my second lap until I got a bottle full of banana flavored HEED, which is really sweet. That pretty much shut my system down. I had trouble eating or drinking for about 30 miles and my pace really fell off the last 20 miles or so.

Huntsville State Park is sandy soil and lots of pine trees. With pine trees come roots and since I don't pick up my feet, I ended up eating some dirt on the last lap. My toes all had bruises on the top from stubbing them. My knees were pretty banged up too.

Pulling into the finish. I ended up finishing in 8:45, not too far from my goal for a 27 minute PR.

I am a salty sweater and with the stomach problems ended up eating salt caps like they were candy. It took me a day or so before I got rehydrated. Sam had run and picked up a mushroom and swiss roast beef sandwich for after the race. It is probably in my top 3 best foods ever, I was so hungry.

What's the difference between a smoking room and a non-smoking room?

Smoking

Oh, non-smoking.

Overall it was a successful outing. This weekend the Trail Nerds have our 50k Psycho Wyco Run Toto Run so stop out if you want to see how all the Rocky people are doing.

Psycho Psummer Race Report

Yesterday Sam and I did the Psycho Psummer trail race at Wyandotte County Lake Park sponsored by the Trail Nerds. We both did the 50k (31 mile) distance. Let's sum up the day.
- Only a couple 12 mile long runs leading up to the race
- 90 degrees and 80% humidity, felt like 100
- 2, 15 mile loops with 12,000 feet of total elevation change (not all Kansas is flat!)
- Race started at 8:00, not 8:30


We have been busy lately and traveling, storms, and social engagements have done a pretty good job of shortening our long runs to 12 miles or so. We both had planned on racing this one and not just trying to finish, oh well maybe next time. For whatever reason we thought the race started at 8:30. We showed up a little before 8 planning on getting ready, going to the bathroom, and visiting with people. I commented on how full the parking was, boy seems like everybody got here really early. While walking to the start one bystander kindly informed us the race already started. So frantically we laced up shoes and took off. But on the bright side I passed the most people. On the not so good side I had to spend the energy to pass all those people.

The course is a 15 mileish loop which we helped weed wack and had a pretty good idea of distances between aid stations. Most of the race had good shade. The three hills section to the archery range was dry and fast. The open hike across the archery range reminded you how hot it was and to slow down. Fester's wander was clear and fast. Both Sam and I fought the urge to run our normal Thursday night speed which is much faster than race pace. The paw paws were dripping with sweat from the previous runners. Hedgehog hill had just been bench-cut and was better than normal. Although the runners around us cursed thinking a race in Kansas was flat. Megerson's mound and Shane's debacle were well-shaded and a good place to cool off before the dam. The scout's loop was hot. The asphalt and gravel sections were semi-shaded and really sucked energy. The triangle was in good shape, although much less runnable the second lap, funny how that works. The usually muddy bridal trail sections on the east side of the lake had good lines compacted by the time we got there and were probably the fastest and driest of the year. Some people were tiptoeing around the mud, but I went straight through. It's faster and more fun.

The first loop was tough running with the 15 mile races who were always 15 miles closer to the finish than we were. The weather was really hot and muggy and it didn't take long before our shorts felt like wet diapers. Luckily the aid stations were 4-5 miles apart and stocking ice. The first lap was uneventful and we cruised through in about 3 hours 15 minutes. The speed wasn't blazing, but better to run conservatively in 90 degree heat than go to the hospital (two people were taken out in the ambulance). The worst part about the first lap was knowing a second, hotter one was coming.

Lap two was interesting. We were drinking copious amount of ice water to stay cool. Half my water went in my belly and half on my head. Food didn't go down well and the urge to drink too much water at the aid stations meant the mile or so afterward was spent deciding whether or not everything was coming up, luckily nothing did. Not soon after starting the second lap I realized wet shorts and seams on the inside of the legs don't work. The aid stations had Vaseline which kept the chaffing under control. Today however I look like yesterday was spent riding an obese horse with a sandpaper saddle. One downside to getting to the race late is not having enough time to body glide the important bits and pieces. We dropped into a slow rhythm and pounded out the last few miles. At least we were close to the finish before Sam's brain thought singing the She's Too Fat For Me polka was a good idea.

Sam again ran like a champ and took second. Her official time was 7h 8min, her actual time was 7h flat. The results showed only 9 women finished. I finished 23 out of 50 male finishers with an official time of 7h 6min. My watch time was 6h 58m. We heard an unconfirmed comment about the finish rate being only about 50%. Our times weren't bad considering the weather and our lack of training. Both of us beat our winter times, hmmm seems like that was an overtapered race too.

Big thanks to all of the aid station workers. Without ice water, mine and everybody else's race was a disaster. The folks at shelter 10 raced across the parking lot to grab water bottles to fill. The next shelter had Kelly, Sophia, Laurie, and lots of other friendly faces reminding everyone to take some salt. Normally a shot in the face with cold water is in bad taste. However at Pat Perry's aid station in the scout loop, the ice shower was fantastic. James held down the fort at the triangle and gave us the energy to head for the start/finish line. And as usual Ben, Shane, and everybody else at the ranger station got us going for the second lap. It wasn't hard to convince me that cold beer was the perfect recovery drink.

So in summary:We survived with no lasting scars and managed to avoid any ticks, chiggers, poison ivy, leaping tree gators, and excessive mud. Especially those races below freezing and above 90 degrees remind you that there is pretty much nothing as fun as getting out and going for a run even if it results in some chaffing.

Photos by Dick Ross at SeeKCRun.com

Free State Race Report

Last Saturday was the Free State Trail Race at Clinton Lake in Lawrence sponsored by the KC Trail Nerds. Sam and I got up bright and early to get there for the 7 am start. It had been in the 80's a few previous days and we hadn't yet adjusted to the heat. Luckily it stayed around 80 and was overcast for our entire race. There were three different distances 26, 40, and 62 miles. Sam and I did the 40 mile, our longest race to date. The Clinton Lake trails are very runable, rolling hills with a few rocks. Considering the rain we had been having lately the course was pretty dry. We got through the first 20 miles in about 5 hours feeling pretty good. The second lap we must have picked up the pace (or just got less slow) because we started passing people. During trail races you really run against yourself, but at 30 miles in it does help the motivation to shuffle past someone else. Pulling into the finish.

We ended up finishing in 8 hours 9 minutes. Sam took second place for women. Considering the distance we both were in pretty good shape at the end. As usual for Trail Nerd races, Free State was well-marked, had good aid stations, had a very nice shirt, and good medals. The bonus was a warm yet slightly breezy and overcast day. Dick Ross of See KC Run provided the pictures and hung around for the whole day, well at least until the tornadoes showed up.

Only thing with finishing a 40 miler in good shape is that now we are in striking distance of a 50 miler.

Psycho Wyco Race Report

Saturday was the fifth installment of the Psycho Wyco 50k trail race sponsored by the Kansas City Trail Nerds out at Wyandotte Lake Country Park. There were 10 miles, 20 mile, and 50k (31 miles) distances, Sam and I both did the 50k. Sam had been training hard and I had been tapering hard since an ankle sprain out at Wyco one ill-fated night a couple weeks ago. It was about 25 degrees when the race started and close to 40 at the finish. The sun was out and it was a fun day for a race.

There were close to 300 people registered for all distances. Of the 125 or so registered for the 50k, around 80 finished.

Sleet on Thursday made for some slippery trails during the first and second laps.

Sam at one of the water crossings. As it warmed up, the trail got very muddy. The water crossings helped clean some of the mud off our shoes. The mud on the second half of lap two and lap three was thick and really slowed the pace down.

Me taking it easy leaving the Wyandotte triangle. Sam finishing lap 1.

For awhile I ran with guy from Springfield who registered for the race because of the interesting name and course sections. I gave him the Wyco "tour" pointing out the triangle, fall down hill (which didn't disappoint), Misery Ridge, Fester's Wander, and all the others. He picked up his dog for laps 2 and 3 for some hilarious hijinks. The dog was not used to running in leaves, which made for some entertainment.

Sam ended up taking third overall for females. We both finished just over 7 hours. The frozen ground made for some very slippery sections. I saw a few roadies go cloud watching. Luckily my ankle held and I avoided any major spills. Sam wiped out hard enough to bruise both elbows. For the next week she will get concerned looks at the grocery store.

As usual the race was well-marked and had great support. I think we each brought home 20 lbs of mud, which will have to get returned shortly.