Potawatomi Trail Run Race Report

So I decided back in December to take the plunge into the deeper end of the crazy runner pool and signed up for the 50 mile race at Potawatomi. I've run a handful of marathons and 50k's and I have a number of friends that have done 50 and 100 milers so I wanted to step up and test myself and see if I had it in me.

Going into this race I knew physically I had it in me to finish, I may not be fast but I knew that I could cover the distance especially with an incredibly generous cut off this race offered. The biggest question was did I have mentally what it took to keep going once my body was tired, once I had done the loop 3 or 4 times already, could I mentally get over the obstacle of my brain telling me I was unable to go on. This was something that had been weighing on my mind throughout my training after my experience at Wildcat where I just wanted to be done and mentally quit at the 50k loop. Oh I justified it as I wasn't properly trained for a 50 miler, which I wasn't, I only just decided the week of to go for 50 miles, but that still doesn't change the fact that I let my insecurities and doubt get the better of me when I knew I could do something.

I rode down to Pekin with my buddy Jay who was planning on pacing me for a loop as well as a couple other people who where signed up for the 100 and 150. Having Jay crew me was going to be a big help because he knows just what buttons to push to keep me motivated and he has a lot more experience at the Ultra distances than I do. His first and best piece of advice was to tape my feet, I never would have considered this as I don't normally have issues with blisters on long runs, and it's hard to say if it prevented me from having blisters or it was just my normal good luck but I did not suffer a single blister on my feet with exception of one tiny one on the very tip of my creepy long toe on my right foot. The other advantage to having Jay there was his van which we camped out of instead of a tent which was very beneficial especially on the first night when it was quite cold. It also got us away from where everyone else was camping and the race start/finish line was at and thus extra noise, which allowed me to sleep great both the night before and the night after the race.

Race morning I woke up around 4:30 ready to go although I did lay in my sleeping bag for awhile longer since I literally only had to walk 100 feet to the start area once I was ready. After a brief pre race meeting which I honestly only was able to pay attention to part of we were ready to begin. All of the 50 and 100 mile entrants lined up, I settled myself right in the back where I belonged and we began. My plan which is a typical ultra mantra was to start off slow and then ease it back a little.

The first loop was really great, legs felt great after my taper and the course was beautiful especially as the sun was coming up. I generally take a "I'll just see what happens" approach when looking ahead at courses and it wasn't much different with this race. I knew there where going to be hills and I trained for them, I knew there where going to be water crossings and I practiced running with wet cold feet, but other than that I didn't worry too much about what the course had to offer. It was going to be what it was going to be and me over analyzing it wouldn't have changed anything.

Half way through the course is the Heavens Gate aid station, this is one thing about the course that I had spent some time looking into, mostly because I knew there would be delicious food there and since a majority of my running is motivated by my love of eating I was pumped up about this aid station. I was not disappointed on my first trip as I was greeted to pancakes, sausage and bacon along with the typical ultra running snack foods. I had myself a couple pieces of bacon wrapped in a pancake and was off. The second half of the course is by far the easier part (at least it was that way in my mind) plus knowing you've reached the half way point is a nice check point and helps keep the race smaller in my mind.

I finished up my first loop in right around 2:15 which I felt like was pretty good. Changed socks, stripped off my top layer grabbed my camera to take some photos of the course and headed back out. After a few minutes I realized not only did I forget my sunglasses but the battery on my camera was dead. Luckily the course doubles back after about a mile near the starting area so I darted over dropped off the camera and grabbed my sunglasses. The second loop was by far my favorite, I was still feeling great I had been through the course once and new what to expect, when to push and when to ease back, I really felt like I was on cruise control at this point. Not exactly sure what my time was for my second loop but it was pretty close to my first.

One mistake I now know I made on the second loop was I did not drink enough fluids so heading out on my third I had a plan to drink more frequently, this worked great with the exception of I forgot to refill the hydration pack at heaven's gate aid station and ran out shortly there after. Once again luck was shinning on me as there was a 5 gallon jug set out along the course that I was able to refill at. This was a huge boost mentally, if I would have had to suffer through the last few miles with out water it wouldn't have been that detrimental physically but mentally it could have put me in a bad place. One other piece of advice Jay had given me was don't start using trekking poles until you've had a loop where you wished you'd had them. It's pretty good advice since you don't want to carry around the extra weight if you don't need them and they could be a boost so don't waste it too early in the race. Well on the third loop I really wanted them, so bad in fact that I found a perfect stick to use in the meantime until I could get my poles. The stick worked out just fine and I was happy to have had it. The benefit especially for me is it allows me to use some of my upper body strength going up hills and it also gives you something to focus on as you are trotting along the flat sections.

The fourth loop was when Jay planned on picking me up and pacing me so after a quick stop, change of socks we were off. Jay helped keep me moving when I really didn't want to keep running, he kept giving me a hard time as he waited for me at the top of a hill saying stuff like "Hurry up, I've got things to do today" or "I've been waiting on you all day". I suppose these things could have very easily gotten under my skin but I knew he was just egging me on to keep me going and I knew he was only kidding around with me. Being a pacer is a tricky job you have to know the person you are pacing pretty well and be able to push them just enough to keep them going but not to far that you send them over the edge and Jay walked that tight rope with me perfectly. A good portion of the time he was out with me he actually spent talking to another QC runner that was right near us, and it was actually great to just listen to them talk. I spent a lot of time talking with various other runners during the course of the race but one that sticks out in particular is a women I met on the fourth loop we kept leap frogging each other and for awhile we played this game of tag your it, I would pass her when I was feeling good and she was walking and say "You're it" then a few minutes later she would pass me and tell me to catch up or something along those lines. The ultra running community is simply great, everyone is so positive and encouraging. Everyone I met along the course had great stories of why they were running or how they got there. There is just a vibe at Ultra's that you don't get at road races or triathlons, it's pretty cool.

As I was running the fourth loop the thought that I was actually going to do this started to wash over me and I was getting pretty excited to head out on the fifth and final loop. For the last loop Jay was going to let me go it alone and I was good with this, as much as I enjoy running with other people I really like running alone, locked inside my own head. The fourth loop was a nice break from myself but I was ready to just put my head phones on get lost in my music and thoughts as I tackled the course one last time. With a fresh pair of socks and my first shoe change I was ready to get things done.

The last loop was just about keeping myself going, I used all kinds of mental tricks to keep putting one foot in front of the other, like I would run until the current song ended or run a 100 steps and walk 20. Every time I passed a landmark I would think "That's the last time I get to see that rock" or "Last time up this hill" it was a nice feeling knowing that at this point, no matter what I was going to finish and I was excited. I took time to really thank all the volunteers at the aid stations, some of whom had been out there since Friday at noon and would go until Sunday at 4pm. They were doing their own Ultra of sorts and they were very much appreciated.

By the last loop I was having some major difficulty going up hill my legs were fried and it was a struggle to get my big body up. Going down was no problem and running the flattish parts was okay but going up just wasn't as easy. Which is pretty funny because that's when I met up with a guy and his pacer and he was passing me on the uphill and then waiting for me at the top so I could go ahead. See he was having no issues going up but could not handle the down hills, so much so he was forced to go backwards using his pacer as a spotter. I felt bad for the guy as this was probably a very difficult process, but he was in good spirits and even made some cracks about it as we passed each other, eventually I was able to pull away from them.

I really wanted to finish in under 13 hours but that wasn't going to happen, my main goal was not to have a 3 hour loop and I was going to be cutting it close and it got even closer right at the end. All day I was wondering if and when I was going to have to go #2, there were a number of out houses along the course so it wouldn't be an issue when and if the need arose. It finally hit me on the last mile of the race, I probably could have made it to the end but I wanted to run in and bask in the glow of the finality of the effort, not make a bee line to the nearest port a potty. So I hit the last out house on the course which was only a half mile to the finish. I did my business and got moving and finished up the last loop in 2:59 and change, close too close.

I crossed the finish line in 13 hours 14 minutes, after passing through a human tunnel of all the QC Hash runners that were down there supporting their friends and me as well. I was really thankful for all of their support especially from Butch and Moon who made sure I got everything I needed during my pit stops. Everyone made me feel like part of the group even though I only know a handful of them through Jay and a few runs together, they all supported me and celebrated in my accomplishment which was truly awesome.

After the race the next day I was thinking back on the whole thing and I was pondering on the mental toughness aspect and it dawned on me that I never had that super low moment where I wanted to quit and give up. At first this kind of bummed me out because one of the big questions I had going in was do I have what it takes mentally to keep going when i want to quit. I guess in a way I was disappointed that I didn't hit that point and then get to battle through it. Then it occurred to me that maybe I never had that moment where I had to test my mental toughness because I had prepared myself thoroughly enough that I was always one step ahead and therefore didn't need to test my toughness because it was already being displayed. Yeah I'm good with that.

So now a few days have passed and I've had time to reflect and look back on the whole experience, not just the race but the last 5 months of serious training and really the last couple of years where I've really gotten in to this endurance stuff. I can't say that I've come to some deep understanding of life or wisdom that only comes from 13 hours of continuous running but I do believe I have a better understanding of what it is I truly enjoy doing. This race has definitely altered my perspective on some things and in a way I'm really happy about that. I haven't been that keyed up about my half iron triathlon in July, the thought that I was done with Tri's has been bouncing around in my head for some time since my bike accident but now it may be even more solidified... we'll see what happens. I did have this crazy thought on Monday night after brushing my teeth getting ready for bed, running 100 miles doesn't scare the crap out of me nearly as much now as it did a few months ago... who knows maybe next year I'll tackle the 100 mile distance?

Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.

Leadville Trail 100 and Colorado

I had the opportunity to go out to Colorado to crew/pace a buddy of mine during the Leadville Trail 100 mile ultramarathon, this was single handily one of the most awesome experiences in my life. While out there I had the opportunity to hike to the summit of Mount Elbert which is the highest peak in Colorado @ 14,433 feet above sea level and the second highest peak in the lower 48 states. Below is my recap of my pacing duties that I posted on Daily Mile and in the interest of time I'll just use that and give some additional thoughts below.

"My job was to get Jay up and over Hope Pass during the Leadville 100. I picked him up after 50 miles of running and only an hour into the climb I wasn't able to keep up with him. The trail was very congested at this point with inbound and outbound runners and every time he would surge to pass someone I would struggle to catch back up only for him to surge past someone else. I'd like to blame it on the head cold I've been plagued with the last week but the fact of the matter is he is just a beast going up hill, it was like trying to keep up with a damn mountain goat. Eventually I started to become light headed and faint and had to stop as my heart rate skyrocketed. I gave him the last bottle of water so he could continue on without me and hopefully meet back up with him at the Hope Pass aid station. About 10 minutes later, Marshall, a friend of Jay's who was out there to pace someone else who had dropped out of the race came flying by me looking to help out. It was like a gift from God seeing him, I was struggling so bad trying to catch back up and mentally I was starting to crack knowing it just wasn't going to happen. Once I knew Jay was going to be okay I could go at my own pace and not over work myself. After I made the aid station I refilled my water bottles and started the trek down the mountain. Going down hill is by far my stronger suit and I was able to pass a lot of people and made up quite a bit of time apparently I came in to the Twin Lakes aid station only a few minutes after he left and I was told Marshall was with him and he was doing good, thankfully. Quite a humbling experience but it was really amazing too, reading about this race and actually experiencing are two completely different things. So proud of Jay, Tom, Flynn and everyone who competed out there, a whole new respect for that race, and the amount of physical and mental strength it takes just to line up let alone complete."

Now I've read a number of accounts of this race in various ultra runners biography's but to read about something and to actually experience it are like previously stated two completely different things. First off when you live in the Midwest and the steepest thing you encounter on a training run is a 100 foot climb you can not even fathom what gaining 3000-4000 feet of elevation is like, especially on some of the gnarliest nastiest trails out there. Over the course of last week I experienced the 3 hardest things I've ever done physically, climbing Lake Deluge trail, Mount Elbert and Hope Pass and even though they kicked my butt I loved it. I may not have enjoyed it fully at the time, but looking back it was simply amazing and something I will remember for the rest of my life.

Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.

Freedom Run 5k

OK its been an awful long time since I've posted anything here, a lot has gone on but don't have time to play catch up right now. Here is a recap of last nights Freedom Run 5k.

Ran the freedom run 5k with Caden, he had a bit of trouble with side stitches during our warm up and they just never went away. We had to walk considerably more than the firecracker but considering hes only run 3 or 4 times in the last month he did amazing finishing in just over 36 minutes. I was worried this would turn him off racing but at the end he still sprinted towards the finish smiling and egging me on that he was gonna beat me. I live how much joy he gets out of running and I'm so thankful I can share it with him, makes me love to run all over again.

Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.

Not just another run

Haven't posted much lately, I've either not had the time, desire or anything interesting to share but had to share this from yesterday.

Caden's tball game ended early last night so was able to steal back the run I had skipped that morning when we got home. Started out running with the boys, we jogged down to the school and did our 2 laps there (Casey rode his bike and only ran one lap, his legs were hurting, think he may be getting shin splints) and then ran home. Proud to say that Caden completed the 1.7 mile loop nearly a full minute faster than on Saturday and this time he chatted me up the whole time, pretty sure he is going to have no problem knocking out the Firecracker 5k as long as he paces himself accordingly. I'm simply amazed at his exuberance for exercise and what seems like an unending pool of energy. I haven't coerced him or his brother into running or exercise (other than laying the foundation by setting an example) and Caden especially has latched on to it. Definitely makes me proud and excited about the whole thing.

After dropping off the boys I headed back out for more pushing the pace for a progressive tempo effort. This run felt great and an 8:30 mile felt nearly effortless, was able to peel off 7:50ish for the last mile. Did a little cool down jog around the block to finish off. Feeling pretty confident about my fitness with just a little over a week to go till my first race of the season, can't wait!


Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.

Run for Renewal RR

Saturday I ran the Run for Renewal 5k, this was race #3 of the Live Uncommon Race Series and the only repeat event from last year and one of my favorites because of the cause it supports, Project Renewal, an after school program for underprivileged youth. They got a huge boost in participants this year when Live Uncommon stepped up and covered the cost of entrants this past week as a way to show support for the tragedy that happened last Monday at the Boston Marathon, which in a nut shell is one of the reasons I love being associated with Live Uncommon, doing good and awesome things because it is the right thing do for everyone.

As far as the race, I had no expectation of running this hard since I've only been back running now for a couple of weeks. My goal was to finish under 28 minutes and keep it nice and easy, I ran with my friend Anne for the entire race (I was hopping I could keep up with her the whole time) and it was nice to catch up with her. Best part was I had no pain in my Achilles during or after the race even with picking up the tempo a little for this race, I think I'm ready to start pushing things a little more this week and see how it responds.

Afterwards I ran some cool down miles downtown and checked out the flood waters, I also ran some stairs in one of the parking garages to get a better view, it's crazy to think that downtown Davenport floods nearly every year and yet they refuse to put up any kind of flood wall, what's that they say about the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results...yeah I think the City Administrators qualify on that one.

Until next time...Do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.