TrailHonky

I had one goal for the Lean Horse 50 mile this year: finish in under the official cutoff of 12 hours. Last year I managed a 14:50 in my first 50 mile finish. I knew I’d have a tough time given the hilly nature of Argyle Road which is miles 11-16 and 34-45 of the race.

I pushed my pace from the very start of the race. Since the first 4 miles or so are really flat, this wasn’t all that difficult. While I was very comfortable, I was very focused on both walking fast and maintaining around a 12:00/mile jogging pace or less. I also made it a point not to linger at the aid stations.

After making it through downtown Hot Springs, past Evan’s Plunge, and through the neighborhood, we started up the hill where the pavement turned into a dirt road. The course was all still very familiar from last year and I knew I wouldn’t have long to go until I hit the Coldbrook campground and first aid station. Since I had my Nathan Hydration pack on, I wouldn’t need to fill up with water until the end of the Argyle Road, about 11 more miles. I decided to just truck it on through the aid station since I had plenty of GU, salt tabs, and water. Also, I was actually still with a pack of people and it would be a bit of a pile up.

Thus began the strong march along the Argyle dirt road. The surface was a bit more packed than I remember from last year but that first hill was still a doozy. Most everyone was walking it though a few hardy souls did manage a very slow, methodical jog. I had my iPod cranked up and was holding a good pace. Every 30 minutes I would take an endurolyte capsule as I usually do to keep the cramps at bay. I also made sure I was taking regular sips of water from the hydration pack because I expected the return trip to be pretty toasty (mid 80s predicted).

Though hilly, I really enjoy the scenery along Argyle. There are big open pastures with views of the Black Hills in the background. Occasionally there are cows on the side of the road behind a fence and there are a number of cattle guards (this year there was plywood on the left side of each one which made crossing them much easier–thank you to the race director for this!). At one point, after a bit of downhill, the road turns sharply to the right and several cows stare at me as I make my way along the course. Here I can see a good mile or two ahead and see the small dots of runners making there way along the path. The long views are pretty but it can be hard to stay motivated to keep going when you see how much is in front of you.

As I pass the red barn and head up the slight hill, I’m reminded of this spot last year where I started feeling a blister develop. Though not yet 15 miles into the race, things last year were already going badly. This year, I was feeling great with no issues at all. And looking at my watch, I’m making really great time for a 25K! Just a little over 3 hours have gone by and I’m really feeling like everything is going well for me.

Soon I am where I know there is a big uphill where I’ll be able to get my first glimpse of the camper trailer parked at the Argyle Road aid station. It’s here that I dig out a blueberry pomegranate GU and start to work getting it down. I really dislike the texture but I get a bit of water in my mouth and take slow draws from the foil pack so I can dilute it down. Now I’ve got the GU down in time for it to kick in a bit before the uphill so I power up it with a fast walk. Once at the top I realize I’m almost done with the dirt road and all the hills for a while and start looking ahead to picking up some time on the Mickelson Trail.

I roll into the aid station ahead of the big pack I’ve been running with to try and not waste too much time. It’s here that I refill my 2L hydration pack. I was down to about 1/3 left which meant I was drinking about the right amount. I didn’t feel thirsty or sloshy, I’d had 2 bananas now, a Slim Fast at the start, the GU, lot of chips and grapes, and a quarter of a PBJ sandwich. I really didn’t want to feel like I didn’t have enough calories in or get dehydrated. Still, the race plane seemed like it was coming together and I was well under pace to finish in 11 hours 30 minutes. Life is good and my spirits are high so I head down the path out of the aid station and onto the trail. Soon I pass the 4.5 foot tall concrete mile marker that reads 25. I don’t even have to get to the 34 marker before heading back.

The trail that used to be an old railroad track descends gently out of the Argyle Road aid station down to Lime Kiln. There are tons of grasshoppers on the trail and I always feel like I’m stepping on one even though they are getting out of the way because I don’t see many dead ones. The tall embankments on either side of the trail and the more wooded landscape provide some much needed shade. A slight breeze blows through the air to cool down an already beautiful morning. I’ve ticked off about 17 miles now and things don’t seem like they could go any better…

Then they hit. First in my right hamstring and then the left. Both of them are starting to get really tight and it comes rather suddenly. I’m jogging now but not too fast and I know I’m not pushing myself too hard. My breathing is fine and I haven’t even come close to getting that urge to vomit I sometimes feel when I get going too fast for too long. But then the cramps take over and decide I shouldn’t move. So I step to the right side of the trail and stand still in and effort to let it pass. A woman who I’d been running near the entire race stops as she passes and I let her know I’m okay. I’m out here all by myself but I’m not worried. I’ve fended off cramps before and gone on to finish marathons and 50K races without a problem. The problem here, though, is that I’m only 17 miles into a 50-mile run. There’s a lot of race left to be dealing with this so early. At Tahoe Rim, too, less than 16 miles into it, I had the same issues. In the back of my mind, I’m thinking I pushed it too hard on the hills given my training.

After about a minute, I decide to push on even though the cramps are not totally gone. I really want to keep my pace and have a bit of padding for making my goal time. I decide it is better to keep up a fast walk than to risk them flaring up again by jogging. I don’t want to waste downhills like this but I remind myself that patience will pay off. I roll into the familiar Lime Kiln aid station where last year at the 30-mile mark I made the decision that there wasn’t anything that would keep me from finishing. That mindset did payoff and I got my first 50-mile finish. This year, the same friendly Culligan water man was working the aid station and the canopy on the camper trailer provided some great shade. I sat in the chair while stuffing down another banana and drinking a few cups of soda. But quickly I got out up and pushed on to Pringle Road.

This section seems to drag on a little bit as there are a few turns that separate long straight sections. I pass the old Lime plant to my right and it’s in the same disheveled state I remember it from last year. There is a bench that looks right at it and it invites me to sit down but I decide my 12-hour goal is more important. I’m still walking for the most part, but I know I’m making good time because I look at my watch as I pass each concrete mile marker. I’m still about 14:30/mile with only minimal jogging thrown in. I try to jog through an entire song as it plays over the iPod but usually make it only half way through. Still, this pace will get me to the finish line just fine.

As I see the outskirts of Pringle, I feel the cramps coming back. I’m not even pushing the walking that hard and I’ve increased my e-caps to one every 15 minutes. Things don’t seem to be improving. I slow my walking down a bit hoping that they’ll go away. But then my calfs start to react. Now I know it’s actually getting worse rather than better. I make the decision to get to Pringle and take some time to get a lot of calories in.

I roll into Pringle just after 11am and in just a little over 5 hours I’ve already knocked off 24 miles. I’m well ahead of where I expected to be and doing much better by the clock than last year. But my body is in poor shape. I sit down and start going through the aid station picking up things and eating whatever looks good. Most of it does and I have potato chips, grapes, and some more soda. My crew arrives and I sit down against the shelter and get into my cooler. I explain about the cramps and they encourage me to at least go to the turnaround and come back. I’m discouraged and decide I need to sit a bit longer and get more calories in.

Sitting at Pringle, drinking a Slim Fast for calories, trying to get my cramps to go away

I drink an entire Slim Fast and grab one of the energy drinks. After sitting about 20 minutes, I decide I need to get out there and keep knocking off the miles.

After some convincing, I head out to the turnaround at 25 miles

The mile out to the turnaround seems so long. I see the 50 milers in front of me on their way back and realize that I was in front of a lot of people that are still moving quite well. I know I should be even further along than I am but the cramps were keeping me back. At least now I’m walking more comfortably, though I’m not going very fast. I’ve got a big grape energy drink in one hand that I’m focused on getting down quickly. Soon I see the turnaround marker and mentally pick myself back up. I’ve now only got to retrace my steps back and though the Argyle Road is hilly, I get more downhill than up. Though I’m probably not going to hit my 12 hour goal, I should still be able to pull this off.

After the turnaround, I head back on the trail and again am reminded of my situation in this race last year. I was already right up against the 12 hour time limit then but doing better now, even with the stop at Pringle. I daydream a little bit here until I look down as I cross a small footbridge on the trail and notice a big thing on the side of the path. It’s a big black and yellow snake. Dead and rotting, but it’s big. Yuk. I keep pushing ahead trying to convince myself I won’t see anything like it alive on the trail!

As I roll back into Pringle, I start feeling bad again. I take a seat and think about my options. I’m really demotivated now as I watch the minutes tick by and know that the 12-hour goal is quickly becoming highly unlikely. I still feel the tightness in my muscles. I’m explaining the situation to a veteran ultra runner who is waiting for his wife to come into Pringle. She’d be having stomach issues and was sick much earlier but he said she was doing better. He recommends I take two Advil to help with the cramping and reluctantly I decide this is a good option. He suggests if it doesn’t work, I’ll be able to drop at Lime Kiln anyway but reminds me it will take around 30 minutes for me to feel it kicking in.

I head out to Lime Kiln focused on making good time but still down because I’m not going fast enough to make 12 hours. I decide I need to shift my focus to getting rid of the cramps and taking it on into the finish line. And sure enough, about 2 miles out of Pringle, which at my pace is about 30 minutes, I start to feel a lot better. I’m walking strong at this point, much to my surprise given how I felt back at Pringle. My spirits are improving and I roll back into Lime Kiln feeling good. I sit down though to have more calories. I take some more soda, a turkey sandwich, and a couple of endurolytes. It’s only 3.4 miles to the next aid and then I will have to tackle the dirt road and hills.

Returning to Lime Kiln aid station - 30 miles

From Lime Kiln, the trail starts a gradual uphill that seems to take a long time. There is plenty of climb on these 3.4 miles but I feel like I’m making good progress with my walking. I’m not feeling too down and my body is feeling ok for the first mile or so but my legs are still tight. I decide to press on and keep holding the pace. It isn’t long before I get to where I can see all the way up the last major climb but can’t quite see the aid station. My legs are getting tight again and the slight uphill isn’t helping. Finally I’m back at Argyle Road aid station and this time there is a welcome committee!

Girl hands me water as I come into Argyle Road aid station after 33.4 miles

I sit in a chair at Argyle and try to get more calories down but soon my left quad starts to spasm. This isn’t uncommon for me but it usually doesn’t happen until well after I’m done with my run. Compared to past runs, particularly Lean Horse last year, I’m not stopping at the aid stations to rest near as much. I know it’s not that my muscles have gone cold. The temperature is continuing to heat up and I’m sweating a lot. I’ve done everything I know to do to keep the cramps away but they just don’t seem to leave. Disappointed, I let the aid station volunteers I’m stopping here and thank them for their help.

I don’t get my finish this year, but I’m still happy with my race. I did what I could to meet my goal of 12 hours and I probably just didn’t have the right training. I could do more hills and log more miles. I also think I’ll switch back to Succeed! caps instead of endurolytes as I’ve had more luck with them overall. Looking ahead, I’m hoping the 14 hour time at Heartland will be more than what I need to bag my second 50-mile finish. Well see in October.

Highlights

• Fantastic soft-pine covered single track throughout most of course (just overlook the big rocky climbs at the beginning!)
• Well stocked and staffed aid stations at 5-mile intervals on 15.5 mile loop (you’ll meet veterans who know how to help, encourage, and be sure you’re doing things right)
• Easy 45-minute drive from Austin’s airport makes it convenient for out-of-town runners
• Very nice cool-release shirt as part of the swag bag

Nutritional plan

• 20 oz. of water during all 5-mile sections (except first loop between Longhorn and Tunnel o’ Pines when I had HEED) with lots of refueling from the cups of water, gatorade, and soda at the aid station
• 12 oz. can of Miller Lite at Tunnel o’ Pines aid station on second loop (critical for getting me through)
• One 20 oz. helping of HEED during the first loop
• 8 e-caps taken in either 1s or 2s at each aid station (and no cramping through entire race in 80+ degree bright, sunny weather–thank goodness for the shaded trails)
• Plenty of canteloupe at Longhorn on my second loop, PB&J a couple of times, 2 ham and cheese wraps, and a few fritos and pringles tossed in here and there

I got into Austin around 8:30pm on Friday night planning to catch up on one of my favorite Tex-Mex restaurants, but when Guero’s had an hour wait, I opted for Zen instead, and it definitely wasn’t a bad backup. I had my usual white chicken and broccoli bowl with 4 pieces of a Philadelphia roll–both excellent as usual.

After a decent night’s rest at an airport hotel, I headed out to Smithville around 6am. I arrived with 15 minutes before race time which was plenty to get my race packet, meet friends, check-in with Robert Heynen and make last preparations. Right on time, we were off.

The course is three very different sections in my mind. I’d last run it in 2004 but remembered it pretty well. The first 5 are loaded with the big climbs up front followed by lots of winding until you’re dumped out on a jeep road that leads down the Longhorn Aid Station. The second section is lots of twisting ups and downs with some good flat runnable sections as well. It ends by dumping you out into an open field that you cross before heading into Tunnel o’ Pines and the second aid station. As was the case in 2004 due to recent rains, there was a small bit of water in the creek after the aid station which made for a very small water crossing you could probably leap across.

My first 25K loop went really well. I was with Deborah for most of the way until the big downhill sections in the last third of the course. I finished it in 3:45 and sat and rested around 15 minutes before heading back out. The temperature was getting up there and one guy stopped and asked me how I was able to stand the fleece vest I was wearing. Really though I wasn’t hot!

Finishing up the first loop

Mentally I headed back out to the second loop in great condition and physically I was in a better place than at the end of last weekend’s 25K. That would soon change. We took the uphill climbs very easily and then were doing a lot of walking through the first section. I decided that I’d attempt to drop at Longhorn if there was a truck heading back to the start/finish. I was starting to worry that I wouldn’t be able to finish in time to make it back to the airport to catch my 6:00pm flight. Negative thoughts snowballed and I wasn’t in a good spot. When we finally reached the road, I powered through to the aid station and sat for a good long while talking to the volunteers. Gabe gave some kind words of encouragement and suggested I just take it slow and easy all the way in. Keith and Deborah rolled in and I was starting to feel a lot better. I powered out of there knowing I needed to go a bit faster or my negative thoughts would take me back down.

I tried to put in as much jogging on this second part as possible but my heart rate was higher than I wanted it to be. After experimenting with walking/jogging for a good hour, I determined that jogging didn’t really elevate my heart rate a whole lot higher so I resolved to move in whatever way was most comfortable. All things considered, the race was going pretty well given that it was getting hot and I wasn’t cramping, had no gear issues, and no blistering. Shortly before entering the field, a 50-mile runner came upon me and I asked the time. When he told me it was only 2pm, my spirits were lifted. I was going slowly, but not nearly as bad as I thought. I figured it was at least 3pm and I’d be in trouble and need to drop at the next aid station.

Without Deborah, I decided to sit and wait at the aid station to see if she’d come in soon. I took the volunteers up on their offer of a cold beer and enjoyed a full 12 oz. Miller Lite while sitting and resting. I probably spent a good hour just in the aid stations at this race but it really helped get me through and made things more bearable. Deborah did roll in with Keith again and we all three headed out about the same time.

At this point i just wanted the race to be over so I kept pushing as much as I could. When I’d find a comfortable log, stump, or picnic table, I’d stop and sit for a couple of minutes to let the throb in my feet subside and get my heart rate back down. When a 50-mile runner came upon me sitting, she seemed a little worried and ask if I needed anything (I always love how nice fellow runners are on the trails). I had a ton of salt buildup on my face and I’m sure I didn’t look so good and the sitting down in the middle of the trail didn’t help. But I powered on and knew I was fine when I made it to the water station about a mile out from the start/finish with enough gas left to still do some jogging. It was still more comfortable to walk though so I just kept at it slow and steady.

I came into the finish with the clock already past the 9-hour mark but I was happy to have this one in the bag. Robert was a little concerned with how I looked and asked me lots of questions to make sure I was ok. Several other volunteers shuffled around to make sure I had what I wanted and it was so nice to be back at a race where the people do so much more than expected. Having started trail running in Austin with HCTR and Joe’s races, I have really been spoiled into thinking how races should be! But it was so good to see my HCTR and NTTR friends from years past and it was great to be back on the trails with so many I knew.

Finishing up the race

After a quick hosing down of my head and face to get the salt off, I drove back to the airport and loaded up on some delicious Belgian chocolate with M&Ms from Amy’s. I miss Austin!

The race itself

This race is held in Minneapolis during the first weekend in June. A loop 2.5 mile loop around Lake Nokomis, the course is mostly asphalt with a few grass sections and one (eventually brutal) concrete bridge. There are really only two “uphill” sections of the course; one across the bridge and the other near the end of the big loop across a section of grass. The latter had a small sign posted that read something like:

Mount Nokomis
8:00am Saturday: elevation 15 ft
4:00pm Saturday: elevation 150 ft
12:00am Sunday: elevation 1,500 ft
8:00am Sunday: elevation 15,000ft

Overall the course was quite enjoyable. There was enough foot traffic from non-racers to keep the people watching interesting and the trail crowded enough during the day to keep monotony a non-issue. The MSP airport flight path goes right across the course and it was fun to watch the planes come in throughout the day.

The aid stations were sufficient in terms of food, but it would have been nice if they had some sort of endurance beverage beyond gatorade. I guess everyone has their own preference and in a small loop course, you can setup your own aid station for drinks.

I went to the pre-race dinner to pickup my packet and weigh-in (mistake! to do in my non-running outfit of jeans). The meal looked like the usual pasta and salad but I opted to go to a different local pasta place with my friend and host for the weekend. During the meal, there were participants in the FANS program present and a few of them got on the PA system to talk about how the program (for which the race raises money) has benefited them. I thought that was a nice touch. Some of the same people were working the aid stations throughout the race, which was also nice.

My race in particular

I went into FANS having never run longer than 8.5 hours or farther than 50K. I had high hopes of getting to the 50-mile mark in 24-hours (almost impossible not to!) but my training had been limited and I was worried about pushing beyond my known distance and time thresholds. So I started my race super easy at a very leisurely pace and made sure to spend time in a very easy jog or walk from the beginning. I quite enjoyed the first 4 hours and they really flew by quickly.

At the four hour mark, my troubles began … not with my body, but with the rules of the race. My first weigh-in had me at -8 pounds. Anything over 3% body weight was cause for putting a runner on a watch list; beyond 5% was grounds for removal from the race. In between the two, I was already on the medical team’s watch list.

So I made sure I kept guzzling liquids and eating bananas, turkey and ham sandwiches, drinkable yogurt, and such on every lap from then on. I had already been tanking up on Perpetuem (orange vanilla flavored) but the taste and texture were starting to bother me. I switched over to coke, fruit punch, and water. This might have been a mistake but I was holding everything down just fine and having no energy issues.

Somewhere after 4 hours I realized a strange sensation on one of my left toes. I took my shoe and sock off to reveal that my new shoe (New Balance 992) was rubbing a blister on the top of my second toe. I do have a slight hammer toe so it sticks up and rubs fabric in the toe box more easily. I put some fabric medical tape on it and that did the trick. I used the same tape on my back to keep the seam of my Race Ready Long Distance shorts from chafing.

After I got to the marathon mark, I began stopping for a few minutes at my personal aid station in the grass where I had my goodies. My 1-man crew had sliced up fresh cantaloupe the night before and I was happy to have it. It was just the thing to take care of my need for a sweet snack (and I’ve read it is good for elecrolytes, too–much more so than bananas).

This is the first race where I experimented with pain relievers. The bottoms of my feet get severely sore and are one of the reasons why I slow down late in an ultra. I took a single tylenol at the 4-hour and 8-hour marks and it helped significantly. I think I’ll be following this same practice in future events.

The second weigh-in came at the 8-hour mark. Not surprisingly, I was down a couple more pounds, putting me at -10.5 since the previous night. I usually lose a lot of weight on runs in warmer weather. Even though I didn’t feel bad at all (better than after every marathon in the past), the nurse was skeptical. Another person on the medical team suggested I could go from feeling great to total crazy (blackouts) in just a few minutes.

So after this second official weigh-in, I took some extra time out to rest, eat, and drink. Even after all that effort, I only put back about a pound. It would be an uphill battle from here. Though I felt fine, my weigh was causing concern. After each subsequent lap, I was weighed. At this point I was guzzling about 12 oz. of coke and eating a quarter of a sandwich every 2.5 miles. I lost half-a-pound after one lap and was at -10.5 again soon. I took another rest.

A thunderstorm was moving into the area around this time (late in the afternoon, around 4pm). When it started to rain, I decided to call it a race. I’d gone longer than before (35.5 miles) and my elapsed time was a bit longer than my first 50K (Bandera). Though I hadn’t moved fast overall, I felt I had a good race and built some confidence about shooting for 50 miles. Maybe Lean Horse?

After missing the Bandera 50K due to family reasons and the Rocky Raccoon 50M due to a bad cold, I was anxious to get in another long run. With the East Texas 50K on the horizon, I decided to enter on the Wednesday before the race. Several of my friends were going and I had a carpool option over there so I figured I might as well give it a go.

Goutham and I rode over to Tyler (he drove) starting from Irving at 4:00am. I woke up at 3am on not enough sleep but I was excited to be racing once again. The drive over was easy though I nodded off a few times. We stopped just outside Tyler at a McDonald’s as I was craving a bit to eat and a milkshake, but the shake machine was down and they were only serving breakfast. I opted instead for cookies and milk at the Chevron across the highway. Soon we were back on the road, to the park entrance, and sitting in front of the Blackjack 4 camp area.

As I opened the car door to step out, I realized that it was going to be a brutally cold morning. I didn’t even want to wander over and get my packet. With about 15 minutes to go before race start, I went to get my packet only to discover my registration wasn’t on the roster. I was given a bib and packet anyway and would work out the details later (it was discovered that my active.com registration was there, the RD just missed seeing it). Back at the car, I made a quick change from my sweat pants to my fleece pants as I chatted briefly with Letha who was parked next to us. Her two dogs were yapping and the sun was now shining down plenty of light.

We started the race very casually and headed down the road before a turn to the left dumped us out on the trail. Wow, my first thoughts were about the nice and soft the pine needle-covered trail. Deborah soon mentioned that the entire 10-mile trail was just like this. It would have some ups and downs, but most climbs and descents were on switchbacks. It was just the type of course I love.

The first loop went well. Goutham and I brought up the back of the pack through the first aid station. We headed right through the station without stopping and up and over the hill. Then at the next hill, I missed the trail turn to the left and we got off course. Deborah and Tom realized this and started yelling our names and shouting “WRONG WAY”. We could see them and were really not far off course and actually took a long-cut. Goutham and I made our way through some brush to get back on the course.

Somewhere after this Goutham shot on ahead while Deborah and I stayed back. We met Terri and Sharon who were running their first 50K. They picked a nice course, but the day was awfully cold. After winding around and heading down a big set of switch backs, we wandered up an asphalt park road and into the second aid station on the loop. Red Spicer was there along with a few others. Deborah and I didn’t stay long but Tom seemed to have stopped for a while to take care of some business because we wouldn’t see him again until late in the second loop. Tom had forgotten to replace the insoles in his shoes and his recent sickness had him feeling terrible. I was also not at 100% and the cold was not helping things. I was bundled up in fleece but sweating heavily so my clothes were soaked and keeping things somewhat chilly.

At the end of the first loop, we got to a rock where a boy pointed us to the right. We could see the start/finish from here but had about 1/3 of a mile out and back before we’d return. What a teaser, but Tom had warned of this. It seemed like forever because mentally I was ready to be done with the loop. We rolled into the start/finish about 2:20 into the run. I made a pit stop at the bathroom, took off my fleece top, had the very nice aid station people empty and refill my bottle with Succeed Ultra, and headed back out for loop number two. Deborah must have thought I went on ahead because she was nowhere to be found. But less than a mile up I would find her waiting for me.

It was nice to be running again with Deborah. The second loop did go by well until after the second aid station. We chatted each others’ ears off, as usual, and were having a great time. For a bit, the sun had started to shine nicely on the first loop but this second loop was more overcast and it was getting cold again. Without my fleece, I was wishing I was warmer. I shouldn’t have dropped it off at the car! After Red’s aid station, the course seems to wind around all over the place and I never felt like I was making much progress. The leaders in the 50K were now lapping us and 4 had already gone on by. It seemed like we were crawling.

I started having doubts about finishing around here but kept my thoughts to myself. I figured I would break it to Deborah when we saw the boy and I could just skip on over to the car and get back into my warm fleece. But when we got to the rock, the boy was no longer and Jay Freeman had taken over the duty of directing runners to the right to finish the teaser loop before heading to the start/finish. At the rock, Deborah made me keep going so I would at least finish the second loop. She said we’d talk about my decision later :-)

We got back into the start/finish and Paul asked how we were doing. I told him Deborah thought I was fine but I was feeling otherwise. Several people were commenting on the salt buildup all over my face. I guess it looked worse than I felt. I ran over to the car to get my fleece and discovered Goutham had taken my things from the roof and locked them inside. Boy I was really wishing I’d tied it around my waist now! I told Deborah I would just hang out by the campfire and sit it out from here. She was worried about me staying warm so she lent me one of her jackets. What a relief as I would have been shivering!

Soon, Tom rolled into the start/finish and said he was also dropping here. Now Deborah would be on her own :-( But Terri would actually be running up behind her soon and she’d have company for the rest of the loop. Tom offered for me to sit in his car and warm up so we did so until Goutham came in around 1:45pm. He had managed at 6:45 for his first 50K, which was not only an excellent time, but also remarkable because his ITB was really flaring up and giving him problems. I joked about how he could fix it all the way home.

So this makes three races in a row that I’ve paid for but not finished. Two DNS and a DNF (my second). There will be another day though. I was surprised I ran as strong as I did and Deborah mentioned the same thing. I just need to get my strength back, kick this cold for good, and get back into regular training. I also need to find a way to mentally convince myself that sore feet are no reason to stop and rest. I will never make it very far at the FANS 24 hour if not!

Due to family reasons, I am unable to make it down to Bandera this year to volunteer at packet pickup, run the 50K, and then help out at Last Chance Aid Station. Good luck to those making the journey. I’m already looking forward to next year!

This means I am going to have to figure out options for a long run to prepare me for the Rocky Raccoon 50M early next month. I’m thinking a 10-hour run on similar terrain will be a good idea. Just need to choose a spot and possibly recruit some company.

As I look through various race calendars, I’m finding there are races I’d like to do but cannot for some reason. There are several reasons for this.

• The race has already taken place this year
• The race is upcoming but already full
• I am not sure I can do the distance
• I am too slow to make the cutoffs
• Cost; already traveling too much, not enough vacation days, too many vacation days in a row

I made a list of races I’d like to do so that in the coming years I can start checking them off.

Avalon 50
Avalon, Catalina Island, CA • mid January
Tom from NTTR does this one every year and a few of us are considering it for next year, but it conflicts with Bandera. Maybe if Bandera is on a different date, I’ll volunteer there and head to Avalon. It’s got to be some great scenery out there.

Rocky Racoon 100
Huntsville, TX • early February
A must do for any aspiring hundred runner living in Texas. I’ll get my first taste of Rocky at this year’s 50.

Mississippi 50
Laurel, MS • early March
Mostly single track in soft pine forests and a buckle, tough to beat. Considered it for this year but too close to Grasslands. Would likely interfere with Umstead in future years.

Montana de Oro Trail Run
Los Osos, Ca • early March
Views look fantastic, but the location is hard to get to. Would be good to combine it with some sort of trip.

Old Pueblo 50
Sonoita, AZ • early March
Members of NTTR rave about this race and it sounds like a neat location and an interesting course. The race is closed (and did so very quickly this year).

Antelope Island Buffalo Run
Syracuse, UT • late March
The location sounds excellent, but the race already closed for this year.

Run to the Sun
Kahului, Maui, HI • late March
I love Hawaii and it would be really pretty to run from the ocean up to the volcano. 36.2 miles in 10 hours and only 10,000 ft of elevation gain :-)

Umstead 100
Raleigh, NC • late March
Loop course, nice surface, and relatively easy to get to. Likely to see some club members at this one, too, so an opportunity to pace.

Rockin K 50
Kanapolis State Park, KS • early April
Kansas is close enough to drive and the terrain seems like something I would enjoy.

McNaughton Park Trail Runs
Pekin, IL • mid April
The loop course is appealing, though the elevation per loop could get to be too much. Perhaps it would be good preparation for a tougher mountain hundred.

Leona Divide 50
Lake Hughes, CA • late April
I’d like to become more familiar with the PCT and wouldn’t mind running the race that provided the name to one of my favorite trail shoes (too bad Montrail doesn’t make it anymore).

Zane Grey 50
Payson, AZ • late April
It sounds hard as hell, but members of HCTR give it good reviews. I am probably not fast enough to make the cutoffs. According to Diana Heynen’s race report, this might be hard enough to mark off, never to be done again :-)

I go on forever and again think of the relief of missing cut-off. But the Buckle!! The DNF :-( If I didn’t finish, I would have to come back and do this MF all over again.

–Diana Heynen, somewhere before mile 33, 04.29.06

Ouchita Trail 50
Little Rock, AR • late April
Might be a good introduction to the terrain of the AT and easy to get to.

Miwok 100K
Sausalito, CA • early May
I started to enter the race this year, but don’t feel like I am quite ready for the elevation changes and cutoffs. The scenery looks great from the race course pictures.

PCT 50
San Diego, CA • mid May
Would be a good excuse to visit San Diego and see the southernmost part of the PCT.

Bishop High Sierra 50
Bishop, CA • mid May
I really like the course layout and have read reports where you can drop to a lower distance during the race if you are so inclined. While that maybe not the best way to build mental toughness, it would be a great introductory to mountain terrain. The start/finish area and post-race events sound like lots of fun. Finally, I’ve read The Last Season which is about Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks which are located in this area. It would be good to see some of this area in person.

Ice Age Trail 50
La Grange, WI • mid May
I’ve read some about Kettle Moraine and it would be good to run on the same terrain at a shorter distance before taking on the hundred mile race. Wisconsin has got to be cooler in May than Texas!

Rocky Mountain Double Marathon
Laramie, WY • late May
I’ve never been to Wyoming and am curious what it looks like. I also love gravel roads and single track.

Squaw Peak 50
Provo, UT • early June
Sounds like it would be good training for a mountain hundred. I think Deborah has run this one and said it was super tough. The cutoff is 9.5 hours at 33 miles with no final cutoff. If I can only make it to 33!

Kettle Moraine 100
La Grange, WI • early June
Probably won’t attempt the same year I do the Ice Age 50, but would like to eventually. Unique finisher’s award, modest entry fee, and some elevation not to be ignored.

Vermont 100
West Windsor, VT • late July
Considered it as my first attempt at a hundred, but have a conflict in 2007. Definitely want to finish this one, but worry about the temperature getting into the 90s!

Great Cranberry Ultramarathons
Great Cranberry Island, ME • late July
I stumbled across this race recently and it sounds like a lot of fun. Camping required, too! Not the most accessible so would likely save up frequent flyer miles to use on this one.

Burning River 100
Cuyahoga Falls, OH • early August
Interested to see how the first running of this race turns out. Might be a good chance to run in this part of the country.

Lean Horse 100
Hot Springs, SD • late August
Planning to make this my first hundred. Hard to get lost, mostly flat, and a chance to explore South Dakota!

Arkansas Traveller 100
Perryville, AR • early October
Many club members from both HCTR and NTTR have done this one and it is somewhat “local”. I have read some good race reports, but did hear a few negatives including the event coinciding with the opening of hunting season and a glow-stick thief.

Heartland 100
Cassoday, KS • mid October
Have always wanted to do this one since I first found out about ultras. Would love the course surface though I would probably want a pacer.

Boulder 100
Longmont, CO • mid October
The loop course makes it impossible to get lost and flat is good. Might be a good option for a first hundred if my plans to do Lean Horse don’t pan out and I decide Heartland is not where it’s at either :-)

Dick Collins Firetrails 50
Castro Valley, CA • mid October
Seems to be popular among forum participants. Would enjoy the views of San Francisco.

One of my goals for the year is to help out at more races. Volunteering is just a good thing and it will help me with the required trail work qualification when I decide to enter a hundred miler.

I got started volunteering back at the Sunrise Marathon in March of 2003. This was actually the last race Mickey Rollins directed (at least I was told so at the time). I worked the start/finish aid table along with members of HCTR.

Recently I helped out at the Murrell Park aid station at the Rockledge Rumble. I managed the split timing and helped the aid station director figure out who was still out on the course in the late stages of the race. I stayed there from start to finish and had a really great time talking to club members and meeting new people.

So this year at Bandera, I’ll be helping out with packet pickup from 2pm on Friday and then at the Last Chance aid station after I complete the 50K. I’m taking my tent once again (as I did in 2003) so it will pretty much be an entire weekend of Bandera!