The North Face Endurance Challenge GoreTex 50 miler Washington DC
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| TriLife Trail Team I coach right before the start. |
I did not go into this race in the best mind set. On Friday my cat once again decided to get very ill and had to be taken to the vet. To make a long story short she has renal issues. So I found myself saying goodbye before I left to DC and Eric would take her to the vet later that day. On the trip down I got a call from Eric saying that the vet did not think it was her kidney and that they needed to run further tests. Cha Ching! Vets in NYC are very expensive. Anyway she did not have to be put down (good news) but just had some type of infection.
The trip to Virginia was fine other than the parking lot traffic we encountered as we got closer to out destination. We went to dinner at the Olive Garden, and this will be the last time I ever eat there. I will explain later. Then we headed back to the hotel where 5 of us Robin, Susie, Joe, Herb and I crammed into our room and slept.
Saturday June 4, 2011 Race Day
The alarm went off way to early at 3 or 3:30 am. I can’t remember but I was totally exhausted and just wanted to roll back over and go to sleep. Anyway I got ready and had some oatmeal (thanks Susie) and had some coffee to get things moving. Everyone loaded into cars and headed to the race start. I picked up my race number and shortly after headed to the restroom. I had prepared for warm weather since the week before it has been 97 degrees and high humidity. However, this weekend we were getting a break from the heat. It was a cool 53 degrees for the start but it meant that I was shivering in my thin jacket and running clothes. A few minutes before the start I got rid of the jacket and dropped off my bag. I headed to the front of the pack to hopefully run with the lead pack like I have the past two years.
5:00 AM Race Start
At 5 am the race was off. This year there seemed to be a much larger group in the lead pack of runners and I found myself huffing and puffing to keep up but the lead pack kept pulling further and further away. I told myself that I needed to slow it down and run my own pace. Finally when I looked down at my watch I was running a sub 6 minute pace and knew I would never be able to hold that. I slowed down and settled into about a 6:45 pace and hung on with another guy who was running a similar pace. I knew I would not be able to hold this pace for the entire race but I also knew from running this race that this first section was fast and an easy place to gain some ground on the main pack of runners. Soon after settling in with this guy another guy dropped back from the lead pack and ran with us. Within the next few miles we hit the first hills and there was another person dropping off of the lead pack. This guy went way too hard and was already paying the price having to walk and we hadn’t even made it 14 miles. Ouch! Shortly after we passed this guy I could tell I was developing GI distress. The worst feeling! After putting enough distance on the guy walking I had to make a pit stop in the woods. This would be the first of many pit stops. I was hesitant of letting the two guys I was running with go since I knew it would probably be the last time a saw them for a while and I would be alone but shortly after I was back on the trails I caught them again.
Great Falls Aid Station. Mile 14.8
Arriving at the Great Falls aid station myself and Tim, one of the guys I was running with, began to drop the other guy we were running with. I quickly found my drop bag and put my head lamp in the bag and then had to head to the port-a-potty. The GI distress was back and this was putting a kink in my plans. I lost Tim and the other guy that was behind me was ahead of me as well. After getting back on the trail my average pace had dropped to a 7:30.
Difficult Run Aid Station Mile 17.5
Getting to this aid station was quick but my pace slowed due to some technical and hilly areas as well as the GI distress coming back within the first mile of being back on the trail. There was no place with enough coverage to pop off into the woods so I had to hold it until I would make it back to Great Fall (7 miles!). I was able to see all of the lead runners heading back to Great Falls and was able to figure out I was 8th place. The current 2nd I refilled my hand help and grabbed some potatoes to settle the hunger pains in my stomach and was off.
Great Falls Aid Mile 21.7
This is such a beautiful section once you get on the cliffs over the Potomac River and a bit more technical and hard to keep your stride but I was still able to move quickly. I passed the guy I was running with in the beginning but I kept thinking that on the next two times around I would not be moving as quickly since this was my experience the last two year I ran this race. In addition I really needed to make a pit stop again.
Difficult Aid Mile 24.4
Before heading back out to Difficult Run Aid I hit the port-a-potty again. At this point I was not sure what place I was in. 7th, 8th, or 9th since I did know if anyone passed me while making my pit stop. I was quickly back on the trail and once again I was able to see the lead runners and determine that I was indeed still in 8th place however, I was also able to see that there was a runner gaining some ground on me and looking strong. Once again within the first mile I was in GI distress but had to hold it. I was so uncomfortable and knew if this kept up I was going to lose a lot of time. At this point my Average Pace had dropped to an 8:00 pace.
Great Falls Aid Mile 28.6
On my way back to Great Falls I was amazed that I had not yet hit a wall and other than the GI distress I was feeling strong. This was different from the past two years I had run this race but I was cautious and kept waiting for the big bonk that had not shown its ugly face yet. On this section there is a set of stairs that you have to go down and then up the other side. I noticed that there was someone familiar looking walking up the stair. I was quickly upon him and then passed him. Sure enough it was the guy who was in second place that had run his tank empty. I felt bad for him but was happy I was now in 7th place!
Difficult Run Aid Mile 31.2
Once gain I hit the port-a-potty before heading out to Difficult Run for my last time. I was still feeling really strong but unsure if I would be able to hold my pace or if anyone passed me. As I headed back out onto the trail my average pace from all the stops had dropped to about an 8:35 pace. I was not able to see all the lead runners on this last loop so I was unsure of my placement and again was in GI distress within the first mile.
Great Falls Aid Mile 35.4
As I approached this aid station I was really excited. This is the longest I have ever been able to make it on trail at this pace without walking and was still feeling very strong. I made a quick decision to only carry one hand held bottle on the way back (this was a mistake I made last year) because this was the longest stretch on the course without aid. It was much cooler this year than last year and I knew I would not need as much fluids. I was much more hydrated than the previous years and I was moving much quicker than I ever had at this distance. I filled my bottle and was off. I had one last stop at the port-a-potty and was hoping that this would be the last time (which it was). My average pace had now dropped to about an 8:44 pace.
Sugarland Aid Mile 45.4 and 47.8
I knew that this section is one of the most mentally challenging sections on the course. It’s the longest section without aid and this is when it usually begins to get hot and I begin to get tired. This year was different as I had still not walked and was feeling strong. Somewhere around mile 40 I was passed. I thought to myself you can go catch him but then I thought you still have 10 miles and a lot can happen in 10 miles. Just keep on your pace and don’t push too hard so you don’t bonk. My average pace at this point was dropping around an 8:38 pace. Finally I started to hit the hills on this section and this forced me to power hike up the hills. If I would have tried to run I would have gone slower than I was hiking and would have used much more energy. All I wanted to do at this point was save as much energy as I could for fear of bonking and to see if the guy who passed me would tire a little. Little by little I noticed that what lead this guy had put on me was shrinking. About 1 mile before the Sugarland Aid station I pass this guy back and was beginning to put a lead back on him. I was still feeling strong and my average pace was still dropping. I was amazed that after 40 plus miles I was getting faster. When I came into the aid station I took my time as to not make any mistakes and this guy I was going back and forth with was there shortly behind me. I filled my water and grabbed several gels even though I know that I probably did not need them. I took off and knew at this point I needed to push it. I had no idea what place I was in this point but I did not want to get passed again.
Finish 50 miles
From here there it’s a short loop to run before returning back to the same aid station and then to the finish. After returning back to the aid station I have gained a significant lead over the guy who had passed me earlier. As I left the aid station I saw a snake and of course jumped and screamed and then gave it everything I had left to the finish.
I finished in 7:01:06 for 6th place overall and 1st in my age group. An average pace of 8:26. This was a 47 minute personal best for this distance and the first 50 miles I have run without having to walk other than the power hiking I did on the last few hills.
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| Getting my prize from Dean Karnazes |
