Free State trail ultra race report

Here it is if you can stand to read these scattered thoughts and still trying to get pictures together for a pic video. Also is that a gooberish looking idiot below or what?

I have got to say it was everything I thought and expected from the race. The only exception was trying to find the start line the day before. Someone said it was at the marina in town and at the lake the employee’s said that’s what they heard, but were not sure. Driving around we saw nothing showing where to go for the start.

Though we did my dad and I looked at some of the course down in the bottoms in the tree line between the campgrounds and Clinton Lake. It was pure trail and one I thought was started by deer. There I knew it was going to be a challenging course plus wandering how I am I going to keep on the course and not get lost.

That night we went to Montana Mikes not really a carbo loading restaurant where I had a burger and fries thinking this is still not good. Filled up on that and went to the hotel for a 4:30 wake up. It was close to 10 pm and it was going to be an early morning we hit the sheets and it sounded like a rumble match above us. Still going as well as it ever had from stretching, knees, training, sleep and nutrition. It does not go right for me and the don’t try anything new on race day or the KISS rule apparently doesn’t apply here. Weather it is just stupid luck or plain determination I am not sure. I would go with the stupid luck.

The morning came I was ready in no time everything good to go. Drop bags set and he knowing which to have and were. There was no breakfast because there was not even at least no Mc D’s around. The trouble finding the race start was not a problem now as we followed the line of cars. Race check in found and done pictures taken from a couple websites and a couple of people I knew in the back of the crowd. Got our instructions at 5min before and as quick as that were off without that much of a grand and glorious start to the race. As they say to and this being only the 2nd ultra I’ve done that first step has been the longest stride. Once you get past that it gets easier the rest of the way, because I think the distance is all a mental thing being smart along the way and having fun. You’re usually out there with friends you didn’t know you had.

The first loop was a little rough and never having run here and it all being a hiking trail. I followed a pack that I though I could keep up with for awhile which I did then as time progress the pack started to break up. Then as I’ve seen you never really get ahead of one person or behind them because they’ll be running and you’ll be walkin or vise versa. I ran with a fast pack the first loop with a couple of guys that said they were going to go slow. I made it with them on the 1st loop in 3:55:00 a little faster than I wanted but I wasn’t feeling it. I did get some new clean socks, the others were wet and muddy from the previous 20 miles. The upper trails were great and dry but the lower were wet muddy and was not because of rain of late. I think in a few spots there were small springs making it really nice.

The second loop of 20 was just as fun as the first but I think some of the muddy parts were not so bad after 200 people tromped over it. Some though were worse going down one trail with a switchback left turn and going down a ravine you saw a little stream of water it was not raining. Also about 3 stream crossings which were pretty fun, really. Following a guy that said he was going to go slow the day before because of not enough training was going a pretty good clip, but I was keeping up. I even had a veggie / protein burger which was damned good. We were to only stop back at the start/finish line we said for 5 min and the 2nd loop ended in about 4:40:00.

The 3rd loop started with me changing blackened shoes and socks, legs cramping really bad I missed taking back off with them. I could hear thunder in the distance and got moving and kept it steady and slow and busted through about 7 miles with lighting and a light showers with a couple tornado sirens added in at the aide station they put a hold on race and pulling ones that wanted to be done I and another guy told them see ya and headed out before they got any bright ideas. We wanted to make 50 miles with a little help we got there at the next station avoiding a sheriff and ranger somehow Hmmmm. 3 behind us that passed us didn’t make it that far because they called the race and they were looking for everyone. We got to 52 mile aide station at 10:30:00 and had a burger coke and all the other goodies and were happy we got that far. I got back to the finish line to find I was about mid pack and predicted to be in at 13hr 30min to 14 hrs just before dark. For our efforts we did get a 40 mile finishers medal for 52 miles due to race being called for tornados and a second storm was coming. It was fun, muddy and a good time, will also do it again.

Going forward and keeping positve

It has been a short bit since the last post but had to be with the issue at hand.
All is now taken care of that can and could be. So many people were there or had come by to pay there respects to my brother there friend, coworker, customers and officers that came to know him. A security guard that was gunned down for some meaningless thing in a grocery store. The irony of the whole thing is that the officer that got the murderer hiding in some bushes got his lay off notice just 2 hrs later.

Back to running though last Thursday and Friday I didn’t get to get out to run getting ready for the funeral. Saturday got up and out to run for a 6 miler which felt pretty darn good checking out large warehouses for distribution and shipping companies. Those were just huge buildings. Sunday I have no idea what the hell I did, the weekend being a blur. Now I remember that we knocked out a lot of honeydoo’s that needed done and went to see the 2 new baby horses at my parents that were not a week old.

Monday and Tuesday we, I am back at it with less than a week to go in taper. It is so hard to not go more than is on schedule to run. I need that 11 to 13 mile run. I know though that I will get more than I want this Saturday April 25th , 09 with my 100K race. Now only 1 – 5miler and 1 – 3miler to go and a off the feet day to the race. RTD!!! .

If it is not going to be hard enough!!

The race and training has started going good Monday I ran well with 13 miles in the bag at about 2:10 with little trouble. Going 1 mile to time my daughter and 12 by myself and felt good and no problems to speak of. The only one at the time was that I got home and was pushing my daughter I was told. But she wanted to be timed on her mile. My thinking though is she cant do that with me there by her side and pacing me. But now I don’t know anything about that now.

Tuesday her track meet went fairly well for her first races with the mile, half and 800 medley. They did get 3rd in the medley. Which that was the last race and made the meet OK with her.

Then the bad news came in the middle of the meet. The flood of calls from family members to the other that my brother had been killed in a shooting at the store he was guarding. There I know will go a couple of days of training and not very good for the legs long rides in the car. Now with some figuring I at least have to do 3.5 miles for 18 hrs to make it at the least. I believe it is still doable. With no plans made yet on things to happen. Runs are still up in the air on what where and how long they will be. Keeping this paragraph short to stay anon.

Was not going this route

I tried to stay away from going this way in music but with the doubts. I gatta pull it out. Godsmacks - Temptation">

Seems he just isn’t with it this time.

Well Thursday didn’t get out severe storms out and daughter’s track meet was that day but the meet was rained out. Lighting and hail and then just never stopped raining that, that afternoon into the evening then was too late by the time I could have gone because of a early morning of 3:30 a.m. for work. Friday and Saturday I did get my run in though a good 10 and 13 mile run at the normal pace time that it should be. Not the haven’t stretched time of before which does give me some kind of confidence for the race. It is shaky to it will be brutal when I get done. Looking at the numbers it will take at least 3.5 miles an hour for 18 hours to get it done which I believe is doable. Just have to keep it under control for the first part of the run and remember that it not for time and it is just for a finish this time. Now though Sunday comes and what happens thrown another curve. Church with Easter is a norm and not a problem as was taken into consideration. Nor the time that we had my parents over for Easter dinner where we had a good time after a long time during and after dinner. It was the rain and the rain that would not stop. All day!!! Where my trails would be all rivers or lakes. To cool to be getting soaked and sick 12 to 13 days out. Not taking the chance! Hopefully I can work this as a off day and still work in Tuesday as one also. As I was volunteered to help out at my daughters track meet at home. One plus I did get little more than 55 miles still for the week.

Were some would taper

I did take this Sunday off and my idea of the start of the taper is mon, tues, and wed to do 10 to 13 miles per day and take thurs off for my daughters 1st track meet. She has the mile, half and 1 mile medley. It should be interesting. Though she is not to sure of her possibility of placing. We shall see. For me Monday and Tuesday I got my 10.5 in on both days at 1:30 and 1:40 and had not felt bad at the start and or at the finish. This to me is good in that respect, because before the last week an a half that didn’t happen. Confidence is just a little higher but still could be better. That’s because last night with the sun coming down glared in the sunglasses and did see the branch I have gone by many times reached out and whacked me in the face. Learned rule #1 one watch wear you are going running into the sun and don’t be fiddling with no ipod’s. Still as planned.

The one long run

Friday was the one and only long run for my 100k on the 25th of April. It was one to hopefully instill some kind of confidence in me for that race with no real long 4 and 5 hour run other than this one. Leads me to then think that why would just this one give me this great giant boost. I felt pretty good starting out at 3:30 pm in fact doing all that stretching through the day and week must be working. I was not sore in the knees and was able to run going out from the start. That is at least one positive thing. I was a little cool so I had wore my workout pants to run but no jacket to where at the end I wish I had it but really didn’t need it. I kept going around the lake road a 4 mile loop and just listening to podcasts, no music to just go at a nice even pace. On the 5th loop the local fishing group was out in force at the north creek end and I guess I was making them tired seeing me run around and around. They asked if I was almost done an I told them I had just 2 more times round and if they were wondering it was 23.60 miles done as I ran past.

It was getting chilly and time was running out started heading back wishing for that jacket but was still warm enough. Legs were tired but could have gone on, but for how long was the question. It does need to get warmer on race day though. A little stiff that night but alright

Saturday I went out with my daughter on a 5.75 mile run and was great with no stiffness yet. She and I were going to just go just not to stop anywhere in which we didn’t. She was just a little mad because it was to be a shorter run than that and on the way back we had to buck the wind for the last .75 which was a constant 25-30 mph. There I was smiling and she was dying but did make it. It was a good day. Taking Sunday off.

2 Days Good

So far after the weekend of the global warming blizzard that dumped all kinds of ice
and some snow. The weekend was not productive at all. I had a very good run on Monday with 13 in and under 2hrs surprising at that. The stretching must be coming along and I got to remember to do that next time after my runs. I’d be a lot further along than I am if I had. Now coming on to the last weekend to be able to get a long run in we have rain all week sprinkled through the days. Tuesday and Wednesday I was able to pull off a 10 miler and a 13.1 right on track of 1:35 and 1:58 and it didn’t take warming up to get there. It does need to get just a little warmer but now that I said that I’ve jinx it most likely will go overboard on that. 22 days left and a short run for today and 5 hr run with hopefully 30 miles within it also would be great and a nice confidence booster.