Racing
2008
Miwok Trail Run 100K
In my 18 months of running ultras I had to learn some lessons the very hard way with DNF's and troubled races. I also had some great races. Going into this race the main goal was to get a run in that is longer then 50 miles. The 2 times I attempted a 100k (both road races) I had to drop at mile 50 due to major problems. That said I have never ran passed 50 miles.
So this time finishing was a high priority as well as experimenting with eating and drinking, watching the other racers and gain experience for future events. The idea was to take it very easy for the first 42 miles, don't throw up this time and then see if something is left in the tank and race hard form that point on. As for time the plan was to go out for slightly sub 10 hours and hopefully end up with something around 9:40ish, hoping that would be a place in the Top 15. I was running with my friend from Oregon Sean Meissner, himself a very experienced ultra runner and we wanted to stay together to the 42 mile aid station and then see what happens.
The line up at the start was amazing, all the greats of current ultra trail running in the USA. Dave Mackey (superfast), Scott Jurek (maybe the best all time trail ultra runner), Erik Skaden just fresh of a 5:58 time for 50 mile trail at American River, Hal Koerner (last years Western States Champ), Jon Olsen (15 hour 100 mile guy), Lewis Taylor (last years Way to Cool Champ), plus a bunch of other very experienced trail ultra guys with many years and ultra miles under there belt. Next to those guys I felt like the rookie quarterback right out of college at his first NFL game.
The course itself is very hilly (approximately 10,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain) with spectacular views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, Mt. Tamalpais, Tomales Bay and the Point Reyes National Seashore. Modified out and back. Mostly fire roads and single track trails with approximately three miles on roads and some brutal step climbs.
Click on Image to Enlarge - Image Courtesy of realendurance.com
The race started at the beach and then went onto a single track climb to a road with a long climb and the most amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise. We descented to the first aid station (mile 6.2 - split 48:57). And figured we are in about 40th or so place. We climbed up and down and do that again to the Tennessee Valley aid station at about mile 11.9 (split 1:35:10) I think we may have been at around 25th place or so. We went on some cool trails with awesome ocean views to the Muir Beach aid station (mile 16 - split 2:11:45). After the next section with lots of poison oak we made the long climb up to the Pan Toll aid station at mile 21.7 (split 3:05:54) Maybe in around 20th place. This is the main aid station and I had my drop bag there. On the way out I grabbed a couple of Gu's and one was open and spilled all over my stuff, gloves, bottle etc. man was that sticky. I had to stop 5 minutes later at a creek and wash my hands and bottle off. At this part we had joined Bev Anderson-Abbs the 2nd placed women. We then worked our way to the Bolinas Ridge Aid station and I had some kind of a low, plus I fell but landed in lots of soft grass. We made it to the Bolinas aid station and had passed some more people. We where 4:03:00 into the race and at mile 28.4. After loading up on water and Gu we went on to get through the next 5.5 miles of rolling hills to then make it down Randall (an old, rutted fire road) and run the switchbacks through the forest 1.7 miles to the bottom, just to turn around and run back up. This was mile 35.6 and we worked our way up to 14th place in the field and had a time of 4:58:12. Sean remembered that was about the time he had when he ran a 9:28 for this course. We also had just picked up my teammate Mark Tanaka from Team LaSportiva. On the uphill we passed a couple more people plus caught up to the womens leader Kami Semick (last year 6th overall in 9:06).
On the way back to the Bolinas Ridge aid station I felt very good and at about mile 38/39 I started to separate from Sean and Kami. I hit the aid station at 6:02:11. Then on back to Pantoll (split 7:07.10) from here it is about on halfmarathon left. I picked up my ipod for some music and left the aid station quickly since I figured I am on my way to a pretty good time. The long descend from here was very painful, but I made it. I reached the Highway 1 aid station at 7:59:45 (mile 54.7). On the way to this aid station I saw on the single trail switchbacks that Kami was not to far behind me.
The next aid station was Tennessee Valley again and I just got out of the aid station when Kami came in. This is mile 58.4 and I was 8:35:04 into the race. Sean told me if you are strong you can try to make those last 3.8 miles in under 40 but that is hard since you climb up a steep trail for 2 miles just to descend 2 miles to the finish. Well it took me 39:05 for this last part and Kami never caught up to me. I also even if I felt like walking especially on this last climb did not once walk in the whole race.
From the top of this climb you can see and hear the finish down at the beach but my friend Luis Escobar warned me that from here it is still quite a ways. I ran hard downhill, made it through the infamous stairs and down the home stretch to finish in 9:14:08 good for 9th place in this great field.
My friend Sean got 11th in a personal best of 9:18:52. This was great, I had no problems with fluid and calorie intake, I stayed patient and it all paid off. Especially considering that I have not really prepared specifically for this race. I am very happy with this. I ran in my LaSportiva Crosslites and the worked great. I love that shoe. Thanks to LaSportiva for the support. Also a big thank you Sean for keeping me company and making sure I am not doing anything stupid. And another big thanks to Luis Escobar for all the advice and carpooling. And of course a big thanks to my wife and kids - without your full support I could never do this kind a thing.
Mile 40 - photo courtesy of Chihping Fu
For more info on the race full results etc. go to:
www.run100s.com/miwok
