Calico Ghost Town 30K and 50K Trail Races - January 18th 2009
Eight members of the Glendora Ridge Runners met at Calico, three ran the 30K and five ran the 50K. We all met up along with several family members on Saturday night for a pre-race carbo meal. It was good fun, with good friends.
The Sunday morning started early, each of us converging on the start line before dawn.
I felt good and really full of energy at the start, the first couple of miles on the road made me confident. We turned off towards the hills and I found myself on the soft sand, it seemed ok at first but it soon felt really tiring and my legs were aching.
I ran with Eric for a while and then dropped back shadowing him a few yards behind for a few miles. The runners soon spread out and it seemed as though I was running on my own. The desert was beautiful, the sun was warm but not too hot, life seemed good. The aid-stations were packed with great things and I took full advantage of them!
The course was difficult to follow at times, it seemed that they had used all the pink and yellow ribbons on the easy parts and were conserving the chalk. The arrows weren't always easy to spot and I spent a lot of time looking around making sure I stayed on course.
I arrived at a steep rocky canyon - I had seen the video on the website and was already losing sleep the night before the race because of this descent. I was side stepping and going really slowly. I was frightened and almost falling. I finally made it to the bottom, my Garmin said my current "pace" was 45 mins per mile!! That was very disheartening!
I continued and there was a section where I could run fast, it began to feel great again. Then my legs began to cramp up, I began to hobble along, walking and jogging for quite a while. At the next aid station I sat down to empty the rocks from my shoes and both legs, thighs and calves cramped up so badly that I screamed out in pain. I couldn't move. Eventually I managed to pull myself to the goodie table and I asked another runner for his advice. He said that I needed salt and guided me to the potato slices and salt. I ate 3 or 4 slices and immediately felt a lot better, it was amazing how fast it worked. The same runner stayed with me and offered me a salt "tablet". This turned out to be a huge white capsule which I washed down with a sports drink. This guy was really helpful. I felt better and continued.
Around about this time I started to encounter the off-roaders. There were a group of three ATV's blocking the trail, just sitting there chatting and this made me angry as I had to scramble off to the side to get around them. Then there were several motorbikes who came up behind me one after the other and didn't seem to understand that I was in an event, I had to step aside for them and struggle though the dust in their wake. The small shiny gravel covered hills were the worst part of the course for me. I was very scared as I slithered down these and I felt as though I was trying to run on ice. One of them, at the beginning of this section, was very steep and the descent was longer than the others. A guy could see how worried I was and he offered to help. "I'm solid", he said, "and my shoes have a great grip, hold my hand and we'll work our way down together, you won't pull me over, I'll hold you up." I was thankful and almost tearful, we climbed down together and neither of us fell. I thanked him and he went on his way, I picked my way very cautiously for the remaining hills. I could hear ATV's all around and met one head on at the top of one of those hills, closely followed by another, it was very scary and I had to stand to the side as they passed and the first one nearly barreled into another runner just behind me.
I turned onto the last section, where the trail went out and doubled back to the RV campground, and saw Cheryl making her way down to the campers. This part was easier and faster, at last I felt like I was running, not hiking. A woman on the trail, not a competitor, begged me for water so I gave her some, knowing we were near the finish.
The parking lot was a welcome sight, but the steep climb up to the town found me walking slowly. Turning into the town I ran down to the finish line, very pleased to be at the end. The other club members cheered me in and I felt good about my accomplishment.
Now I've had a couple of days to get over it, it doesn't seem so bad! The main problem for me was that I was really scared on those steep downward slopes, I felt paralyzed and it took a lot of will power to continue.
I would do another trail race, definitely, but not Calico. The area is beautiful, but this course is just not for me, I wouldn't be able to sleep for a month before, just remembering how I felt this time.
My first 50K was a learning experience, and now as I look back on it I can see a few changes I could make to help myself. I feel stronger mentally having finished an Ultra race, and pleased that I had the courage to attempt it. The next one? Well maybe in the Summer I'll try one of the Pacific Coast Trail Runs, this stuff in addicting!!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Notes From The Run Zone - 12/11/2008
12/11/2008
This week has been a roller coaster:
I felt happy to run on Monday morning going out at 5.45 a.m., running 4.5 miles with hill repeats, and Monday evening with the club on our Quick 6 through our city. It was really cool (for So Cal) about 45 – 50 degrees and very dark on the less traveled streets we choose for these winter evening runs.
Glad to run, I also kept going over and over in my mind the fact that I was not able to take part in the club run this Saturday. It is a long trail run, 24 miles, and I just can’t commit the time necessary on a weekend morning. I estimate they will be away from home about 7 hours, so I have to say no this time.
I was going over and over it and even began to get sad, thinking of my running buddies on an adventure. How weird that it gets to me that way.
I felt down on Tuesday and couldn’t concentrate on anything else other than my own private pity party that was whirling around in my head. I didn’t run on Tuesday, this is my running day of rest.
On Wednesday I ran early, 3.5 miles and found it amazingly invigorating to be out in the really cold morning air, running on streets that are mainly empty. It is like walking on fresh snow before there are any other footprints to mess it up. I feel a real sense of accomplishment to be out before anyone else. I imagine other people still sleeping or eating breakfast, maybe grabbing a cup of coffee and I think of how I have already had my exercise and I feel great.
I ran on Wednesday evening with the club. I met one of the other guys when I showed up early and we did an extra 3 miles prior to the regular club run. That felt good too, like I already had some miles in the bag ahead of the others!
Wednesday evening’s run is a tough battle against a steep hill. We run the entire 6 miles on streets at this time of the year, but in the warmer months when the nights are lighter we travel on a trail for most of the distance. The streets are tougher than trails on the legs and feet, but I love them in spite of that. I pit myself against the pavement and try to get out in front, try to race against the night and my running partners. I feel a strange sense of being pulled along by an unknown force, compelled to push myself to my limit.
I am so competitive and often so obsessed with running, that it’s almost laughable!
This morning, Thursday, I ran with a very good friend. She hasn’t been running for as long as I have, but she has great ability and enthusiasm. She is so fresh and full of wonder at this sometimes solitary endeavor that it is great to watch. Not always the fastest in the group, she is always the most determined. She is making great progress and soaks in advice like a sponge. We ran 6 miles, out and back to a local canyon, along paved roads edged by steep stone walls and deep gullies. We both felt tired and our legs felt leaden, but we persevered and overcame our sluggishness. We both ran the steep hill last night and had barely given our legs time to recover, but we were out again goading our bodies into action, chatting about diet strategies and upcoming runs.
After a run in the liquid sunshine of this early Californian December I feel pumped, successful and ready to take on the world and all it has to offer.
I am not as tired this week as I have been recently. I have been adding Tofu to my diet on a daily basis. I have cut down on meat over the last few months and I think my body was feeling the effects of less protein. The tofu seems to have helped, so I feel less weary and stronger.
Members of our running club are increasing their mileage as we prepare for our biggest test yet, a fifty kilometer trail run. This is on January 18th, 2009. With only a little over a month to go time is literally running away from us. We decided to enter the event about a month ago, so none of us has had long to prepare. Some of us don’t really know how we got involved in this new venture, we just got wrapped up in the idea and found we had committed. It amazes me to remember that my first ever trail run was this January, and at the time I found it so difficult that I almost gave up. Now I have a love for the soft trails and even the steep hills that form so much of our training.
We are up to 24 miles on our long run this weekend and I hope to do 28 or 30 the following week. Hopefully everything will work out well and we can all avoid injuries and illnesses as our bodies become more stressed with the increased mileage.
It’s really something to place your self against nature and the usually accepted extremes of endurance. No, we aren’t “Journey Athletes” those amazing souls who run thousands of miles across continents. Compared to them we are merely going on a short jog, but we are doing a lot more than most people would consider; so we push on relishing every milestone.
This week has been a roller coaster:
I felt happy to run on Monday morning going out at 5.45 a.m., running 4.5 miles with hill repeats, and Monday evening with the club on our Quick 6 through our city. It was really cool (for So Cal) about 45 – 50 degrees and very dark on the less traveled streets we choose for these winter evening runs.
Glad to run, I also kept going over and over in my mind the fact that I was not able to take part in the club run this Saturday. It is a long trail run, 24 miles, and I just can’t commit the time necessary on a weekend morning. I estimate they will be away from home about 7 hours, so I have to say no this time.
I was going over and over it and even began to get sad, thinking of my running buddies on an adventure. How weird that it gets to me that way.
I felt down on Tuesday and couldn’t concentrate on anything else other than my own private pity party that was whirling around in my head. I didn’t run on Tuesday, this is my running day of rest.
On Wednesday I ran early, 3.5 miles and found it amazingly invigorating to be out in the really cold morning air, running on streets that are mainly empty. It is like walking on fresh snow before there are any other footprints to mess it up. I feel a real sense of accomplishment to be out before anyone else. I imagine other people still sleeping or eating breakfast, maybe grabbing a cup of coffee and I think of how I have already had my exercise and I feel great.
I ran on Wednesday evening with the club. I met one of the other guys when I showed up early and we did an extra 3 miles prior to the regular club run. That felt good too, like I already had some miles in the bag ahead of the others!
Wednesday evening’s run is a tough battle against a steep hill. We run the entire 6 miles on streets at this time of the year, but in the warmer months when the nights are lighter we travel on a trail for most of the distance. The streets are tougher than trails on the legs and feet, but I love them in spite of that. I pit myself against the pavement and try to get out in front, try to race against the night and my running partners. I feel a strange sense of being pulled along by an unknown force, compelled to push myself to my limit.
I am so competitive and often so obsessed with running, that it’s almost laughable!
This morning, Thursday, I ran with a very good friend. She hasn’t been running for as long as I have, but she has great ability and enthusiasm. She is so fresh and full of wonder at this sometimes solitary endeavor that it is great to watch. Not always the fastest in the group, she is always the most determined. She is making great progress and soaks in advice like a sponge. We ran 6 miles, out and back to a local canyon, along paved roads edged by steep stone walls and deep gullies. We both felt tired and our legs felt leaden, but we persevered and overcame our sluggishness. We both ran the steep hill last night and had barely given our legs time to recover, but we were out again goading our bodies into action, chatting about diet strategies and upcoming runs.
After a run in the liquid sunshine of this early Californian December I feel pumped, successful and ready to take on the world and all it has to offer.
I am not as tired this week as I have been recently. I have been adding Tofu to my diet on a daily basis. I have cut down on meat over the last few months and I think my body was feeling the effects of less protein. The tofu seems to have helped, so I feel less weary and stronger.
Members of our running club are increasing their mileage as we prepare for our biggest test yet, a fifty kilometer trail run. This is on January 18th, 2009. With only a little over a month to go time is literally running away from us. We decided to enter the event about a month ago, so none of us has had long to prepare. Some of us don’t really know how we got involved in this new venture, we just got wrapped up in the idea and found we had committed. It amazes me to remember that my first ever trail run was this January, and at the time I found it so difficult that I almost gave up. Now I have a love for the soft trails and even the steep hills that form so much of our training.
We are up to 24 miles on our long run this weekend and I hope to do 28 or 30 the following week. Hopefully everything will work out well and we can all avoid injuries and illnesses as our bodies become more stressed with the increased mileage.
It’s really something to place your self against nature and the usually accepted extremes of endurance. No, we aren’t “Journey Athletes” those amazing souls who run thousands of miles across continents. Compared to them we are merely going on a short jog, but we are doing a lot more than most people would consider; so we push on relishing every milestone.
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