Fall Running Season

I've been having a difficult time trying to decide which races to do the remainder of this season. The biggest obstacle was figuring out whether or not to take another crack at 50 miles this year, or put it on the back burner for awhile. I really want to bag a 50 miler, especially since I couldn't pull it off at Lean Horse last month (say "hello" to my new pet monkey).

Last Saturday I went out to Murphy-Hanrehan for a loop of the north and south ends of the park (most, but not all of the 15.6 mile loop that will be part of the race course). My pace ended up being about 14:45, which was slower (and felt harder) than I wanted it to for only doing a single loop. The 50 mile race has 3 of these loops plus some bonus miles in the hilly north end. This run didn't do a heck of a lot for my confidence as far as finishing 50 miles on this course goes.

The other thing tugging at me is that I really want to do the inaugural Wild Duluth 50K, but it's just 2 weeks before Surf the Murph. Three or four weeks would have been perfect as a last long training run, but 2 weeks is cramping my style a bit.

One potential solution would be to run just the 50K at both events, but that would mean I'd have to put up with the monkey living with me in cramped conditions all winter long.

It finally came down to a coin toss: heads would be the 2 50K's, tails would be the 50 miles. First toss was tails. I still stewed about it for another 2 days and realized that I've already got my spreadsheet set up for Surf the Murph (right down to how many gels, how many ounces of sports drink between aid stations, when to drop and pick up my lights, etc). Got out the coin again: this time heads. Crap. I was hoping for a slam dunk to make this decision easier.

Today the coin came out one last time: tails. My Surf the Murph 50 mile registration is in the mail. I still haven't decided what to do about Wild Duluth - perhaps a course sweep, aid station volunteer, or 50K hike?

What the hell am I getting myself in to?

Hope to see you in Frontenac for the In Yan Teopa 10 mile this Saturday!

Superior 2009

Bean Lake

For this year's fall Superior races, I chose to participate by spending time on the other side of the table at Oberg aid station. Volunteering gives a whole new perspective to races when you see just how much work goes on behind the scenes!

Drove up to Gooseberry where I would camp for the weekend on Friday afternoon. Got to the Silver Bay trail head about 4:30 and decided to hike up to Bean and Bear Lakes with the hope of getting some nice photos of the 100 milers coming through on their way to Tettagouche. As it turned out, I was a little too late and only encountered 3 runners on the trail before meeting the sweeps near Bear Lake. Temps were unseasonably warm and the humidity was ridiculous for this time of year. It was hazy enough that I could hear the fog horn in Silver Bay going off the entire time I was on the trail.

Bear Lake

Just barely made it out of the woods before dark, though I did at least have the good sense to bring my headlamp along just in case. It was pitch black by 7:30 and still very warm and humid. I didn't sleep very well that night in the tent because it was too warm for the sleeping bag, but too cool to remain uncovered for very long. I think the temps only got down to the mid-upper 50's overnight (that's what you hope for highs, not lows when running long distances).

Woke up shortly after 6 am and drove to the Crosby Manitou aid station on my way up to Oberg to watch the 50 milers go through. It was the first opportunity to meet crews or drop bags for this group, so I figured I could snag lights or extra clothes from runners who didn't have crews and relocate that stuff to Oberg where they might be needed again later. Doug and Maria had the place decked out with glow lights, lanterns, tiki lamps, leis, etc. Must have been very festive for the runners coming through, especially the 100 milers who passed through overnight!

Crosby Manitou aid station

Unfortunately by daybreak a third of the 100 milers had already dropped, most likely because of problems caused by the heat and humidity.

Got to my assigned aid station at Oberg by 10 am where I would remain until 9 pm with Kate, Jim, and Curt. Oberg is the "Last Chance Saloon" for all 3 races (marathon, 50 mile, 100 mile), and this year many of the runners wouldn't make it that far. Those who did should be proud even if it took longer than anticipated - it was a tough day on an already tough trail!

By far, the most common question runners had when they rolled in to Oberg was "What's this next section like?"

Kel: Do you want me to tell you the truth, or should I fluff it up a little?
Runner (ponderin'): ummm, tell me the truth.
K: You've got 3 hills and 7.1 miles left.
R (gulp): Are the hills bad?
K: The middle one is noteworthy.
R: How long is it?
K: I don't remember exactly, but it's called "Moose Mountain."
R: What's the trail like?
K: Some rocks and roots. It's well marked - just follow the orange flags.
R: Can you give me more details?
K: Yes, but they probably won't help.
R (staring across the Oberg parking area towards the trail head): Tell me anyway.
K: It's at least 0.1 miles across the parking lot to the Oberg trail head. When you get to the top of the hill, you'll come to a trail junction - make sure you stay to the left. It will be well marked with orange flags - keep the flags on your left. You should see a little inland lake on your left as you follow the trail. If you see a great big lake on your right, you're most likely doing some bonus miles on the Oberg Loop. It's a delightful little loop and I highly recommend doing it some time, but not today. This first hill really isn't that noticeable, and you'll descend to Rollins Creek which means that you've got 5 miles left to go. Then you'll start climbing a steep hill. And climbing. And climbing.
Curt: It's the stairway to heaven.
K: Once you're at the top, it's fairly flat and runnable for a bit - just make sure you don't take the spur trail up to the gondola. Stay to the left. Then you have a steep descent. Once you're done with Moose, you've only got 1 hill left. It isn't nearly as steep or technical, but it keeps going for awhile. Eventually, you'll hear the sound of water running - that's the Poplar river and you're almost home. You'll pop out of the woods where you've got a long, gentle downhill on a gravel road into the finish area that's more than half a mile long. So, you've basically got just 10K of running in the woods and a little bit of flat, easy gravel.
R (still staring across the Oberg parking area towards the trail head).
K: They have beer at the finish.
R (perking up): Well, I guess it's time to go for it. I'll just follow the orange markers.
K: Good idea.
R: Thanks!
K: Have a great run!

Next runner in to Oberg: What's this next section like?
Kel: Do you want me to tell you the truth, or should I fluff it up a little?

Thanks to all of the runners who toed the line at Superior this year! It was a pleasure and a privilege to serve you!

Some Runs in the Park

Murphy-Hanrehan Park

I've been getting some fun runs in ever since returning from South Dakota a couple weeks ago!

Last Saturday a bunch of local runners showed up at Afton to help Karen celebrate a big birthday. I did a 7 mile hill loop which included zipping up to the top of the Africa Loop, but skipped running around Africa and the Back 40 and just came back down to the river, then did Nigel's Hill and Campground Hill before heading to the visitor center for our vegetarian picnic. Lots of fun hanging out with the gang! Felt good to get some hills in after running flatter stuff in preparation for Lean Horse and Grand Island.

Sunday I headed out to Murphy-Hanrehan to check out the south end of the park. I'd only ever run the hillier north end in the past, and thought it would be fun to see other parts of this gorgeous park that sits only 20 minutes from my house. Got about 6.5 miles in on the sandy trails that are a little more rolling hills on open prairie compared to the steep, hilly, wooded north end. Saw more horses than people on the trails. The 2009 Surf the Murph course includes all of last year's trail plus these southern trails, so this run really got me thinking about doing this race again.

This past Saturday, I headed back out to Murphy-Hanrehan to meet up with Les (Surf the Murph RD) and Wayne for a tour of this year's Surf the Murph course. Wendy and Steve were also doing the training run, but they were running well ahead of the three of us most of the time. We had originally planned on doing the full 15.6 mile loop, but ended up cutting it a little short and just did 13+ miles since some folks have a rather longish race looming large this weekend ;)
I didn't remember so many steep hills on the course last year - I think some new ones have been planted! There are a few extra loops that are not on the trail map that provide some little surprises too! The prairie grasses are really pretty this time of year, and some trees are already starting to show fall colors. Running with the RD has got me seriously considering taking another crack at 50 miles this October!

So Sunday, back out to Murphy-Hanrehan I went. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite running spots and I can get there in half the time that it takes to get to Afton. I still get a little turned around on some of the trails and need to take a map with me. Ended up doing just 6.5 miles in the northern hilly section and only met one other person on the trail. I'd say that in general, the hills at M-H are shorter, steeper, and more plentiful compared to the longer hills at Afton.

This weekend I'll be working the aid station at Oberg on Saturday, giving all of the runners at the Superior races one last gentle shove towards the finish line. Hope to get some hikes/runs in on the Superior Hiking Trail Sunday - perhaps the Bean and Bear Lake loop near Silver Bay.

Great stuff!

Harney Peak

View from top of Harney Peak

One of the nice things about imploding at only 24 miles into my race at Lean Horse was the fact that I felt fresh as a daisy within a very short period of time. Took advantage and spent the next couple of days hiking and sight seeing in the Black Hills. Saw lots of wildlife and awesome scenery - you can see some pictures here.

One of the highlights was doing the moderate 6 mile round trip hike from the Little Devil's Tower trailhead along the Needles Hwy to the top of Harney Peak, the highest point in South Dakota at 7242 feet. Beautiful trail through Custer State Park and the Black Elk Wilderness, which is part of the Black Hills Nat'l Forest. Man, they have some really nice trails through fragrant pine forest with plenty of rocks (mostly granite) and roots - I wish the Lean Horse course used some of these types of trails rather than dusty gravel roads!

Now THIS is more like it!

The trail meanders past many different rock formations in the Needles district and eventually hooks up with the #9 trail from Sylvan Lake.

It then begins to climb more steeply and ends with a few sets of stairs to the top of an old fire tower at the top of the peak. The tower is no longer used for fire spotting, but is still open to allow the plethora of tourists who make the hike a birds eye view of the surrounding area. On a clear day you can see 5 different states, but it was a little hazy during the time I was there as you can see.

View from the other side of Harney Peak

One of the coolest things was watching a hawk soar.....below me! Bizarre!

In spite of not accomplishing my goal of finishing the Lean Horse Half Hundred, I had a great trip and am already ponderin' which 50 mile trail race to do next. Giving some serious thought to Surf the Murph this fall and/or McNaughton next April. I may have to sacrifice doing Wild Duluth and Chippewa in the process though. Decisions, decisions!

Lean Horse 2009

I had every intention of coming to Lean Horse and accomplishing something I'd never done before.

Be careful what you wish for.

I suppose that ultra runners who participate in the sport for any length of time fall into one of two categories: 1) those who have DNF'd a race and 2) those who are going to. I took care of business and got that obligation out of the way this past weekend.

Here's how it went down:

Broke the 11 hour drive up into 2 separate days and got to play a little bit at Badlands National Park on the way out to Hot Springs. You can view the pictures here. Got settled in to my motel, did the packet pick up thing, met up with several other Minnesota runners (I'd mention names, but I'm afraid I'll forget someone), had the pre-race dinner, yadayadayada.

Got to the start line just before sunrise. The temps were nice and cool but were expected to reach the low 90's that day (it actually got even hotter than predicted - high temps ranged from 96 to 100 degrees depending on who you ask). I had what I thought was a solid strategy: walk the ups, jog the downs, everything else was negotiable depending on how I was feeling. Primary goal was to finish, deep down goal was to finish in under 12 hours which was the official (albeit soft) cutoff for the 50 milers.

We toed the line, counted down from 10 and off we went, right on time at 6:00 am. I was feeling pretty relaxed and enjoying the cool temps. We had about a 3 mile run through town on an asphalt path before hitting a gravel/dirt road to the first aid station 4 miles later.

Heading out of Hot Springs on the asphalt.

I was using my Nathan, so I cruised right through the first aid station. We crossed through a grassy field and landed on Argyle Road, a twisty, hilly gravel road with no shade what-so-ever. We would be on this road until 16+ miles into the race (and again after the turn around on this out and back course) before finally getting on the Mickelson trail. The second aid station was at mile 10 and I cruised through this one too. At this point I was slightly ahead of my planned pace and was feeling great! Eating a gel every 30 minutes, a BCAA cap every 30 minutes, an S cap every hour, slurping Heed. Everything was clicking.

I was expecting another aid station just a couple miles later since it had been listed on the web site when I was planning my race, but it had since been eliminated without my noticing. This was where I was planning on refilling my Nathan the first time. Big lesson learned - double check race logistics right before the event to catch last minute changes. The miles came and went - no aid station appearing on the horizon. I started to ration my Heed to make it last, and at about 15.5 miles I was starting to feel like I was getting slightly behind with my fluid intake. I was also getting to the point that my stomach was tired of Heed and I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than eat another gel - waaaaaay to early to be feeling like that! I had a hand held with Perpetuem planted in my drop bag at the 16 mile aid station, along with another flavor of Heed, so I didn't panic.

The Road to Hell - aka Argyle Road

Got in to the Argyle aid station at mile 16 about 10 minutes ahead of schedule, but lost that standing in line for the 1 water jug with about a dozen runners wanting to refill at the same time. Took a bio break and headed down the Mickelson towards the next aid station at 20 miles. By now, I was starting to notice the heat, and had to power walk even the flats. How quickly things can change!

Ulli the Walker cruising down the Mickelson Trail

The Mickelson trail was much prettier than Argyle and had a few small spots of shade. The down side was the rock walls on either side were radiating heat, and it was probably hotter on some portions of the trail than the air temps. Now I know what it feels like to be a slice of bread in a toaster! The Perpetuem was not sitting well in my stomach, and neither was the Heed. I was trying to force myself to drink, but seemed to be feeling worse. I didn't even attempt a gel through this stretch.

Reached the Lime Kiln aid station at mile 20 and knew I was getting in to trouble. Now my stomach was really feeling pretty queasy and I had a brief moment of feeling light headed. I knew I was dehydrated. Tried drinking some Coke, which usually works like a charm when I can't handle gels any more. Not this time. Found a tiny spot of shade to sit down and tried eating some grapes. Rested in the shade for at least 5 minutes and was starting to feel a little better. Drank more Coke which went down better this time. Topped off my water bottle with just plain water and was keeping up with the S caps. Got a ziplock bag full of ice which I tied up in a bandana around my neck, put more ice in my hat, and began walking the 4 miles towards the Pringle aid station which was just a mile before the turn around.

I started out of Lime Kiln at a slow walk. Making the 12 hour cut-off was no longer a realistic option with the way I was slowing down, but I still wanted to try to salvage a finish. I was feeling bloated, hot, and my stomach was on the edge. Tried eating some ginger, but it didn't help. About a mile or so down the trail, I felt like I was going to do the good ol' "yawn in technicolor" every time I tasted Heed or water-laced-with-Perpetuem. I tried slowing my pace even more to try to let my body absorb fluids - a pace so slow that turtles could have rear ended me. No joy. This was when the official death march began.

Warning: this next bit's a little ugly and full of graphic details.

By about mile 22 I started vomiting. Every time I tried to drink either water or Heed I would start heaving, even though there was nothing left in my stomach to eliminate. Had a few brief spells of feeling light headed again too. Just couldn't get any fluids to stay down. I don't know how long it took to go the 4 miles from Lime Kiln to Pringle, but anyone who saw me stagger in to Pringle was probably convinced that Hell is full and the dead are walking the Earth.

The aid station volunteers filled my bottle with ice water and I sat down on a bench in the shade. Tried drinking the ice water and was feeling like I was going to start heaving again. The light headed feeling returned and I put my head down between my knees - then everything went black and I passed out. I remember hearing the sound of water - only to realize that water was running out of my nose and on to the ground. The little bit of water I was able to swallow was still coming up even though I was completely out of it. I had no idea where I was. Thought I was dreaming. Finally came around enough to recognize that I was at an aid station in a race in South Dakota. In reality, that entire sequence probably lasted less than a minute, though I'm just guessing. Other runners were trying to offer electrolytes, ginger, encouragement, etc. That's one of the best things about ultra running - we take care of each other even if it means losing time in our own race. I would like to publicly thank those of you who offered aid during my time of trouble, especially since I can't really remember who you were under the circumstances.

OK, graphic details over - you can look now.

I ended up staying at the Pringle aid station for about an hour before officially dropping, even though I knew immediately after arriving at that AS that I would be stone cold insane to keep pushing myself in those conditions. Took another 3.5 hours to get a ride back to Hot Springs since there was no cell phone reception and nobody could call the cavalry. During that time I was able to recover well enough to drink 4 liters of water and was feeling reasonably well by evening.

Things I learned:

*I already mentioned the bit about checking last minute details.
*Another runner mentioned to me after the race that sunscreen can inhibit one's ability to sweat by blocking pores in the skin. I used a gel sunscreen for the first time for this event since it was so exposed and I was going to be out there All. Day. Long. Don't know if this is legit, but it kinda makes sense.
*Though we often rely on aid station volunteers or crew to take care of us, it is ultimately up to us to take care of ourselves by not making stupid decisions. Like continuing to run when you know you're in trouble. Actually, I didn't just learn this - I already knew it - but I was "gently reminded" of it during this race.

Thanks to RD Jerry and all of the volunteers who put countless hours into making this event happen! In spite of not being able to finish my first 50 miler, I learned some things and still had a very positive experience :)

Days of Old Track & Trail 10K

Today was the 2009 version of the Days of Old Track and Trail 10K in Maple Lake.... aka "last dance before Lean Horse."

Woke up about 2:30 am with a horrendous cramp in my left calf. Never really did get back to sleep - until about 15 minutes before the alarm went off. Hauled myself out of bed and halfheartedly decided to go ahead and run the race so that I'd get another run in towards the 2009 MN Trail Run Series. My calf was still a little sore from the middle-of-the-night cramp and I was feeling a little cranky. More stress related than anything I think, since I've really been feeling like I've bitten off too much too soon by signing up for a 50 miler next week on my ridiculously low mileage.

Got out to Maple Lake, picked up my shirt and race number, and decided that I'd try running with a hand held containing Succeed Amino sports drink to test out for next weeks ultra. After 4 swigs of the most vile tasting sports drink ever created, I dumped it out in the grass and went sans fluids. Even with the high humidity, it was the right choice.

Same course as last year... a 1.5 mile run on asphalt/gravel roads to the park, then a 3 mile loop on a nice, relatively flat trail through the woods that had just about every root and rock spray painted to alert the runners that there was (gasp!) an obstacle on the trail. Return trip on the 1.5 miles of asphalt/gravel roads back to the school. Beautiful morning to be out running, even with the high humidity :) Finished a minute slower than last year, but didn't really care. It was fun to catch up with Brook, John, and Marise afterward, but I think the best part of the day was watching the kids take on the 800 meter track run with the promise of ice cream cones for their reward. There are some "up and comers".... wonder how many of them will become trail runners a few years (or more) from now?

Thanks to RD Ben and all of the volunteers who did the work so that the rest of us could have some fun on the trail! Hopefully they raised a lot of money for the Maple Lake high school cross country teams :)

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As I mentioned, I've been experimenting with lots of different sports drinks lately in preparation for Lean Horse. Some work, some don't - at least for me. I've got extras of the following up for grabs - if anyone wants them just let me know and I'll bring them to my next race/training run:

Succeed Amino - 4 single serving packets
Succeed Clip 2 - 4 single serving packets
Nuun - partial tube of Lemon Lime

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The current weather forecast for Lean Horse is sunny with high temps in the 90's.

This one's gonna hurt.

Planning for Lean Horse

Lean Horse is looming large, and I don't feel ready.

I'd hoped to get at least another 20+ mile run in since Grand Island Marathon, but each of the last 2 weekends all I could muster was about 12.5 miles at Hyland. Last weekend, my hamstrings were starting to tighten up, so I pulled the plug early. Yesterday the humidity took it's toll and I got dehydrated to the point of feeling light headed and nauseous. Part of the problem may have been that I've also been trying some different gels and sports drinks - I guess that's why you do it in training rather than race day ;)

I'm still undecided about my nutrition strategy for the race and probably won't decide until race day. Kind of like what to wear - it always seems to go down to the last minute. Between Steve's ultra calculator and my own sports nutrition spreadsheet, I at least know my caloric and fluid needs and can plan my aid station stops accordingly. Right now I'm thinking that I'll carry Heed in my Nathan and perhaps leave a hand held in 2 different drop bags so that I can supplement with Perpetuem or Clip2 or Amino. I'd really like to forget about the hand helds and just blow through the aid stations, but the whole flavor fatigue thing and the need for protein over longer distances might make it worth while. Plain ol' gels and Heed won't cut it! I may just carry some branched chain amino acids in capsule form too (some gels have them, but in such small amounts that they don't even really count). Solid food takes too long to digest and basically just sits in your stomach during the race - nutrients aren't absorbed until long past the finish line. Decisions, decisions.

Well, the hay is in the barn as they say. I have a small barn and not much hay....will it be enough? I guess we'll know in 2 weeks!