In 2009 I had the unfortunate experience of running the north face endurance 50 off of roughly 20 mile weeks. I had been dealing with achilles issues for months leading up to the race, but having signed up for the event 4 months in advance, I decided it would be better to just go for it. Not much happened, except for some extremely sore quads and a disappointing DNF after 44 miles.
This year was supposed to be my big redemption. I put in the work, running up to 40 miles for my long runs, and kept sharp by running and winning shorter trail races. My taper even left me feeling fast and confident instead of sluggish and nervous (which has been a problem in the past). Everything was perfect...
I had a few time goals going into the race, but mainly I wanted to win. It may have been ambitious for such a competitive race, but based on the splits I was hitting during my long runs I knew I would at least have a shot at making the podium. My plan was to stay in contention and react to the moves of the other contenders until we got to Stinson Beach, roughly 28 miles in. That was when I was going to start running hard, and when I felt like the race would really begin.
The first 12 miles were dark. We had a couple of easy climbs and gentle descents in the first hour an a half. During that time I was content to sit in the back of the lead group and watch. I quickly found Rickey Gates among the bobbing headlamps. I heard he had been training on the course for a while before race day so I figured he would at least know where to go. I latched onto him then did my best to run with as little effort as possible. The first separation of the lead group happened on the 1800 foot climb up to McKennan Gulch. Like before, I was sitting in the back of the pack when I noticed a few guys drifting away from me. I easily closed the gap up to them and tucked in behind Geoff Roes and Dakota Jones. We were running fairly quick, but still well within my comfort zone, so I sat back and kept up my gel and salt schedule.
As we climbed up to the turnaround point I realized that our group was actually the chase pack. While I was sitting back in the dark a couple of French dudes took off early in the race. Geoff was actually setting the pace to catch them and I was being pulled along for the ride. At the McKennan Gulch aid station I was able to fill my bottle quickly enough that I moved ahead of Geoff, Dakota, and the rest of the chase group. Once again I settled in and got ready for Stinson Beach, where I assumed the real racing would start. I continued to run my own pace and soon caught up to the lead Frechman who had begun to walk on an easy uphill. Just like that I was leading. My initial thought was that I would be caught right away, and I was OK with that. I hadn't planned on leading this early in the race, so again I got comfortable and waited. For a while I could hear footsteps behind me, but eventually they disappeared. Apparently I was gaping the chase group.
During the 1800 foot plummet down to Stinson Beach I was alone for the first time all race. It was a weird feeling. All of the pressure of racing went away and it suddenly became just another long run. I enjoyed it while it lasted, but I guess I got a little too comfortable and found a way to sprain both ankles in one movement on an untechical portion of trail. I went from being sure of a $10000 win to laying on the ground unable to walk in less then a second. I thought my left ankle was broken and my right ankle didn't seem to work either. As I was starring at my suddenly lifeless limbs I heard Dakota and Mike Wolfe coming down the trail. They were nice enough to stop and help me to me feet, at which point I promptly fell over again. I told them to keep going as my own personal nightmare set in. Not only would I drop out of this race again, but I might actually be seriously hurt.
With those wonderful thoughts running through my head I did eventually got to my feet, riding the adrenaline of the fall. I started to run with much grunting and cursing. I was clinging to the hope that I could run through it to catch up and take back the lead. I hobbled through the Stinson Beach aid station and told my crew that I had a broken ankle. I wasn't sure what the plan was but I thought I might be able to catch Dakota on the next uphill. Surprisingly enough I started to reel him back in without the use of my left foot, but that's when the real pain started. I couldn't run any downhill without screaming and the uphills weren't much better. I thought out my options and decided to end my race. If my ankle was broken I didn't want to risk any further damage just to make it to the finish line.
In the end it doesn't appear to be broken, but I still think it was the right decision to drop out. I know some people that would "log roll" to the finish if they had to, but for me the thought of running in the near future was a greater decision maker then a finisher’s medal. Looking back I wouldn't have done anything differently, except maybe watch my footing a little better. It was my race to lose, which I did. I just hope I can put together the same preparation next year. If I do, I have no doubt of my ability to win. The only issue now is that I have to wait a full year for redemption.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Alex Nichols- North Face 50 Endurance Challenge
Friday, December 16, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Table Rock 50 Mile Race Report by Mark Lundblad
Nothing Left to Give – Table Rock 50+ Mile Race Report
I set up an ambitious ultra running schedule this Fall. I wanted to meet some personal challenges and once again I tried something new. In the past 6 weeks I’ve put forth 170 miles of ultra distance race effort and I’m definitely looking forward to hibernating for a bit this Winter.
The culmination of my somewhat overzealous schedule was this past weekend at the Table Rock 50 Mile race here in WNC. The main reason I stuck with doing this race was because it promised to be a scenic, mountainous (8k of climb) and close to home. This race was also brand new and I knew the terrain and much of the course topography. Leading up to race day I internally went back and forth over whether to still do the race or maybe drop to the 50k distance that was offered. However in the end, the lure of running to the top of Table Rock Mountain got the best of me and I was fit so I stuck to my original intention of the full advertised 54 miles.
I checked out the entrants list leading up to race day and felt fairly confident about my chances but one never knows what race day will bring. Usually it comes in the form of someone much younger than me who is really fast and they are stepping up to race ultras for the first time. I was secretly hoping that I would not have to dig too deep on this day as I knew I was racing on somewhat tired legs.
Race morning brought chilly but nice running weather. It looked like it would be an enjoyable and peaceful run around the Linville Gorge Wilderness area. However I still had this feeling like something was not right and I was definitely not wishing for anything remotely epic to occur for this race. From the start I got out front and slowly got a decent lead as we ascended up one of the many big climbs on the course. At mile 14 there is a spur out and back to Wiseman’s View and I hit my watch at the turn to see what kind of lead I had on my competitors. Sure enough that weird feeling I had at the start came to fruition as I rounded a turn, there was my good friend and beast of a runner Will Harlan. So my three minute lead seemed more like three seconds and I knew it was game on.
How I missed him at the start I’ll never know. Will does not race very often but when he does he is always ready to wreak havoc on the field. He also rarely talks about his racing plans and tends to show up at races at the last minute throwing a big monkey wrench into anyone’s hopes and dreams.
After coming to grips with reality I kept pushing as best as I could. Somewhere around 2.5 hours of running (mile 19) the course comes off the mountainous gravel road and onto some mountainous paved roads. I felt awful and was hoping this was just one of those low points you get in an ultra race. I kept waiting for Will to pass me. I was actually hoping he would soon just so it could be over with. It is funny how your mind works when you are dog tired and being tracked down. I kept pushing onward never quite getting that second wind and just wondering when he would make his presence known. Somehow I managed to stay out front to the top of Table Rock Mountain (mile 34). A most scenic place but unfortunately I had no time or desire to take in the vistas. This would be my second chance to see if I had any lead left. Sure enough not too long after I headed back down the mountain Will was right there again about three minutes back. As I passed him I said “please take me out of my misery and take over the lead”. It truly felt inevitable but still I stayed in the lead for the long seven mile section down the mountain. At mile 42 you hit the last long stretch of twelve miles on hilly paved roads. As I approached the aid station finally Will showed up as if out of nowhere in stealth mode and we both refilled bottles and took off. I managed to get out in front of him and again started building a lead. I never felt sure of anything even with just a few miles to go and a three or so minute lead. I was hurting so bad and digging so deep that I was just hoping a car would run me over. That would be the easy way out. My legs were tying up, I was eating gels, popping S-caps, drinking coke, doing anything and everything possible to get to the finish line. Actually winning was never a reasonable thought as I knew from past races against Will that it was not over.
I ran transfixed on the pavement in front of me as for looking around or any extra motion felt like way too much effort. My heart was still in this race but my legs were not cooperating. Every big hill took one more notch out of my dwindling energy. On the last big hill before the somewhat flat 2.5 mile finish I was down to intermittent power walking and something that might have resembled running. I looked back in fear and sure enough I was being reeled in. The hook was solidly set in my gills and I was being yanked into Will’s boat.
I soon could hear footsteps around mile fifty-two. I stuck my hand out to my side without looking to give Will his congratulatory five and he motored on past me. Normally I’m game for a fast finish and giving chase. The problem now was I had already put forth all my effort. I simply had nothing left to give. I wanted to try and make a race out of it when it counted most and not have it come to such a goofy looking shuffle the last mile. However that is what happens sometimes, I had to accept it. Overall I was pleased with the race as I gave 100% and never gave up which is all we can ever expect of ourselves. Having to take second place to my most humble and good friend is really not a bad thing. In hindsight tough competition makes the outcome win or lose that much more fulfilling. However I think Will should look into a second career as an undercover spy to go along with being a great ultrarunner and writer.
I wore the new Terrafly 313 GTX. A 9mm (3-arrow) road and trail cross surface shoe. It is built with the anatomic last found in our road shoes and has awesome grip with sticky rubber. It worked perfect for this course which had lots of gravel road, paved surfaces, a little single track and some forest road. I wore these practically right out of the box. They fit like a glove, I had no blisters and they felt comfortable on all the surfaces as advertised. Final results.
