Ohlone 50K race report

Rules for Ohlone 50K
1) Don't miss the bus.
2) Don't miss the cutoff.
3) Remember the race is "more ups than down". 

I got to the Lake Del Valle parking lot at 6:10 AM for the 6:30 AM bus to the start.  I even got there before the busses!  Should I have cut it closer?  That's why I missed the bus two years ago!  Kevin Luu (another Endurable) and I caught up on our racing plans on the bus ride to Fremont.

Start to Laurel Loop (mile 5.43)
Two years ago, I had been DFL on the climb up Mission Peak.  Now I improved upon my position.  I was SECOND from DFL.  I thought I was climbing at a brisk rate, but everyone quickly became colored specks on the grassy hillside.  There was one 50ish runner behind me, and we exchanged encouraging smiles.

Oops 1)  I accidentally stepped in a cow patty (does one deliberately step in a cow patty)? 
Oops 2) In a huge puddle I stepped wrong and sunk my foot up to my shin in cow water/mud/muck. 

It was a beautiful day for the views, and I was soon up to the top and cruising down.  I passed a woman who I remember passing two years ago in a similar spot.  But now I knew it was Carol LaPlant, who'd WON the race 25 years ago. 

Oops 3) My hydrapak was catching my neck wrong, and I tried to adjust it while running.  I stepped on a gopher hole and fell down hard on my left side.  Hard enough that my shorts scootched down and I got brambles on my hip.  Ow!

Sunol (mile 9.11)
The aid station had the first cutoff at 10:45.  I picked up my speed on the descent and passed about 5 runners, including George Hall.  George Hall had #1 bib! as he was #2 in the inaugural 1987 Ohlone.  So I'm definitely faster than two 60 year olds.  Way to go Speedie! 
I was using my iPhone as my music source, and my headphones kept ghost-pausing my music.  I'd noticed this the last time I'd gone on a 2+ hour run--moisture got inside the contact, causing the iPhone to pause or skip tracks.  I spent too much time fussing with my iPhone trying to get reliable tunes.  I made it into the aid station at ~10:20, with time to spare.

Backpack (mile 12.48).
Now the climb started.  I treated myself to an outhouse break, then doused my head with water from an unpotable water source.  The day was getting really warm, in the low 80s (hot for the Bay Area) and direct sun.  I kept passing people though, even at my moderate speed. 

Goat Rock (14.96)
These 2.5 miles seemed to take forever.  I ran out of water about 20 minutes away from the Aid station.  When I got to the aid station, they said they were running low on all fluids, and only gave me 20 ounces for my pack.  In the good news! Melissa & Todd were at the aid station, resting in the shade.  They'd taken the early start! Oh, maybe THAT'S why I was at the back starting--slower people had taken the 7 AM start and gotten an hour jump. 

to Maggies Half Acre (19.7)

Melissa and I hiked together for awhile on the climb to Rose Peak.  She was not doing great, and finally stopped to bring down her heart rate. 

I was really, really thirsty. It was ~5 miles and a stiff climb.  I was so happy to see the tent for Maggies Half Acre, with "UNLIMITED" water, as they had a faucet.  I drank until my belly was jiggly.  Then I let a guy sponge my head.  It all felt sooo good. 

to Stewarts Camp  (23.6) This section has more up than I remember.  The "aid" was a non-potable faucet. About four of us came in all at once.  I dunked my head under the faucet (again).  After watching me do it, a guy did it too, muttering "Thank God, Thank God".  Yep, it was that hot. 

To Schleiper Rock (25.65) I continued to pass people.  I didn't think I was climbing any faster than I had at the beginning of the day--everyone else was slowing down.  Once again I pondered why people go out so darn fast?  I kinda like starting in DFL--I know exactly where I am in the pack, and I can only improve! I bombed down the hill into aid station.

To Stromer Spring- An overgrown single track switchbacking down the canyon, choked with vegetation and poison oak.  A group of 5 in a pack came up on me.  I tried to stay ahead, but it was too stressful so I stepped off and let them pass.  Down to the creek, then back up.  Everyone was moving slowly up the hill, when I realized that I felt GREAT.  I marched past them!  "Good job, young lady" said a guy in a QuickSilver T-Shirt.  "Thanks for calling me young lady!" 

At the top of the hill on the ridge, I started running again. I wasn't hammering it, but I told myself anything faster than walking was good.  Last time I had wanted to run this section and now I was!

To the finish.  The last 2 miles are a near constant descent losing 1,600 feet in 2 miles.  Steep, and not what my quads wanted.  On Wednesday I'd done mile repeats with Lane & Charles in the Presidio.  At about a mile, I decided to do a mile repeat, and picture Lane & Charles waiting for me.  I cranked the music and cruised into a 8:44 finish, 11 minutes faster than two years ago.

Things I did well:
Left plenty of time to make the start
Carried a pack instead of a bottle to stay better hydrated
Ate pizza for breakfast so didn't bonk
Caught up with Melissa
S-Caps every 30 minutes so never cramped up
Said thank you to the volunteers
Wiped down with Technu at home

Things to improve on:
iPhone not good choice for long races, spent too much time fussing with it. 
Make sure pack is full! of fluid on hot days, don't rely on the next aid station being there.
Should have worn compression knee high socks to protect from poison oak and other plants brushing legs
Forgot clothes to change into, so had to drive back in sweat soggy shorts.

2011 in review

In review, I am pretty darn proud of my 2011 racing season. I entered three big races (Miwok 100k, Comrades, JFK 50), and finished all three. Along the way, I also finished two marathons, three 50Ks, a relay race (with double laps), and a few submarathon trail races.

Miwok 100K. I got in the lottery (I was #201 in the waitlist the year before), and I'd already entered Comrades, which was three weeks after, with Comrades the priority as I was traveiling to South Africa. I briefly thought about dropping Miwok to focus on Miwok, but Greg said "you can do it". I decided if it was good enough for Ann Trason, it was good enough for me.

I trained obsessively for Miwok 100k, as it was local, trying to know every inch & cranny of the trail. About a month before the race, they basically flipped the course. I trained as best I could, but still got lost on the last three miles. Still, FINISHED!!! my first 100K race, still my longest race!

Comrades Marathon. I honestly could not be happier about getting to participate in this race, and place it #1 in all the races in the last five years. So much history, so much scenery, so much…pride. I am so proud I finished this race, and so happy my family contributed to me getting to the start line through their love & support.

JFK 50 Miles. I didn't think I was going to finish. I was injured. I psyched myself out numerous times leading up to the start line. Once I started running, it felt so natural. I credit the camaraderie, not wanting to drop in front of my parents, and some residual course knowledge from biking the C & O Canal for finishing in 11:07. My biggest regret is not pushing harder to get under 11 hours to qualify for Western States. Honestly, I didn't want my parents to see me when I was pushing hard. I know I'm a snotty, sweaty, incoherent mess when I'm pushing for a finish. My mom has been skeptical of ultras, and I didn't want her to see me in a messy, unable to walk state. Still don't know the right answer. I finished the race with a smile on my face, and walked 3 miles the next day. What if I'd pushed harder? What if my parents had seen me a mess at the finish? Would they still be supportive of me running? All unanswerable questions.

Other races:…

Redwood Park 50K: cold day, glad I edged out Mike Weston (for the only time this year!)

Pirates Cove 30K: miserable day, glad I dropped to 30K

St Louis Marathon: My Aunt Carol was an angel from heaven.. thanks!!!

Headlands Marathon: not my best day but pleased with my time (5:48) on tough course

Headland 100: DNF, dropped at 50. I had fun training, but just wasn't my day to run this race.

Sequoia 30K: Got significantly lost, at least was "dirtiest runner".

Ragnar Relay: picked up double legs, ran 17 miles through the night, discovered Glen Ellen.

Coastal 50K: didn't feel great, never saw the sun, still finished.

North Face 50K: PR!!! at North Face 50K course by two hours. Had fun

Inaugural Coastal 50K

I signed up for the inaugural edition of the Coastal 50K a point to point run from Stinson Beach to Rodeo Beach as I thought it was a cool idea and was worried the race would sell out.

As Saturday got closer, I got less excited. I wasn't 100% from running 32 on Ragnar. I'd cut my running back to 3 miles on Tuesday and 4 miles on Wednesday, and took Thursday and Friday off. On Friday, I wanted to go to happy hour and see a movie, not go to bed early for an early wakeup to catch the 6:30 AM bus from Rodeo to Stinson.

I pulled up to Rodeo Beach at 6:29 AM along with 3 other cars, as the bus started to pull away. "Hold the bus!", I cried. "You're TOO LATE", was Wendell's reply. Uh-oh. But I bought a ticket! Wendell unloaded cartons of bananas and water and stuffed me and two other guys into the race van. n my hurry to hop in the van, I left half of my scoobies in my car. So I had ~540 calories for 31 miles.
His crankiness was actually because 10 people had shown up without bus tickets, overfilling the bus. Wendell said yesterday it had gotten hot in the middle of the day. "No, I ran Headlands Marathon and Headlands 50, and we never saw the sun for the fog".

Wendell explained the course, including a short out and back on TCC where we had to grab a hair elastic to prove we'd done it. "I'll start the race in one and a half minutes." I thought I had enough time to go to the bathroom and come back. When I came back, all runners were gone and they shooed me up the course. Well, at least I knew where I was…DFL.

Stinson Beach to Cardiac: I took about an hour for the hike up Dipsea and Steep Ravine. A quick pit stop at Pan Toll, then out and back on TCC. On TCC I passed my first runner, and was now AFL. On the out I could see how far runners were in front of me. A quick lung bust up to Cardiac, and I passed another runner. I refilled my pack at Cardiac.

Cardiac to Muir Beach: All downhill. I passed 4 more runners. My biggest annoyance was my constantly fogged glasses. At Muir Beach, I asked the volunteer if the course went over Coyote Ridge as I thought it did. "Just follow the flags". "But does it go over Coyote Ridge?" "It goes to Tennessee Valley". The runner after me asked the volunteer "What's your next race?" and got a snapped reply of "TENNESSEE VALLEY".

Muir Beach to Tennessee Valley: Ok, this section is much harder than it looks on paper. Up Coastal. Down Pirates Cove. UP Pirates cove. And then, up the thick fog to ~1300 foot Coyote Ridge. I wished there was a 30K option. I thought about DNF'ing and cutting down to Rodeo. Why was I here? What was I doing? Then I told myself I was getting mentally tough for JFK 50. Finally down Miwok to Tennessee Valley. Tennessee Valley had only one cup of Coke left, which I downed.

Tennessee Valley to Rodeo Valley: I walked Marincello, then cruised down Bobcat to Rodeo. Larry was the aid station volunteer. "Wow, you passed a TON of people since you started last at Panoramic Highway (by Stinson)". "YEP!" They'd run out of Coke so I drank Sprite.

Rodeo Valley to Golden Gate: I walked up Rodeo. I'd been flip-flopping with Jason--I was faster on the downs, but he was a stronger up. When I got to Golden Gate, they were out of Coke. If one aid station runs out of Coke, why do all the others run out?

Golden Gate to Rodeo Valley. I started caring about time. If I busted it, I could finish at 7:30. I walked up the first part of the hill with Kate, who's son had taken second already! I was on my home turf, and I slammed out a 15 minute time on the 1.7 miles from Coastal to Rodeo Valley

Rodeo Valley to Rodeo Beach: I've run this section in practice so many times. It's hard to stay mentally tough for the last road stretch. I trundled in at 7:29:58.

Lessons learned:
1) I can talk myself out of rough patches
2) I need to leave 15 minutes earlier than I do for races when there's a bus so I'm not frantic.
3) 50K isn't that far (quoting Karl Meltzer).


Splits
M time rough pace
5.8 1:38 0:16
5.1 51:03 :10
5.2 1:29 0:17
4.6 1:07 0:14
4.6 1:08 0:14
4.2 56:02 13:20
1.7 17:22 10:12

More thoughts on Headlands 100 DNF and personal worst performances

It's five days after Headlands 100 DNF, and I'm still a bit sad. I was sick for a few days after, and managed to get Greg sick too (sorry!) When I was sick and barely able to walk, it was easy to understand why I'd dropped. Now, as I get better, I ponder "could I have pushed harder?" But in my heart I knew I didn't hae it.

This goes on the list of my worst recent races:
St Louis Marathon: 90+ degree weather, 20+ mile winds, extremely heavy pollen. My angel, Aunt Carol, who surprised me at mile 17, bought me Claritin and paced me in. Without her, I don't know if I would have finished.

Ohlone 50K. Started DFL, barely made the first cutoff, and had Chuck Wilson pass me in a pouf. Lost a toenail from wearing La Sportiva Fireblades, and decided to go back to my trusty Air Pegasus.

My cold malaise is almost over, and I'm eyeing Headlands 50K. I haven't run all week, and I'm feeling antsy.