Flat Ass 50k

Short version: Flat and wet and fast. 50K pr of 4:45 (unofficial) This was a great training run for something.

I haven't run on the hard stuff since my iUWR marathon. The Foot seems to be nearly 90%. I tried to run light on my feet and it cost me because I was using muscles I don't normally use.

The family dropped me off about 20 minutes before the start (we live under a mile away). I gave the volunteers my drop bag which was my dry clothes and an extra drink, and then I went and found a warm dry place to sit until the start.

At the start I immediately sprinted out with the leaders. That lasted only about 3 miles. It's one thing to horse around a little but there was no need to totally blow my chances of running a good race. And I can only run an 8 min. mile for so long. That's when Tc went smoking by me after his pit stop. I tucked in behind him for about 1/2 mile but he was doing 7:50's so I let him go. At that speed I couldn't have held up a conversion anyway. I filled up at the first a/s because I didn't really pay that much attention to the description of where they were laid out. I could have skipped it.

Just after the A/S Shawn comes flying up from behind me (dang am I doing 10 m/m here ... Nope, the watch says 8:20). I told her we shouldn't be going this fast ... then I subtly picked up the pace to 8:00 m/m. We didn't stay at that pace for long, maybe a mile ... I think I hear Santa ... I better get to bed. I'll finish up later.
...
We tried to run each other into the ground for the rest of the race (or at least it felt like it). We got to the turn around at 2:15(~8:40 m/m avg.). I knew I couldn't keep the pace on the way back even though it's down hill. We went through the marathon mark in just under 4 hours.

We ran together or with in 50 feet of each other until the last a/s where I stopped and Shawn didn't. I think she picked it up after that because she disappeared quick. I didn't feel like pushing that hard. That would have been more pain than what should be allowed at a "fun run".

My second half split was 2:30(~9:40 m/m). I think I could run this course in 4:30 if I was racing it on fresh legs and didn't run a DumbAss 50K the week before. I think this way was more fun.

Merry Christmas

DumbAss 50K

Today was the first of what is sure to become an Annual or even Semi-Annual Epic "Fun" Run on Tiger Mt. I can't wait until the summer edition (stupid Western). I'm sure it'll be stretched to a 50 miler or maybe a 12 hour. Wahoo!


When I first heard of the Dumb Ass I knew I'd like it but I also knew I wasn't in any shape to make 2-3 loops let alone 5. So I ran it a few times and dragged Shawn , Tc, and even Jenn along for some shared "fun".


We were lucky and the gate was opened early so we were able to park in the upper lot. We started at 7 in the dark. I guess some people forgot to bring a light. I didn't see them. The RD, mid-sentence, said it's 7 am go. I sprinted out to get ahead of the huge crowd. I was in first place for about a mile. Sam and Brock got tired of following me. I asked them if they knew where they were going. Someone said something like sort of or I've run here before. OK? Then just as we turned off the Nook Shela got me good and I ended up half down into the ravine. Luckily Bruce was there to help me back up onto the trail. Shela 1 /me 0, but I got her back later with a snowball. As soon I started the real climbing I knew it was going to be a long day. My climbing legs had no energy and felt heavy. It was as if I was wearing my 20 lb pack from last weekend. By the time I started down the back side Shawn, Don, Sam, Brock, and Bruce were way out of site and there was a herd of runners coming up behind me. Going down was much more fun, real fun, not stab the back of your hand with a fork fun. I was tight and not floating down like I usually do. As I'm running the home stretch into the A/S I see Shawn coming back the other way, 3-4 minutes ahead of me.



The second lap was very similar to the first. It was light out so the pace was a little faster but the climb felt exactly the same as the first time. Chris passed me on the way up and the snow was even more slippery. I was able to cruise down hill a lot more easily the second time. I passed Chris back on the way down. I also stared getting Calf and Shin cramps that would get progressively worse as the laps went on.

Lap 3 Chris and I passed each other same as Lap 2. The uphill was much harder than the first 2 laps. I came across Jane on her second lap.



I thought I would never make it up the hill on lap 4. I think few times it was 3 steps up 1 step back. By the time I got back down to the bottom I guess I had forgotten how hard it was on the way up, because there was no doubt that I would be going out for a fifth lap.
Lap five was the same as 4 but I had to stop more to stretch out my cramps.
All day I kept thinking, where is everybody. My goal time was 7:30. I ran a 7:55, considering how I felt at the start of the day, I'm pretty happy with that.

Western ... Bah Humbug!

UPDATE:
I copied this from the ws100 site. "There were about 1,350 applications received this year. The complete list is HERE. There are 357 slots available this year, 166 of which have been filled by "automatics," such as top ten male and female finishers in last year's Race, Two-Time Losers, etc. That leaves 191 slots to be filled via the Lottery Drawing and about 1,190 names to draw from. The odds of any one applicant being drawn is about 16% -- a 1 in 6.22 chance."
They had it listed has 37% for last year.


Well I didn't get in! Bummer. I'll try again next year and then in 2010 I'll automatically get in. What are they going to do when there are more 2 time losers (meaning the third year you get right in) then there are spots?

I did manage to do some running in the snow and got pelted with snowballs by the kids!! And they looked so innocent.