true to conference tradition, david decided to do a killer run...a 50k! thanks again, fightingmean.com:
North Face sponsors a race series dubbed the Tour of North Face. This weekend had me participating in my first ever Ultra for the Park City edition of the TNF. I've never run more than a marathon and recently have not been running but decided to tackle the 50K (31 gps verified miles) anyway. As a corporate event I expected the race to be near flawless and it was. The trails were exceptional, aid stations plentiful, and the overall experience was a 10/10.
Though the race began with a 13 mile climb it was totally doable. There were only a few death march sections with most of it being relatively gentle single track switchbacking up ski runs. Compared to most of the trails in Utah the course was relatively easy. I was consciously keeping my effort light because I hadn't been running. There had been some snow the week before and in the early morning the shady spots were icy and still had snow.
Arriving at the first aid station I was ready for some sustenance. The drinks weren't labelled and I grabbed what I thought was lime sports drink. As I guzzled down the unnaturally green beverage my taste buds exploded. I thought, "Wow, what is this stuff!" I downed two more dixie cups of the green stuff and hoped there would be more of this incredible drink at the next aid station. There it was labelled. Mountain Dew. I had no idea. Food and drink tastes so different and better when you're carb deficient. I now knew that since I had started the caffeinated hummingbird food I had to keep it going so Mountain Dew became my unplanned race beverage.
The descent off the peak had a couple of minor technical sections that required walking but nothing serious. Coming into the prominent 5-way aid station at mile 21.6 I not only still felt great but was improving. Just before the aid station a trail volunteer, known as a sweeper, was walking the course to make sure everyone was okay. I stopped in my tracks and immediately said, "Oh my Gosh!" It was Karl Metzler, aka 'Speedgoat'! Karl is a professional ultra running legend and has multiple records and hosts the internationally renowned Speedgoat 50K. I grabbed a photo then asked him, "I'm at mile 10 right?" He laughed and replied, "Yeah, about that." I then asked, "So, we go back up and over the mountain right?" He again laughed and said, "I think you go down some first." Meeting multiple of my heroes was a serious highlight of this event.
The TNF was expertly conducted. Meeting Dean, Rory, Timothy and Karl was amazing. Running 31 miles through pristine aspen forests and Utah mountains was a gift. My legs and lungs were strong. And I can now confidently state:
I have a mind that craves challenge and a spirit that thirsts for struggle. I am an Ultra Runner.
My TNF experience began the day before at the North Face Center at Fashion Place Mall. Dean Karnazes was on the schedule to be speaking at a pre race panel. I've read all of his books and, for better or worse, he is almost single handedly responsible for bringing ultra running out of obscurity. Waiting for the panel to begin I started looking around the room. I suddenly noticed Timothy Olson standing right next to me! Timothy won the Western States 100 two years in a row and was featured on an episode of the RRP podcast that I enjoyed immensely. Also, at the panel Rory Bosio was present. She is totally cool and crazy as is easily seen in this video. She has won the Tour of Mont Blanc, which is the most prominent ultra in Europe, for the last two years in a row. The questions and comments were excellent at the panel. There were less than a hundred people gathered in the store and everyone that wanted to meet the athletes. I'd happily listen to any of these athletes for hours in a stadium so hanging out in a little group in a small store was a treat.
My training for the race consisted of three short jogs the week of the 50K. Yup. You read that right. Three short jogs. The first one was terrible and I didn't think I'd be able to do the race. The third one, though not fast, felt fine and so I decided to take it on. All week I'd gone back and forth between doing the race and deffering to next year. But ultimately the desire to complete my first ultra won out.
The race began with a 13 mile climb. Yup. You read that right, 13 miles up a mountain. Now is a pretty good time to compare ultras to marathons. There were two prominent running events in Utah this weekend, the TNF and the St George Marathon. Here's the elevation profiles of each.
Marathons are usually designed to be as easy and fast as possible so participants can grab PRs and brag about their times. Only older and more prominent marathons are flat and almost none of them have a net gain. Meanwhile, ultras are designed with one goal in mind of being a suffer-fest.
Though the race began with a 13 mile climb it was totally doable. There were only a few death march sections with most of it being relatively gentle single track switchbacking up ski runs. Compared to most of the trails in Utah the course was relatively easy. I was consciously keeping my effort light because I hadn't been running. There had been some snow the week before and in the early morning the shady spots were icy and still had snow. Arriving at the first aid station I was ready for some sustenance. The drinks weren't labelled and I grabbed what I thought was lime sports drink. As I guzzled down the unnaturally green beverage my taste buds exploded. I thought, "Wow, what is this stuff!" I downed two more dixie cups of the green stuff and hoped there would be more of this incredible drink at the next aid station. There it was labelled. Mountain Dew. I had no idea. Food and drink tastes so different and better when you're carb deficient. I now knew that since I had started the caffeinated hummingbird food I had to keep it going so Mountain Dew became my unplanned race beverage.
The rest of the climb went great and I was comfortable with the effort. Reaching the top of Jupiter Peak at 9,967 ft I felt great. I had a huge smile on my face because my legs felt completely solid. The fall colors and crisp air filled my soul. 
The descent off the peak had a couple of minor technical sections that required walking but nothing serious. Coming into the prominent 5-way aid station at mile 21.6 I not only still felt great but was improving. Just before the aid station a trail volunteer, known as a sweeper, was walking the course to make sure everyone was okay. I stopped in my tracks and immediately said, "Oh my Gosh!" It was Karl Metzler, aka 'Speedgoat'! Karl is a professional ultra running legend and has multiple records and hosts the internationally renowned Speedgoat 50K. I grabbed a photo then asked him, "I'm at mile 10 right?" He laughed and replied, "Yeah, about that." I then asked, "So, we go back up and over the mountain right?" He again laughed and said, "I think you go down some first." Meeting multiple of my heroes was a serious highlight of this event.
The 5-way aid station was hosted by the Wasatch Wranglers and had an Oktoberfest theme. This group of local ultra runners not only knows how to host an aid station but a party as well. I was totally on a high coming into this aid station. I'd just met Karl was now over 20 miles into the race and felt completely fresh. I threw down some more mountain dew and ate some salted potatoes. Fun fact, potatoes have 117% of the potassium of bananas. Looking at the salt dipped potato you might be tempted to think it is gross, but don't forget food tastes completely different during a long endurance event!
During the downhill leaving the aid station I was high. Not on a high or like a high, I was high. I was listening music, air drumming, and shouting along to the lyrics, "Classy girls don't kiss in bars like this!" A couple mountain bikes came up and I was swinging off trees to let them pass liked a drugged up gorilla. It was in this section that I knew I had become an ultra runner. It wasn't simply that I felt amazing. It was that I was completely present for the moment I was experiencing. My soul was soaring in the moment and completely embracing everything. Then the downhill changed and I was slapped in the face with a daunting sharp left turn and could see runners switchbacking up a steep hill... I got a huge grin and thought, "Sweet, I get to stay out here that much longer."
During the final 5 mile descent my legs started to give out. I simply hadn't trained. But it didn't matter. I was loving every second of the run. After turning a corner I could see the resort and finish line far below and slowly ran the final couple of miles into the finish.
I have a mind that craves challenge and a spirit that thirsts for struggle. I am an Ultra Runner.
1 comment:
How very cool. That is beautiful country. What a wonderful thing to be able to do!
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