This was my first competing in a timed race and I'd have to say that I couldn't have had a better experience -- well, except if there was a burrito for me at the finish line. But seriously, I cannot recommend enough not only this kind of format of racing, but this race in particular. The Pirate's Cove 2016 inaugural race was at a perfect location for this kind of format, a 2.4-mile loop around beautiful Lake Cuyamaca. I love races in the Julian area because, having gone to school in Julian, I can't help but feel like these races are right in my backyard. That and there's a strong connection I feel to this area as it is the land that my ancestors used to inhabit. It helped to see the grinding holes in rocks near the side of the lake -- evidence that my people ground acorns and lived here. Obviously this is a beautiful place, and being right by a lake, it's not only good for a looped race but clearly good for setting up a village.Whitney decided last minute to sign up for this race so we went up the night before and camped out literally feet from the start-finish line. We woke up around 6am and got ready for the start at 8am. There were, I'd say, about 40 people at this race, and every single one of them seemed awesome. Ultra runners usually are an awesome breed, but I think above that, there's something special about the kind of people who choose to do timed races. It was awesome to see some local big names -- Eric Clifton, The Jester Ed Ettinghausen (who actually planned to do another 24-hour race in San Jose literally the next day. I have no idea how he does it.) as well as the people in the Trail Crashers crew a local trail running group comprised of really awesome people.
We started at 8:00am and were prepared to end the day at 8:00pm. You probably couldn't pay the average person to do one activity that lasted 12 or 24 hours straight, but alas, that's what makes runners, specifically ultra runners, a special breed. Here we are not only willing to show up but willing to pay. Granted, this race was the biggest bang for your buck as far as races go. $85 gets you 12 hours and TONS of race goodies. They seriously spoiled us with a backpack, 2 mug holders, arm sleeves, a cool bottle opener, a hat and shirt, a flashlight and a free copy of trail runner magazine. $100 will get you all the same AND 12 hours more! Seriously, as far as race pricing goes you can't beat that!
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| The little hill before the aid station |
But starting knowing that you'll be running (or walking) for the entire day is both exciting and mentally UGH. The halfway point for me would be 6 hours, which is different than distance races. But I made a distance goal for myself as well, just to give something to strive for. I aimed to hit at least 62.4 miles, which is slightly more than 100k. That would mean 26 laps around this beautiful lake! If I think of each lap as a mile, then it's just like a marathon! When I make it to 13 laps I'll be at the half marathon point. When I make it to 20 loops, I'll just have 6 more to go, which is basically nothing. These are games I played with myself during the race. But anything over 100k would be bonus.
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| Looking happy because I haven't fallen yet |
I got to the actual 26.2 mile point around 4:25-ish and the 50k point around 5:10. At first, I told myself I would take a break every 20 miles, but I changed that in the race to taking a break at the 50k point. I took a break for 5 minutes then went on to finish my final 13 laps. It helped knowing that I had time to spare to make my personal distance goal.
One thing I also did to make the race fun and interesting is I thought it would be cool to take advantage of this loop format and solve a Rubik's Cube every lap as I came in before I went back out. I can't usually do this during an ultra because that would take too much planning and confusion for the race organizers and volunteers, but since this was the only aid station, and since it came around every 2.4 miles, I thought it would be pretty much perfect and and awesome way for the volunteers and organizers to be entertained while they devote their time to catering to our needs. There are some laps where I didn't solve a Rubik's Cube but I tried to as much as I can. I did this mainly for fun but it also became somewhat jokingly a way of making sure I was mentally aware in the later stages and also a way to gauge whether or not I was still having fun. If I stopped solving the cube, then things were probably getting nasty out there for me.
The first place person, Ricky Roane, was absolutely SMASHING both the 24-hour AND 12-hour competitors. He was first overall, there was a 12-hour guy behind him, and then there was me. I think I first got lapped by Ricky on mile 27, his mile 29, and he continued to lap me another 4-5 times for the rest of the time I was out there. The entire time he was out there, he didn't look fazed at all! I think one of the racers actually told him, "Can you just look tired?! For me?". He was seriously killing it all day and if his pace dropped nobody would be able to notice. He ended up getting a 100-mile PR of 17:40 I believe which is AWESOME. Great job dude.
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| Ricky Roane the guy who led 1st place for most of the race |
The first place 12-hour person also was killing it. Chris must've lapped me 3-4 times I was out there. He ended up completing 69, almost 70 miles, in the 12 hours we raced.
As the day went on for me, I noticed I was sweating a bunch even though it wasn't hot at all. It stayed in the low to mid-60's but as I was telling some people out there, I cannot handle any weather over 60F. I thrive in colder temperatures. But I did a good job of staying hydrated thanks to the frequent aid stations at this race.
Come night time, I get a chance to practice some night running, which I don't do very often on trails. These trails were really uneven too so it allowed plenty of opportunity for tired legs to trip and bring you crashing to the ground. Which, of course, it wouldn't be a trail race without Phillip falling. I fell twice, maybe three times? Each time I fell, I hit kind of hard, but I thankfully didn't cramp up like I usually do when I fall in the later stages of racing. In a complete sense of relief that I didn't cramp up, I would lay there, on my back, either moaning or saying out loud "The stars are beautiful tonight!". Oh, I can't tell you, I've never been happier to fall in my life than being able to fall without my abdomen twisting in a million different un-relaxable knots.
I kept a pretty even pace for a while, until my pace started to drop to 12 minute miles after mile 50. I hit mile 50 at 8:57 into the race so I think that counts as a 50-mile PR? Pretty good for aiming to do longer. Once I hit 25 laps, it was awesome knowing I had one more lap. Whitney's family came out and it was cool seeing them at the starting line. They asked if I was cold because I was still wearing only the blue tanktop and shorts I was wearing the whole day. I responded with "This weather is PERFECT for me, I do better in cold!". I was actually so glad that it started getting cool around 3:00pm. I think it maybe got down to 45F? All I knew is I welcomed running in the cold.
Only on the last lap or two did I start walk running, and this was mainly because of Gastro Intestinal (GI) problems. I can't tell if it was because of the Gu's that I ate or the many bananas I ate, either way, my stomach was not having it. I kept having gas but when you run everything sloshes around so it just ends up becoming a really uncomfortable feeling. So every time that feeling came around I just walked until it went away in the form of, well, you know.
I had a chance to meet and run with Eric Clifton's wife who was out there the whole day, and I made a point to keep telling her how many laps I had left as I passed by. "8 more laps? Boy that's practically nothing!". She was super awesome and supportive. As were a lot of people I happened upon. That's why I love these races, everyone is just super awesome and super inspirational. Eric didn't seem to be having a good day, but I find it super awesome that an elite athlete like he was, still has the love for the sport to be doing it 20 years later. Most elite athletes just quit after a certain point, but he's still out there doing these races. This other lady, I believe her name was Julieann, who was part of the Trail Crashers group, was telling me about her arthritis in her knee, and how the cold actually makes it worse, but that now that she put her knee brace on life is good again and she plans to finish at least 100 miles. She talked about how she got arthritis, and her time spent in the military, I believe stationed in Korea. She was only 1 or 2 laps behind me, and she was doing the 24 hour race! Awesome people out there. And I couldn't help think every time I passed the Jester that he was going to finish at 8am, then hop on a plane to San Jose, and start another 24 hour race as soon as he got there! Unbelievable stuff.
So after having an awesome day, I was ready to hit my distance goal of 62.4 miles and I did so in 11:40, a new 100k PR! Right before I finished, I had Paul Jesse, the SD 50 RD, throw me my cube to solve before I cross the finish line. Boy, was that the slowest solve I did all day! My hands were pretty slow from the cold so I think it took about 25 seconds. Crossed the finish line and called it a day, mainly because you'd have to finish a whole lap in order to count the miles and I wouldn't have been able to finish 2.4 miles in 20 minutes at that point in the race.
So I finished, with legs in tact, still feeling mentally there and, not willing, but probably able to continue for another 38 miles. I decided to leave that for another day, to keep that thirst alive, and not entirely put out this candle that's still burning. I have a 24-hour race in less than a month so we'll see how I can pull off at that time-level.
Race Highlights:
2nd Place Overall - 12 hour
*Update: 3rd overall, after night 12-hour finisher did 62.4 mi 10 min faster than I did. Shouldn't have solved those Rubik's Cubes*
50 Mile PR - 8:57
100k PR - 11:40
Fell - 2 times
Why I Highly Recomend Timed Races:
1) THERE'S NO PRESSURE. You don't have to meet a certain distance, all you have to do is move for as long as you can up to the time that's specified. Many races have cutoffs which makes it mentally discouraging if you get told you can't finish because of time constraints. But no time constraints here!
2) YOU CANNOT DNF. Well, you can, but as long as you finish one lap (in this case it was 2.4 miles) then you are guaranteed a medal!
3) YOU ARE NEVER ALONE. Sometimes, in certain ultras, you'll find yourself alone in a long stretch of nothingness. In this kind of race, there is always someone around. This also means unfortunately, if you fall, yes, somebody did see that. But that just means there'll be someone to help you up!
4) AID STATIONS ARE ALWAYS NEAR. My first 100-mile race sucked because they had one aid station at 27 miles, then another aid station at mile 38. I ended up dropping at mile 52 because I lost 8 lbs of body weight and was severely dehydrated. With this kind of format, you are guaranteed plentiful access to not only hydration but awesome food!
5) BATHROOMS ARE ALWAYS NEAR. No need to rough it in the bushes! Not only was there a bathroom every 2.4 miles but at the 1.2 and 1.3 mile points there were porta potties, making it nearly impossible to have a situation where you'd have to find a bush.
6) YOU CAN'T GET LOST. Well, you can, but it's REALLY REALLY HARD to get lost in this loop format. And I mean REALLY.
7) Final reason:
