Wow! What an experience. What a fun race. I completed my first official ultra marathon yesterday running the Pony Express 50. This has been a really fun year so far with a lot of fun crazy adventures and this was probably the best one so far. I had to wake up at 3:30 AM and I only got 3 hours of sleep, but when I woke up I was feeling really good. Two of my best friends, Rob and Greg would be crewing me and then met me at 4:00 at my house and we were on our way. On the drive out I went over my expectations for the race and what I thought I would need from them to reach my goals. They both seemed really excited and it was a lot of fun having them both there with me. Greg was at one time a top 10 runner in high school, while Rob has never really been all that interested in sports or athletic pursuits, but both of them were pumped, which was cool.
We arrived at Lookout Pass about 30 minutes before the race started. This gave me a little bit of time to make final preparations, go over all of my food and hydration needs with my crew and check in and get ready. I started to get a little nervous because you just don’t know how your body is going to respond going further than you ever have before. I thought I was ready and had trained well all year, but you just never know. Luckily I was with two of my my best friends and they were able to lighten the moment a lot. Actually, they made me laugh all day long which really helped.
A few minutes before the start Davy had some words for us and then we were off. There was a woman that went out really fast, and then me, and then the rest of the group seemed to be lagging back a bit. I really didn’t get a chance to meet any of the other runners and I had hoped to meet some on the course, but I was quickly pulling away from most of the pack. It didn’t seem like I was running fast at all and when I checked my pace I was at an 8:30 and I felt totally fine, so I went with it. My original plan had been to run about a 9:00 pace for at least the first 25. After the first mile the woman had opened up a lead on me and I couldn’t even see anyone behind. I was running alone in the dark with a smile on my face. The stars were stunning and I saw a few falling stars. The temperature was cold, but it actually felt really good for running and I didn’t need a warm hat or gloves, although I had on a long sleeved shirt. I told my crew to meet me at mile 3 just in case I felt like I wanted something, and at 2.7 I hadn’t seen them pass me yet, so I was getting a little worried that I would miss them, but they soon arrived and I was feeling so good that I told them to go ahead to mile 4 and to have a gel and some water ready for me.
Probably one of the most annoying things that happened the whole day were two cars that passed us very early on going probably 50 miles per hour. One was a large truck that kicked up so much dust I had to cover my mouth and nose for about a minute. I was really angry at the lack of consideration of these drivers and there may or may not have been a few choice words from my end.
At mile 4 I had my first stop at the car. Actually I didn’t really slop, but grabbed a gel and some water and quickly downed them on my way. They told me that the woman was about 3 minutes ahead of me and I have to admit I wanted to catch her. The guys were really fast getting me what I needed and I have to say that they were phenomenal throughout the race. I could not have had a better crew. Not only did they take care of me and do everything that I asked, but they would jump out of the car every time they saw me and run up and ask what I needed before I got to the car. I told them I would meet them at mile 7 and I was off.
The next 3 miles were really fun. I felt solid and I just listened to the music, looked at the stars and ran. Incredible. I still couldn’t see anyone behind me, so I knew that I would probably not see the other runners for a long time if ever. At mile 7 I actually took another gel and had more water and Rob told me that I was exactly 50 seconds behind the girl. I kind of laughed because he was really getting into it and I reminded him that we still had 43 miles to go and I told them to meet me at mile 10.
The sun was now starting to come up and I could now see the woman that I had been chasing. I was slowly gaining on her and my competitive juices were tempted to push and pass her, but I just held back knowing that I needed to save my legs for later in the race. Just before mile 10 I was right on her heels and both of our crew cars were parked very close to each other. We both stopped for a quick break, and as soon as we started running again I caught her. Her name was Nanette and we talked and ran together for the next 6 miles. This was also her first official ultra, so we talked about our training and what we had done over the summer to get ready and she is a really nice person and it was fun to be running with someone. It sure made the time fly by. She was being crewed by her husband and for the rest of the race he would continue to check on me every time he passed. They were amazing people.
Nanette and I chatted until mile 13 where my crew was waiting for me with a gel and some Cytomax, so I walked while I took them and she kept running. It took me about 5 minutes to catch back up, but eventually we were running together all the way to Simpson Springs. Nanette and I passed 3 of the 100 milers that had started an hour earlier than we had and I was sure that they were just holding back to conserve their energy and legs, but it was still cool to be passing runners that started an hour before we did.
There was a pretty good hill leading up to the springs, and I felt strong the whole way and we never had to stop and walk. At the springs they took our number and Nanette stopped to make some gear adjustments, and I wouldn’t see her again for over 15 miles. I was now leading the pack of the 6:00 AM starters, although I never thought I would win the race because Davy told Jun that some really fast experienced runners were starting at 8:00.
The next several miles were much harder running alone. I continued to pass the 100 mile runners, but I didn’t usually chat with them long. The road was now really flat with a long straight away. I could now see several of the 100 milers and I made it a goal to pass as many of them as I could. Over the next 10 miles I counted 7 more of them that I had passed. I was still feeling really strong, but the sun was now up and it was getting really hot. I had been taking at least one salt pill every hour and now I increased the amounts of fluid that I was drinking as well. I would alternate between Gatorade and water and taking Cytomax every two hours. I was also taking a gel about every 2-3 miles to make sure I was getting enough energy. So far I was feeling really good.
I hit my marathon in 4:34 just as I passed a bloody dead rabbit on the road. The heat was bothering me a little, so at my next crew stop I changed from my black tank to my white one and Greg also put sunscreen on me while I drank some Gatorade. I ate some potato chips and two cookies and I was feeling pretty good. I was wondering when I would see Jun and I was hoping that we would catch me so we could run together, but I hadn’t seen his crew car, so I knew he was still several miles behind.
Miles 28-35 were pretty tough for me. I was feeling really good, but my joints started to hurt and the heat was making it more difficult to want to push. I kept catching myself falling off of my pace and every time it was more difficult to pick it back up. This part of the race was a real grind and it would have really helped to be running with someone as the miles were dragging on a bit. I did get passed by Davy during this section and he was looking strong. We chatted for a few minutes and I actually picked up my pace, but I couldn’t keep up with him and he quickly moved ahead. About 30 minutes later two other guys that started with Jun passed me and I asked about him. They said that they though he was having some issues, so I started to worry about him, but when I went off into the brush for a bathroom stop a few minutes later I finally saw his crew car for the first time, so I knew he wasn’t far behind.
Heading up to Dugway Pass is by far the most challenging part of the course. It is very steep and I found myself hiking for the first time all day. I could have run it, but I could hike it as fast as I would have been able to run, so I decided to give my legs a little break. While heading up the pass I finally saw Jun making his way up from behind. It was great to see him and we talked and joked the rest of the way up to the pass where we both started running at a really good pace. This might have been the most enjoyable part of the race for me. We were over 37 miles and the extra boost from seeing my friend really helped so much. We were actually running pretty fast and passed several runners on the way down and they all commented on how strong we looked. I kept sending my crew ahead because I didn’t want to break our stride, but at mile 43ish I finally had to stop to get a drink and my legs were getting really tight when I stopped, so I had Greg rub them out and after I got back on the road Jun was too far ahead for me to catch. It was a little demoralizing, but I wouldn’t have wanted him to stop. He was looking strong and I wanted him to keep pushing while he was feeling so good. I was hopeful that I could have kept up with him and pushed all the way to the finish, but I just wasn’t strong enough. It did help me so much having him there for those 5-6 miles. I was definitely running faster and stronger while we ran together.
Miles 43-47 were definitely the most difficult of the entire race. It was now very hot, my legs were screaming and pushing any kind of pace resembling quick was out of the question. My crew was stopping every mile for me and I was taking them. I would wash off my face, drink and take gels as the thought of solid food made me want to throw up. I just remember grinding and thinking that I wanted to finish strong, even though my body was telling me otherwise. At mile 46 I sat down for the first time and Rob and Greg both asked me if I was alright. I was fine, but I just finally got tired. The heat was a beast. I also noticed that someone was gaining on me and I thought it was Nanette. It put a smile on my face because the last time I saw her around mile 33 she was really hurting. I was really pulling for her to push hard, but at the same time it motivated me to push harder too. Her husband pulled up next to me and offered me some grapes and I thought I could get them down so I accepted and they tasted so good! It was a real boost.
At mile 47 I had one of the best surprises of the day. Greg hopped out of the car in full running attire and announced he was going to run in with me. I was really excited and hoped that he would make it with me. He hadn’t exercised at all since our trip to Ibapah Peak that was over a year ago. Ironically, we were now in the shadow of Ibapah and I pointed it out to him, as we could see the peak ahead. I told him to just tell me some funny stories to take my mind off of the pain and it worked. The stories really aren't blog appropriate, but they sure took my mind of of things. My pace picked up and the last 3 were actually much easier than the previous 5 had been. We were now running a sub 10 minute mile pace. It was so fun and helpful to have Greg running in with me.
Even though I knew we had to pass the finish and go a half mile and then turn around, I still wasn’t prepared for the demoralizing feeling. That was by far the most difficult thing for me and I thought about Davy maybe doing that as one last mental hurdle to get over before you get your 50. The last few hundred yards were tough. I was spent and happy I wasn’t doing more miles on this day, although looking back I think I could have pushed it further. When I reached the finish I was elated. I had done it. This was one of my goals for the year and there were certainly times that I doubted myself, but I did it. I hurt everywhere, but it was worth it. I didn’t feel much like eating for a few hours after, so I didn’t get to enjoy the burgers at the finish, but that was ok. Getting the finishers medal was sweet enough. So my first official ultra is in the books and I loved it. I learned so many things about myself on this day and I can’t wait to get back out there and do it again. Also, congrats to Jun and Davy for rocking the 100 and inspiring me for my next big running challenge.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
St. George Marathon 10/2/2010
So here is the long version of my race. Now that I have had a few days to analyze it, it seems quite normal that if you put 5,000+ people together to run 26.2 miles in some heat you are going to see some gross things, and probably some of them pretty grizzly. I’ll just say that as far as grossness goes, I saw it all and felt some of it too: Farmer blows, spit in every nasty form imaginable, pee, lots of pee without regard to the viewing audience. Puke and sweat. Enough sweat to even make Burt proud. I saw worse, but there might be kids reading this, but I digress…
I arrived in St. George kind of late, and ended up only getting 2.5 hours of sleep, but when I woke up I was actually feeling really good. I was meeting some friends at the Crystal Inn at 4:45, so I ate breakfast, got ready and met up with them in time to catch the bus up to the start. Most of the guys I was with had done this race several times, so they were giving me low down on the course and what to expect and it actually made me a little nervous. When we arrived at the start I went on my own because my friends were all in the elite corral, so I headed over to the looong line at the POP and waited for about 45 minutes for my turn. I should have just found a bush, but what else was I going to do? After my less than one minute stop in the POP it was almost time to start, so I adjusted my gear and took some Cytomax and headed over to the HUGE wall of people waiting to go. I never heard a gun go off, but I heard a loud cheer and then everyone started walking and within about 30 seconds we could jog, although it was really crowded.
The first 7 miles were incredibly fun and I really enjoyed almost everything about them. It wasn’t too hot yet and I was feeling strong. My pace was between 7:20-7:40 for the first 7 miles and I didn’t feel tired at all. I was really starting to think I could have a really good time if I could keep this up and then we hit Veyo and the hill was a bit harder than I thought it would be. My pace slowed a lot busting up that thing and it was tough to keep up a good pace. I decided to take my first gel and at the next aid station I had a gel and a Gatorade. I had to stop to drink it as I walked and I noticed it was a bit tougher getting into my groove starting back up.
About mile 9 I started to feel a hot spot on both of my big toes. I was a little worried that I would get a blister, so I decided to stop for some Vaseline, but I would wait as long as I thought I could. I also noticed I had to pee, so at the next aid station I found what I thought was an open POP. Well, it was open, but to my surprise I was half way in with my pants half way down when I realized there was a guy in there sitting on the toilet. It wasn’t pretty at all let me tell you. The hair, the pasty whiteness, the UGH!!! Ummm lock the door. It was one of those awkward life moments that will forever be seared into my brain. So I quickly jumped out and found another one that was open. I made sure to lock the door. On my way out I grabbed more Gatorade and from that point on I was drinking two cups of Gatorade or water the rest of the way. It was starting to get hot.
I was still feeling really good when I hit mile 13, but I decided to stop to take care of the hot spots, so at the aid station I took a few minutes to rub Vaseline on both toes and I also noticed a big blister forming on one of my other toes, so I took care of that one too. I hated stopping, but if I hadn’t it could have been much worse later in the race. I also had another gel, an S-Cap and some more Gatorade and then took off. I hit my half marathon at 1:45 and I was happy with my time up to that point and hoped I could keep it up.
14-17 I really noticed the heat more. I was sweating a lot and even though I felt pretty good I was slowing down. My pace gradually slowed. There were a few hills to deal with but the one that was really difficult for me was the hill around mile 18. Combined with the heat it was tough. I never stopped to walk once during the race except to grab water, but I was really tempted to at this point. Several runners were walking, but it motivated me to keep pushing.
The rest of the race was just hard. It was hot and now my hamstrings were starting to cramp up. It made every step hurt, but I could still run. I was really looking forward to the downhill at the end of the race, but I couldn’t push it as hard as I would have liked. I saw a lot of people struggling. Some dry heaving, a few that had collapsed and I was thankful that I was at least moving along.
Once we got out of the canyon there were crowds of people there to cheer us on. Normally this gives me a big boost and I can pick up the pace, but not today. It was just hard. The last 3 miles might have been the most difficult I have ever run. My hamstrings were now screaming and my energy was depleted. I tried to push it and at times I could, but it wasn’t what I had hoped for. Somehow when I saw the balloons at the finish I was able to find a boost and I actually picked up my pace considerably and passed several people at the end. My Garmin said I had run 26.3 miles. I got my finishers medal and instantly felt sick. My hammies were cramping bad and I had to go lay down for about 20 minutes. It was torture because I wanted a drink so bad, but couldn’t stand in the line. There was a really nice guy that had two cups of water and offered me one. I felt a little better, but it took about 30 minutes to start feeling good again.
This race was so much fun. It was incredible. Even though it was really hard, I learned a lot and enjoyed almost every minute… well, except for the last hour. I didn’t enjoy that much, but I love putting my body in those types of situations to see how I can respond and I learned a lot. I will definitely be back to do it again. Next time I know I can shave off quite a lot of time, so I am excited for that.
I arrived in St. George kind of late, and ended up only getting 2.5 hours of sleep, but when I woke up I was actually feeling really good. I was meeting some friends at the Crystal Inn at 4:45, so I ate breakfast, got ready and met up with them in time to catch the bus up to the start. Most of the guys I was with had done this race several times, so they were giving me low down on the course and what to expect and it actually made me a little nervous. When we arrived at the start I went on my own because my friends were all in the elite corral, so I headed over to the looong line at the POP and waited for about 45 minutes for my turn. I should have just found a bush, but what else was I going to do? After my less than one minute stop in the POP it was almost time to start, so I adjusted my gear and took some Cytomax and headed over to the HUGE wall of people waiting to go. I never heard a gun go off, but I heard a loud cheer and then everyone started walking and within about 30 seconds we could jog, although it was really crowded.
The first 7 miles were incredibly fun and I really enjoyed almost everything about them. It wasn’t too hot yet and I was feeling strong. My pace was between 7:20-7:40 for the first 7 miles and I didn’t feel tired at all. I was really starting to think I could have a really good time if I could keep this up and then we hit Veyo and the hill was a bit harder than I thought it would be. My pace slowed a lot busting up that thing and it was tough to keep up a good pace. I decided to take my first gel and at the next aid station I had a gel and a Gatorade. I had to stop to drink it as I walked and I noticed it was a bit tougher getting into my groove starting back up.
About mile 9 I started to feel a hot spot on both of my big toes. I was a little worried that I would get a blister, so I decided to stop for some Vaseline, but I would wait as long as I thought I could. I also noticed I had to pee, so at the next aid station I found what I thought was an open POP. Well, it was open, but to my surprise I was half way in with my pants half way down when I realized there was a guy in there sitting on the toilet. It wasn’t pretty at all let me tell you. The hair, the pasty whiteness, the UGH!!! Ummm lock the door. It was one of those awkward life moments that will forever be seared into my brain. So I quickly jumped out and found another one that was open. I made sure to lock the door. On my way out I grabbed more Gatorade and from that point on I was drinking two cups of Gatorade or water the rest of the way. It was starting to get hot.
I was still feeling really good when I hit mile 13, but I decided to stop to take care of the hot spots, so at the aid station I took a few minutes to rub Vaseline on both toes and I also noticed a big blister forming on one of my other toes, so I took care of that one too. I hated stopping, but if I hadn’t it could have been much worse later in the race. I also had another gel, an S-Cap and some more Gatorade and then took off. I hit my half marathon at 1:45 and I was happy with my time up to that point and hoped I could keep it up.
14-17 I really noticed the heat more. I was sweating a lot and even though I felt pretty good I was slowing down. My pace gradually slowed. There were a few hills to deal with but the one that was really difficult for me was the hill around mile 18. Combined with the heat it was tough. I never stopped to walk once during the race except to grab water, but I was really tempted to at this point. Several runners were walking, but it motivated me to keep pushing.
The rest of the race was just hard. It was hot and now my hamstrings were starting to cramp up. It made every step hurt, but I could still run. I was really looking forward to the downhill at the end of the race, but I couldn’t push it as hard as I would have liked. I saw a lot of people struggling. Some dry heaving, a few that had collapsed and I was thankful that I was at least moving along.
Once we got out of the canyon there were crowds of people there to cheer us on. Normally this gives me a big boost and I can pick up the pace, but not today. It was just hard. The last 3 miles might have been the most difficult I have ever run. My hamstrings were now screaming and my energy was depleted. I tried to push it and at times I could, but it wasn’t what I had hoped for. Somehow when I saw the balloons at the finish I was able to find a boost and I actually picked up my pace considerably and passed several people at the end. My Garmin said I had run 26.3 miles. I got my finishers medal and instantly felt sick. My hammies were cramping bad and I had to go lay down for about 20 minutes. It was torture because I wanted a drink so bad, but couldn’t stand in the line. There was a really nice guy that had two cups of water and offered me one. I felt a little better, but it took about 30 minutes to start feeling good again.
This race was so much fun. It was incredible. Even though it was really hard, I learned a lot and enjoyed almost every minute… well, except for the last hour. I didn’t enjoy that much, but I love putting my body in those types of situations to see how I can respond and I learned a lot. I will definitely be back to do it again. Next time I know I can shave off quite a lot of time, so I am excited for that.
Running Timpanogos
I had an awesome morning running Timp with Jun. I love this run. It has to be one of the best trail runs along the Wasatch Front, and I really wanted to get a peak in with some elevation, so I was glad Jun also wanted to do it again. We had to get an early start so that I could get home to get my kids to school, so we met at 2:30 AM at Kohlers in Apline.
We were on the trail before 3:00 and our splits were almost identical to the last time we did it, even though I felt like I was pushing harder. Maybe it was because my calves were a touch sore. They didn't feel sore before the run, but I really felt them on the steep trail going up.
The weather was nearly perfect and I wasn't sweating much at all and it was just an enjoyable pace up to the saddle. The only negative was I felt like I was going to throw up for the first 90 minutes. I ate more breakfast than I usually do, and the boiled egg really wanted to come back up, but I faught the puking urge and luckily after I took a Hammer gel I felt better.
We got blasted by wind at the saddle and it was much colder up there, so I put on my extra shirt and gloves and Jun took off fast. It took me about 25 minutes to reach the summit and it was in the exact time as our last trip (2:20). We hung out a bit on top, taking some pics and checking out the views, but we got cold, so we decided to get down quick. Once again Jun was fast to the saddle and I tried to make good time, but I took it easier on all of the steeper sections.
From the saddle down to the cirque was kind of slower, but once we got down there I took a gel (Hammer espresso, not my fav but I wanted the caffeine) and I took off one of my shirts and then we ran down the rest of the way. I was much faster this time and took 15 minutes off of my descent.
Once the sun came up the views were just incredible with all of the Fall colors out and we got back to the car in just over 4 hours total time. It was an incredible morning and worth the lack of sleep.
We were on the trail before 3:00 and our splits were almost identical to the last time we did it, even though I felt like I was pushing harder. Maybe it was because my calves were a touch sore. They didn't feel sore before the run, but I really felt them on the steep trail going up.
The weather was nearly perfect and I wasn't sweating much at all and it was just an enjoyable pace up to the saddle. The only negative was I felt like I was going to throw up for the first 90 minutes. I ate more breakfast than I usually do, and the boiled egg really wanted to come back up, but I faught the puking urge and luckily after I took a Hammer gel I felt better.
We got blasted by wind at the saddle and it was much colder up there, so I put on my extra shirt and gloves and Jun took off fast. It took me about 25 minutes to reach the summit and it was in the exact time as our last trip (2:20). We hung out a bit on top, taking some pics and checking out the views, but we got cold, so we decided to get down quick. Once again Jun was fast to the saddle and I tried to make good time, but I took it easier on all of the steeper sections.
From the saddle down to the cirque was kind of slower, but once we got down there I took a gel (Hammer espresso, not my fav but I wanted the caffeine) and I took off one of my shirts and then we ran down the rest of the way. I was much faster this time and took 15 minutes off of my descent.
Once the sun came up the views were just incredible with all of the Fall colors out and we got back to the car in just over 4 hours total time. It was an incredible morning and worth the lack of sleep.
September
I had a really fun month in September. I got out for some great trail runs and then I started training for the St. George Marathon. I felt like I was in pretty good shape, but road marathon shape does not equal pretty good shape, so the last 3 weeks of september I ran quite a lot on pavement and tried to increase my speed.
I also ran to the summit of Timpanogos twice in the middle of the night with Craig and we had an amazing time. I'll post up the trip reports. I will also post up some pics from my Gannett Peak and Quest for Kings marathon.
I also ran to the summit of Timpanogos twice in the middle of the night with Craig and we had an amazing time. I'll post up the trip reports. I will also post up some pics from my Gannett Peak and Quest for Kings marathon.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
On 8/21/2010 I ran in the Quest for Kings marathon. This is a race started by my friend Craig lloyd and it would be the second time this summer that I attempted to run to the summit and back (car to car) in one day. Here is my trip report:
I had a really fun day running in the second annual Quest for Kings Marathon. The distance of the race is the same as a typical marathon, but the route to the top isn't even close to typical. The object of the race is basically getting to the summit of Kings Peak (Utah's highest point) and back as fast as you can, regardless of the route taken. There were 4 of us running in this race and I knew there wasn't much of a chance of winning, but my main goal was to get a personal PR for the course, and have a great time in the process.
This would be my eighth time to the summit. The first 4 times I climbed it on multi-day backpacking trips. In 2008 Jun and another friend and I did it for the first time in a day and we thought we were pretty cool, but our time was almost 14 hours. We didn't run at all, but we hiked pretty fast the whole way. In 2009 I did it again and shaved about 30 minutes off of our 2008 time by hiking a little faster. Last month was the first time I have ever tried to run to the top and my time was 10:40. I knew I could run it faster, but I was having some knee pain on the way down so I didn't push it. My goal for the day would be 8 hours. I knew it would be tough, but if things went well I knew it was doable.
I arrived much later than I had planned to the trailhead and I didn't get to sleep until about 2:30 am. With a 6:00 am start time I figured I would get a few hours of sleep. I woke up at 5:30 and I didn't see any signs of life in Jun's camp, so I went over there to make sure they hadn't left. He said they were going to leave a little later, so I went back to my car to get ready. I was listening to some nut job on AM radio while I ate a banana and a boiled egg and then I forced down a Powerbar gel for the 2X caffeine. I finally got ready by 6:30 and went over to see that Jun and Aaron were just waking up. We chatted for a few minutes and then I rang the cowbell and I was off.
I started running right from the start and everything was feeling good. I had plenty of energy and I got into a really good groove. My goal was to beat the other two guys to Elk Horn Crossing (5.3 miles). They looked like they would be about 10 minutes behind me and I knew they would be faster than I was, but it gave me something to push myself. I also wanted to shave time off of my run from last month and I hit Elk Horn at 1:05, which was 15 minutes faster. I was really happy about that and the other guys hadn't caught me yet. Instead of stopping for a break like I usually do at Elk Horn, I got a gel an S-Cap out of my pack while I walked and ate it on the move. I passed a few hikers while I gulped it down, and then started running again as soon as I was finished.
When I came out into the meadow I saw a few moose off of the trail, so I shot some video and took a few pictures and then kept running. I passed 4 hikers that I saw start at 5:30 and they told me nice job. Running through the meadow I kept looking back, but I didn't see Aaron and Jun. I was still feeling really good and I was definitely moving faster than I had been last month. Around Dollar Lake I finally spotted Jun and Aaron and I kept running instead of waiting for them. I finally stopped after the lake to take some pictured and shoot some video, and they finally caught up to me. I noticed that Jun didn't look like his typical happy self, so I knew something wasn't right. Usually you can't wipe the smile off of his face.
I stayed with the guys until just before Gunsight Pass. We passed several groups of hikers from the lake to the pass. Aaron pushed ahead and I stopped to get water at the spring because I wasn't sure what I would find beyond it. Jun kept going and I didn't see them again until just before the summit. Several of the hikers passed me while I was getting water, so I made a goal of passing all of them on the switchbacks and I passed all but one guy that was going pretty fast. The pass was windy, so I didn't stay long. I passed the fast hiker and two other groups on my way over to the plateau, but while I was scrambling through some boulders I slipped and fell and dropped my water bottle, which rolled off of a cliff and kept going for about 100 feet. I wasn't happy and I had to climb down over some loose boulders to retrieve it. I wasn't happy about that, but quickly got back to where I had fallen and made my way up to the plateau. From this point to Anderson Pass I didn't run much because it is really hard on your knees and legs. There are boulders everywhere and the ground is not very level at all and there isn't a trail. I hiked fast across it though.
Just before Anderson Pass I saw a familiar face. Faceless Ghost was coming down from the summit and it was really good to see him. We chatted for a few minutes and then he headed back down. Even though I didn't spend much time on the trail with the other guys, when I saw them it always lifted my spirits.
I made pretty good time from Anderson Pass to the summit. This section is basically a few million + boulders stacked in a huge pile. I know the route well, and I moved fast scrambling up the boulders to the summit. I passed everyone I saw and about 15 minutes from the top I passed Aaron as he was coming down from the summit. He looked really strong and we chatted for a minute and then he headed down. It was just a few minutes and Jun passed me on the way down as well. He still didn't look like he was enjoying himself and I was worried maybe he was sick. I pushed on to the top and made the summit in 3:50, over an hour faster than my time from last month.
It was so windy on top that my hat nearly blew off into Painter Basin. I tried to take some pictures with my timer, but the wind blew my camera over every time, so I finally just snapped a few shots and went down. I made pretty good time on the way down and didn't stop at all until I reached the pass. There I pulled some food out of my pack and snacked all the way across the plateau.
Back at Gunsight Pass I was still feeling really good, but I needed to make some gear adjustments, so I got into my tank top and put on some sunscreen. I was stopped for about 10 minutes (my longest break of the day) and when I finally got going I was feeling really good. There is some nice downhill trail back to Dollar Lake and I seemed to be making pretty good time, but as soon as I hit the lake and the trail leveled off I lost my energy. It seemed like the run back to Elk Horn from there took forever! I just couldn't find the gear I needed to crank it up. I think it would have helped to be chasing someone or have someone on my tail, but since I was by myself it was tough.
When I finally reached Elk Horn I was at 7:00, so I knew that I would have to push pretty hard to come in under 8:00. I had to stop and purify some water, and for the first mile I was trying to push the pace, but the trail was so annoying with all of the boulders and I never could get into a groove. I found myself hiking a lot more than I had been on the way in and it was tough to make myself run and run fast. With about 3 miles to go I knew I wasn't going to hit my goal of 8 hours, so I set a new goal of finishing in less than 8:30. It kept me going and I even pushed really hard the last mile to hit it. I think the last mile was probably my fastest mile of the day. Everything was feeling really good, but I was just tired. When I finally reached the gate I had just barely made it under 8:30 and I was pretty happy that I had a new PR for the course by over 2 hours.
I know that I can do this faster, but I am not going to worry about that until next year. There are several things that I know I can do better. It was still a fun race and I'll be back every year for it. I was really tired and had a tough time staying awake on the drive home, so I stopped in Wanship and took a two hour nap in a church parking lot.
Congrats to Aaron Kennard who took first place. His time really blows me away. Anyone that has run this course knows how insane that time really is.
I had a really fun day running in the second annual Quest for Kings Marathon. The distance of the race is the same as a typical marathon, but the route to the top isn't even close to typical. The object of the race is basically getting to the summit of Kings Peak (Utah's highest point) and back as fast as you can, regardless of the route taken. There were 4 of us running in this race and I knew there wasn't much of a chance of winning, but my main goal was to get a personal PR for the course, and have a great time in the process.
This would be my eighth time to the summit. The first 4 times I climbed it on multi-day backpacking trips. In 2008 Jun and another friend and I did it for the first time in a day and we thought we were pretty cool, but our time was almost 14 hours. We didn't run at all, but we hiked pretty fast the whole way. In 2009 I did it again and shaved about 30 minutes off of our 2008 time by hiking a little faster. Last month was the first time I have ever tried to run to the top and my time was 10:40. I knew I could run it faster, but I was having some knee pain on the way down so I didn't push it. My goal for the day would be 8 hours. I knew it would be tough, but if things went well I knew it was doable.
I arrived much later than I had planned to the trailhead and I didn't get to sleep until about 2:30 am. With a 6:00 am start time I figured I would get a few hours of sleep. I woke up at 5:30 and I didn't see any signs of life in Jun's camp, so I went over there to make sure they hadn't left. He said they were going to leave a little later, so I went back to my car to get ready. I was listening to some nut job on AM radio while I ate a banana and a boiled egg and then I forced down a Powerbar gel for the 2X caffeine. I finally got ready by 6:30 and went over to see that Jun and Aaron were just waking up. We chatted for a few minutes and then I rang the cowbell and I was off.
I started running right from the start and everything was feeling good. I had plenty of energy and I got into a really good groove. My goal was to beat the other two guys to Elk Horn Crossing (5.3 miles). They looked like they would be about 10 minutes behind me and I knew they would be faster than I was, but it gave me something to push myself. I also wanted to shave time off of my run from last month and I hit Elk Horn at 1:05, which was 15 minutes faster. I was really happy about that and the other guys hadn't caught me yet. Instead of stopping for a break like I usually do at Elk Horn, I got a gel an S-Cap out of my pack while I walked and ate it on the move. I passed a few hikers while I gulped it down, and then started running again as soon as I was finished.
When I came out into the meadow I saw a few moose off of the trail, so I shot some video and took a few pictures and then kept running. I passed 4 hikers that I saw start at 5:30 and they told me nice job. Running through the meadow I kept looking back, but I didn't see Aaron and Jun. I was still feeling really good and I was definitely moving faster than I had been last month. Around Dollar Lake I finally spotted Jun and Aaron and I kept running instead of waiting for them. I finally stopped after the lake to take some pictured and shoot some video, and they finally caught up to me. I noticed that Jun didn't look like his typical happy self, so I knew something wasn't right. Usually you can't wipe the smile off of his face.
I stayed with the guys until just before Gunsight Pass. We passed several groups of hikers from the lake to the pass. Aaron pushed ahead and I stopped to get water at the spring because I wasn't sure what I would find beyond it. Jun kept going and I didn't see them again until just before the summit. Several of the hikers passed me while I was getting water, so I made a goal of passing all of them on the switchbacks and I passed all but one guy that was going pretty fast. The pass was windy, so I didn't stay long. I passed the fast hiker and two other groups on my way over to the plateau, but while I was scrambling through some boulders I slipped and fell and dropped my water bottle, which rolled off of a cliff and kept going for about 100 feet. I wasn't happy and I had to climb down over some loose boulders to retrieve it. I wasn't happy about that, but quickly got back to where I had fallen and made my way up to the plateau. From this point to Anderson Pass I didn't run much because it is really hard on your knees and legs. There are boulders everywhere and the ground is not very level at all and there isn't a trail. I hiked fast across it though.
Just before Anderson Pass I saw a familiar face. Faceless Ghost was coming down from the summit and it was really good to see him. We chatted for a few minutes and then he headed back down. Even though I didn't spend much time on the trail with the other guys, when I saw them it always lifted my spirits.
I made pretty good time from Anderson Pass to the summit. This section is basically a few million + boulders stacked in a huge pile. I know the route well, and I moved fast scrambling up the boulders to the summit. I passed everyone I saw and about 15 minutes from the top I passed Aaron as he was coming down from the summit. He looked really strong and we chatted for a minute and then he headed down. It was just a few minutes and Jun passed me on the way down as well. He still didn't look like he was enjoying himself and I was worried maybe he was sick. I pushed on to the top and made the summit in 3:50, over an hour faster than my time from last month.
It was so windy on top that my hat nearly blew off into Painter Basin. I tried to take some pictures with my timer, but the wind blew my camera over every time, so I finally just snapped a few shots and went down. I made pretty good time on the way down and didn't stop at all until I reached the pass. There I pulled some food out of my pack and snacked all the way across the plateau.
Back at Gunsight Pass I was still feeling really good, but I needed to make some gear adjustments, so I got into my tank top and put on some sunscreen. I was stopped for about 10 minutes (my longest break of the day) and when I finally got going I was feeling really good. There is some nice downhill trail back to Dollar Lake and I seemed to be making pretty good time, but as soon as I hit the lake and the trail leveled off I lost my energy. It seemed like the run back to Elk Horn from there took forever! I just couldn't find the gear I needed to crank it up. I think it would have helped to be chasing someone or have someone on my tail, but since I was by myself it was tough.
When I finally reached Elk Horn I was at 7:00, so I knew that I would have to push pretty hard to come in under 8:00. I had to stop and purify some water, and for the first mile I was trying to push the pace, but the trail was so annoying with all of the boulders and I never could get into a groove. I found myself hiking a lot more than I had been on the way in and it was tough to make myself run and run fast. With about 3 miles to go I knew I wasn't going to hit my goal of 8 hours, so I set a new goal of finishing in less than 8:30. It kept me going and I even pushed really hard the last mile to hit it. I think the last mile was probably my fastest mile of the day. Everything was feeling really good, but I was just tired. When I finally reached the gate I had just barely made it under 8:30 and I was pretty happy that I had a new PR for the course by over 2 hours.
I know that I can do this faster, but I am not going to worry about that until next year. There are several things that I know I can do better. It was still a fun race and I'll be back every year for it. I was really tired and had a tough time staying awake on the drive home, so I stopped in Wanship and took a two hour nap in a church parking lot.
Congrats to Aaron Kennard who took first place. His time really blows me away. Anyone that has run this course knows how insane that time really is.
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