The G Running Diary

Into the Woods: 10/6/02

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Yesterday I ran the new Skyline to the Sea 50K, put on by Pacific Trail Runs. The race starts and finishes and Big Basin park, out in the redwoods. The trails out there are beautiful! The course included good variation in trail and terrain, going from shaded woods and soft trails to high chaparral and sand, and of course, out to see the sea, since the race is named after the trail it is mostly run on. Don ran with me the whole way, since we were taking it easy. He wanted to go slow just to have a relaxing race experience. I had to go slow because I will be running Dick Collins Firetrails 50 Mile next weekend. Don convinced his friend Jeff to run with us, for his first 50K. Jeff has run a couple trail marathons, and last year ran the Quad Dipsea. We figured this course would be a nice first 50K, kind of like the Skyline 50K in August, which was Don and my first. Somehow this race didn't work out that way.

The weather was warm--we saw the forecast and were expecting that. We thought the 8 mile stretch between aid stations at one point in the race might be difficult on only two bottles, but ended up risking it anyway. If we were taking it easy, that should be fine. As it turned out, the first aid station, which was at 5 miles, was out of water when we got there. And we weren't at the back of the pack either. That was a problem, especially since we had all done what you are supposed to do before an aid station: finish off your water bottles. Don took off fast when we heard that news. I think he was using the strategy of trying to reach the next aid station as fast as you can, before you dehydrate. But if you go faster you will dehydrate faster. If you go slower and walk, you are out there longer and may need even more water. I suppose there is a balance somewhere. Jeff and I followed on.

If you were running this course for time, you'd be pissed at all the hills. For us, the hills were nice because the ups and downs were good changes. Rolling along was good, and even the long uphills weren't that long. The aid station at 12 1/2 miles had water and lots of other stuff, but runners would have to hit this aid station again at 17 1/2 miles. Did they have enough for that? No. By the time we returned from the 5 mile out-and-back to the sea (really pretty views of a farm in the valley), they were out of water, very low on Conquest, and had a decent amount of ice. We figured there were at least 10 runners behind us too.

So this next part was the 8 mile stretch. Jeff had gone on ahead after the 12 1/2 mile mark. Don and I continued on and compared various aches and pains. I thought to myself that I was in a lot of pain--the backs of my legs from calves up to hamstrings just hurt--and then I remembered I was carrying Advil. Pain means take painkiller, right? So I did, and exactly 20 minutes later, it kicked in and I improved in my ability to run. The trails on the way back to the finish area were mostly shaded, so the heat didn't get us too badly. I was just thirsty. We reached the finish area at 26 miles with still an extra 5-mile loop to go. I wasn't disappointed that there was still more to do. I was just glad I could take off with two bottles full of good old plain water. The 5-mile loop was used for the 8K race that started at the same time we did and was long over by that time. It went out in the other direction of the Skyline to the Sea trail and then looped around on some other fireroads and trails. Another area new to us! There was a pretty section of fireroad that seemed almost cultivated, with a very soft running surface. Sooner than I expected, we were done, and smiling again. I asked Wendell what the 8K runners thought of that course. He said some loved it and some hated it. I could see that because it was beautiful and varied, but hard. The 8K times were not fast. It didn't seem hard and the pace Don and I were run/walking, but for someone trying to blast the whole thing, that would hurt.

We hung out for a while afterwards, eating chili and chicken soup, and talking with a few guys who we always see at these events. Jeff had finished about 11 minutes before us. He was smiling too, but mumbling a bit about cramps. I felt great, but tired. My toes hurt a bit. I used Asics 2060s and used Bag Balm with no pre-taping. The underside of my big toes are looking rough, but don't hurt today. So, our time was about 7:22. What a great way to spend a Saturday.