Blues Cruise 50K

Racereport 2008 Race report 2007 Racereport 2006
by Kiltrunner by Loopi by Shannon Cutting

Warning
Way over-detailed report! Sorry...

Preface
Ran the Blues Cruise 50K on Sunday. An out and back course on beautiful trails skirting a lake. Ran the same race last year as my first and only ultra. Last year I blew up big time - 2:05/2:43 splits for a 4:48. I just did not want to do that again. Other than that, I was not sure what I could do -- I was just a month from posting a 3-hour-ish marathon, I had a cold, and it was going to be hot.

Start
Probably the most casual and abrupt start to a race I have seen. We were all just milling about in the parking lot where the race was supposed to start. The race director just walks up - "OK ready..." the winner-to-be shouts out, "but where the starting line" -- "where you are standing is fine... GO" And we were off.

It spread out very quickly. We got on the trails and I was in 4th place. The leader was on a mission and already flying way up ahead. The two other guys were a little ways in front of me, talking a bit. We were at about an 8min / mile pace. I knew I should be going slower, but it already felt so slow and comfortable. Soon #2 guy picked it up a bit and it was just me and #3. There were a lot of ups and downs but nothing too major. As we got closer to the first aid station (~mile 4), I passed #3 on some downhills -- I have gotten pretty comfortable at sailing down them -- but he soon passed me back.

Aid station 1 ~mile 4
I dumped the gatorade out of my hand held bottle as we neared the station after taking a few last gulps. From past experience, I knew I did not want clashing gatorade flavors. Then I pulled up to the aid station and had them fill it back up. That cost me a little time and another guy caught up with me soon after. We ended up running together for most of the way to the next station. We chatted quite a bit and it was feeling comfortable. He was a nice guy, an environmental engineer, running his first ultra. I pulled out my first Clif Bar and wolfed it down at this point. I had brought 4 and was determined to keep eating throughout the race. I let the environmental engineer pull ahead a little bit as we got close to the next station.

Aid station 2 ~mile 7
Filled my gatorade bottle again and then headed back into the trails. Watched the environmental engineer catch up to and eventually pass #3 at some point around here. We were still around a 8 minuteish pace and I was feeling pretty good. I was hacking a bit thanks to my cold, but my body seemed to be cooperating.

Aid station 3 ~mile 10
Yet another chance to refill my bottle and grab a quick pretzel or two, then got prepared for the hills I knew were ahead. I decided to jog them rather than walk like last year and they did not seem anywhere as bad. I have decided I am actually better off with a slow jog then a power-hike as far as psychologically and efficiency-wise. Soon I was heading down the hills and completely alone in the wilderness. My left knee was giving me some weird pains so I could not sail down them quite like I would have liked to. Luckily the knee thing seemed to subside soon and didn't bother me again. After the hills, came out of the woods and had a lot of time out in the open among fields and meadows. The sun was already bad and would only be worse on the way back. Back into the woods for a little bit and then down a short hill to the road and the next station.

Aid station 4 ~mile 13
Down a hill to the road and the next station, another refill and back onto the trails. There was a group on horseback here, but luckily the trail was wide at this point and I could sneak around them. The lead rider shouted, "there are better ways to have fun you know!"

I forced down clif bar #2 at this point, tummy not too happy about it, but felt good once it was down. A little before mile 15, I saw the leader flying back toward me. He was looking very strong and had about 1.5 miles on me already. Runner #2 was coming back my way right at the 15/16 mile mark so a mile ahead of me. Saw #3 (he had regained his place) just a minute or so before I hit the turn around.

The turn around (15.5)
Environmental engineer guy was just a hundred yards or so ahead of me and I passed him soon after the turn around. My watch read about 2:07 at the turnaround -- a little slower than last year, but nowhere near enough. Got a good boost after the turn around seeing everybody coming the other way. There were quite a few people not that far behind me. Everyone coming the other way was really supportive and I tried to return the favor.

Aid station 5 ~mile 18
Still feeling good at this point and like I had a second wind. Got my bottle filled and was off again. The sections out in the fields were real tough. Especially up a hill on a loose gravel road - somehow managed my way up it. Still seeing runners coming the other way and they were telling me I was 5th, even though I must have been 4th at that point. The sun was brutal and I was so glad to be back in the woods, even though it meant I would soon be on the serious hills. Managed to jog up the hills. I felt very alone even though I knew people weren't that far from me. Coasted back down the hills and could already tell I did not have much left as I approached the next station.

Aid station 6 ~mile 21
Filled up the bottle and was on my way again -- soon to come out of the woods and along the road for a little way. Saw #3 just ahead of me and was surprised he had not lost me yet, since I was already slowing. Much of this portion was exposed again and I was not loving the heat. Forced myself to eat clif bar #3 and it was not pretty. Brain "You need to eat this." Tummy: "But, I don't want to." Brain: "But, you need to eat this..." etc. Eventually got it down. Somewhere here a shirtless grey haired guy powered by me - he was looking very strong and now I was #5. Somewhere before the next aid station another guy passed me and we commiserated a bit on "plugging away" at the miles at this point. Now I was #6 and soon saw the next station.

Aid station 7 ~mile 24
Former #2 was here at the aid station. He apparently was having major stomach issues and was taking a break. Soon after I left the station he came running up behind me, letting out a huge belch. I got out of his way, but he said he just needed someone to follow, while he dealt with his stomach issues. So began our dance. He would follow me for a while then pull ahead, only to stop and dry heave/hurl. Then I would pass him again and so on. I felt so bad for him, plus the sound effects were not helping my own suffering tummy. I had to stop drinking the gatorade because I couldn't force it down anymore. A little before the final aid station he pulled ahead for good. Very impressive that he still managed to kick my butt while in that condition. Right before the aid station yet another strong looking guy caught up and now I was #7.

Aid station 8 ~mile 27
Less than 4 miles to go now and the clock was just at 4 hours. Filled my bottle with plain water this time, which my tummy much appreciated. Now time for 40+ minutes of some of the most painful "running" in my life. Just kept puttering along - some 11-12 minute miles. I finally decided to walk some of the hills at this point, because my muscles were doing some weird spasms if I ran up them. Despite the pain I was still enjoying the beautiful course and the serenity of being out alone in nature. I did keep looking behind me wondering when the hordes of runners who actually knew what they were doing would inevitably come charging passed me. Instead I was quite alone. Until about a mile to go.

A guy I know from past trail races caught up with me. We always finish quite near each other -- always a minute or two in front or behind one another. He very nicely offered to run it in with me, but he seemed to have much more left than I did. A spectator let us know that the next guy was less than a minute ahead so I told him to go try and catch him. He slowly pulled away, but I managed to keep him in sight. It seemed like forever, but we finally hit the road and I only had about a quarter mile to go. Suddenly I had legs again! somehow I was able to power in at about a 7 minute pace -- don't know where that came from.

Finish
I finished about 15 seconds behind the guy I know - we were 7th and 8th place. He let out a big "Woot" and then gave me a hug. The hugs were not over though as my oldest daughter, 4, came running up. I somehow managed to pick her up and carry her over to where my wife and other daughter were waiting -- probably not the wisest move. I was hurting for certain. I foolishly decided downing 3/4 of a can of pepsi would be a good idea and it all came out a few minutes later, much to the surprise of my daughter - who told me not to worry -- the sun would dry up the mess. We hung around the park for a little while and I was feeling better - although it did not help when my 40+ pound daughter insisted on being carried back to the car -- D'oh!

My official time was 4:40:49 (though my watch was about a minute slower... strange). Anyway, another great experience. I just love the whole trail running atmosphere. Though I obviously have not figured out how to run these races properly yet... I blew up yet again, but at least it was not quite as soon and not quite as bad as last year, maybe I will eventually figure it out.