There’s no other way to say this: I had a fantastic time at the Whoo’s In El Moro 50k this past weekend! I tried to get in last year, but the entry field was so small it sold out before I had a chance to register. So I guess you could say I’ve been looking forward to this race for over a year. I wasn’t sure how I would do, since I haven’t exactly been taking it easy the past few weeks, but I ended up feeling really good and setting a Personal Record for the 50k distance. Plus, I was able to definitively answer this most important question:
Word.
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I’ve really been struggling with what to say about this race, and how much I can, or should, complain. One of the things I love about trail running is the bare-bones ethos, the rugged nature of the sport, the fact that we carry our own water and duct tape our blisters and suck it up instead of crying it out. I love that there’s beer at the finish line instead of fancy Mylar blankets. (And I don’t even drink beer! But I still love what it represents.) The low-key nature is a huge selling point, so it feels a little disingenuous to complain about this race for being too low-key.
But, at the end of the day, this race was not satisfying, was not particularly enjoyable as a race (although it was a lovely casual run) and it made me think long and hard about what I expect from a “race” in general. Here are a few of the ideas I had about what constitutes race necessities:
- Organization: a clear leader, who can answer questions, provide guidance, and get the race started (on time!)
- A well-marked course so runners don’t get lost
- Adequate and well-spaced aid stations
- Safety precautions in place for runners
Now, there are a lot more things that add to the fun, like goodie bags, awesome food at aid stations, post-run picnics, etc. But these four things are, to me, the necessities required to have a successful race. And I’m sorry to say I don’t think the Chino Hills 20-mile race delivered on any count.
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A week after my triumphant return casual slide back into racing at the St. Patrick’s Day Half, I ran another trail half marathon—this one at Irvine Regional Park in Orange County. I’d never been to the park—heck, never even heard of it, despite living less than an hour away—so all I knew was that the race website promised hills, and lots of them. After the flatness of Coto de Caza, I was ready for some climbing. Bring it.
The hills…they was brought.
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So here’s a gross—and sad—but mostly just gross—little story. I took some time off from racing in the fall of 2010, and planned to jump back into things that winter and early spring 2011. My first race was scheduled for February 2011, and I spent some time building up my mileage so I’d be ready to start the ultra game with a bang. All was going well, no injuries, feeling strong, and then, two days after Valentine’s Day, I woke up with a few itchy bumps on my legs.
A day later, the bumps were a full-blown rash. A day after that, they were swollen and infected, and I had hot, swollen, pus-filled welts running up and down both legs. [Pictures redacted to spare you the nightmares.] After several different diagnoses, and many different drugs, my legs were on the mend, but it was a solid 3 weeks before I could run at all, and by that time I had missed two 50ks I’d been planning on running. Plus, the extended downtime made me feel sluggish and I lost a little of my running mojo. I had more big races coming up, and I knew I had to snap myself out of my running malaise and get excited about training again, pronto.
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My first 50 mile race! If you had told me 10 years ago that I would be running 50 miles, I wouldn’t have believed you. It’s been a slow but natural progression, from running a lap around the park to running 3 miles to running 6 miles to training for my first marathon to doing my first 50k. I stayed with 50ks for five years, and never much felt the urge to venture beyond. Marathon to 50k isn’t a huge jump, but 50k to 50 mile felt enormous. When I finally did get the courage to register for my first 50-miler in 2008, I got injured a few months prior and had to pull out of the race. So although I registered for the Rocky Road 50 miler just a few weeks before the race, it was really a distance in the making for the past few years.
Putting the “rock” in Rocky Road
For all the slow buildup leading to this race, there wasn’t any anxiety or drama associated with running a new, scary distance. It’s funny, but I had a really peaceful feeling about this race. No nerves, no doubts. Maybe because I’d been racing so much this spring, or maybe I was just older and wiser and knew that I was ready for it. Whatever the reason, I just accepted the distance and didn’t stress. I even slept like a baby the night before! (That NEVER happens.) The race was in a gated community in Orange County, so I was up at 4 am to drive down for the 7am start. The course was not physically challenging, but it was tough mentally: a hard 5-mile loop on singletrack, then 3 out-and-back sections of 15 miles each to make the 50 mile total.
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