Another report I had mostly written by Sunday evening but then interrupted by my two main jobs, IBM and training for Spartathlon. I already ran 242 miles since that race, including 5 50K training runs to make for a 205-mile week right post race, another lifetime milestone after a record 180-mile week just before the race. The road to Athens and Sparta is long and already exhausting, can't wait for some good tapering in September!
Call me old school, I have to say that it felt really good to see the result and be part of it: an outstanding bridge between the original spirit of ultra community events which I got into trail running in 2006 and some commercial support to attract the younger speedsters. I was for instance impressed how much credit Jeff gave to former race directors and the history of this event. Definitely due credit to these devoted Tamalpa Runners: Greg Nacco, who was running today, Diana and Tim Fitzpatrick, whom I had met after their Skyline 50K runs two weeks ago and the pre-Covid RD, and Willem van Dam who has lately officiated as course monitor at the top of the stairs at Quad Dipsea.
I had not run the 2017 and 2018 editions for the good excuse I was running UTMB and TDS these years. Nor 2019 because of the hamstring tendon injury, making it a 7-year gap for me. In total, 6 participations: 2007 (Nationals): 4:23:48, 2008 (Nationals): 4:40:48, 2013: 4:19:46, 2014: 4:27:36, 2015: 4:29:24, and 2016: 4:27:28. 7 years older including 4 years being injured, my main goal for today was not to break 4:30 or even 5, but 6 hours! After a rather slow Skyline 50K 2 weeks ago and with the current focus on Spartathlon, that didn't even seem like sand bagging...
Just after Skyline, I actually logged the most miles in a week ever for me, 159.4. Plus 28 the following Monday. I blew a few heat fuses that weekend, I decided to taper for 4 days to still show up with something in the tank at Santos Meadow. As opposed to Skyline for which I only tapered for one day.
Parking was limited at the meadow and Jeff had explicitly asked us to have at least 2 runners per car, so I organized a few options for our team. Luciano picked me in Cupertino at 5 am and we were parked by 6:15. We were actually welcomed by race sponsor and UltraRunning Magazine editor, Karl Hoagland himself, who teased me with: "It's because of you if we are all here!" Ha ha, all my fault because, after Covid, I kept bugging Willem then Carl Jacob to see if their club would put the event back on the map, and our Pacific Association MUT Grand Prix in particular! Friendly teasing, and certainly a great excuse to get back to ultra work, you are all welcome! ;-)
Most bibs were distributed the day before so the check-in was very smooth and quick. And a good number of porta-potties were lined up for the good size 312-entrant field. Saturday evening, I noticed the large number of DNS (Did Not Start) though, 56! Is that because we over do it or we are already late in the season?
I ran with my phone but the weather remained overcast and I got into the groove of working against the clock, so I didn't take any picture while running. With a cloud ceiling appearing rather high, I was convinced that it would clear mid morning, but I'd admit I don't have any expertise in that Headlands micro-climate (well, in meteorology in general anyway). Not a big deal, just that I didn't use the sunglasses I carried all the way. And actually such a refreshing midst after the hot days we've had in the South Bay, or at Skyline for that matter. Wonderful Bay Area with its 16 microclimates!
Like Skyline, and with a modest sub-6-hour goal, I was happy being behind the speedsters at the start. Especially for such a race in which the longest climbs are in the second half (a key tip I shared with our new elite teammate, Sylvie Abel).
As we were approaching the Pelican Inn turn, now back on the road after the cool conga line on a single track section, a lady was counting us and I got a 46 or 47. Photo credit to the talented Tiare Bowman (@tiarebowman).
Ah, ok, maybe I'll make it in the top 100 then. Because, mid way in the first steep climb on Coastal Trail, as I started walking just behind another teammate, Bree Lambert Sanders, I kept being passed by at least a dozen younger runners, quite a few gals as a matter of fact. As I grumbled to Bree as I passed her a mile later before Pirates Cove, I'm really getting older... Ironically, she is in her 50s too and still killing it! Also two pictures from @tiarebowman and I have no idea how she teleported herself so quickly!
William Dai and I-Tao Tsai were also actively spectating by taking pictures at several sports on the course.
I passed a few folks on the way down to Tennessee Valley and traded places up and down on the climb of Hill 88 then the tricky down hill to Rodeo Beach. I grabbed one piece of watermelon and banana at the aid station and might have passed a few runners there. On the next uphill on Miwok Trail, I spotted Excelsior's Victor Skorapa about 3 minutes ahead and set my mind on catching him before the finish. We were about 8 miles in.
I didn't stop at the Tennessee Valley aid station, not even slowing down to see who was manning it, sorry! William and I-Tao caught a few more shots.
I passed two gals in the next 4 miles, plus one who stayed longer at the water-only aid station at the Highway 1 crossing where I got my GU Energy Brew quickly refilled, Care Bear. The next section is really cool with a narrow and winding single track, I've great memories of it from when I first ran Miwok in 2007. Well, wonderful except for the poison oak. 2 weeks ago, I was picking blackberries at our IBM site near Almaden and, despite noticing the bush was infested by poison oak, I got a really painful episode with probably a thorn getting some poison oak oil right under my skin, ouch! I tried to be careful on that trail and I'm glad to report that I seemed to have not touched any branch this time, phew!
The next road crossing was monitored by Karl who sent me on the climb to Cardiac with an encouraging "and now the fun begins..." Indeed, we were now at about 17 miles with two major climbs remaining. I was mostly jogging up hill and kept moving as I could see Care closing on me. She eventually passed me on the Dipsea Trail, and I also passed 3 or 4 other runners. Then we got to the most welcome Cardiac aid station to catch our breath. With the midst and sweat, I was experiencing some uncomfortable chaffing so my first ask was for Vaseline, like in the good old times when every aid station had some back when I got into ultra running. One of the volunteer scrambled to look into the first aid supplies and found some Squirrel's Nut Butter, phew! Meanwhile, I discovered a plate of yellow kiwis which was unexpected and so so delicious! Thank you, thank you Jena, that was one of the highlights of my race, in addition to seeing you and Victor again! Victor, when you get back in the groove, there is a song "Jena's yellow kiwis" to be written! ;-) Photo montage by Victor.
Next, short of running herself because of an injury, Pen was volunteering at Cardiac and sent us toward Pantoll. I briefly saw Tim Fitzpatrick at the parking lot as well as Gary and Holly who were spectating. The volunteer monitoring the crossing of Panoramic Highway encouraged me: "excellent, you are just one hour behind the leader, which is outstanding!" Ok, the outstanding was uplifting but the 1-hour gap at 21 miles didn't feel that good. At least at 3:24 I was still on track to break 6 hours.
The subsequent downhill on Matt Davis was as treacherous as I remembered, although much easier to manage than at the end of Miwok 100K! The roots, the uneven stairs, the washed out sections, some rocks, the hairpin switchbacks, they were all fun to navigate 15 years ago but I lost so much balance and confidence since then, it's embarrassing. One of the reasons I don't enjoy racing in the Alps. At least I didn't get passed on that section! As a matter of fact, as I was approaching the running creek with its water flowing sound, so comforting these days when the whole planet is getting on fire, an older runner going up was wearing the Skyline 50K tee shirt. He too got excited and said: "wow, you are close to the top 5 woman!" Ah, I must have moved to the women league now! As it happened, it was actually 8 chicks ahead but I couldn't care less today.
I drank half a cup of Coke at the Stinson Beach aid station and got my water bottle refilled and up I was again on the famous --or infamous-- Dipsea Trail on which I alternated jogging and walking. I also walked part of the wonderful Steep Ravine trail, thinking of the fun years I would still run most of it. Tim was still at the top of the trail at Pantoll, such a long day to direct runners both ways! I crossed a dozen runners who still had the 8-mile loop to complete.
As I approached the Cardiac aid station, I noticed a runner wearing a Pamakids top stopping and, still carrying enough fluids in my bottles, I decided to skip the stop and save at least a minute. With my conservative start, plus the 4 days of tapering, my legs felt really good and I clocked 7:19, 7:22 and 7:45 for the next 3 miles respectively, even on quite an uneven trail surface (while enjoying the speed surge, I remained super focused on not rolling an ankle given the Spartathlon goal). So much speed that I ended up passing Victor (Skorapa) and 2 other runners.
Crossing the finish line in 5:21 felt both good given my sub 6-hour goal, yet rather humiliating, so far from my older times on this course and so far behind the winner. But the context was so different, it still felt good to have finished and most importantly, without any injury. There was quite a few bloody knees and elbows at the finish again otherwise, which says a lot on the hazards of this trail and the cumulated 6,500-feet elevation.
Preston Cates had grabbed the overall win with a blazing 3:55:47, followed by Paddy O'Leary also breaking 4 hours, and Drew Macomber at 4:08.
Jennifer Schmidt won in 4:22, placing 5th overall. Sarah Biehl took second in 4:40 with Sylvie Abel less than 3 minutes behind. Sylvie was so excited with this podium, just a year after giving birth. And she thanked me for the tip of keeping some in the tank for the second half. Maybe I kept too much myself this time but again, context is essential.
The top three runners pocketed $1,000, 500 and 250 respectively, great contributions from sponsor rnnr (running apparel).
Bree finished mere 7 minutes behind me and got in the top 10. There was no cell coverage at the meadow, I had to wait until being back on 101 to see how I did, place wise, and was pleasantly surprised that I had won my age group after all! 5 minutes ahead of Chris Greene and 11 on Chris Futterer. Also proud of a 5th place in the Masters, although there is room for improvement for next year hopefully!
Coros watch data in Garmin Connect:
With Bree and Marco:
There was an exceptional high finishing rate. On our team: Sylvie, I, Bree, Luciano, Bjorn, Marco, Amara and our team captain, Stephen. Regrettably, our doyen Steve didn't make the cut-off this time.
So many familiar faces at this race, here with Greg Nacco and Baldwyn Chieh.
Back to the 251 finishers: 2 under 4 hours, the 21 under 5, 47 under 6, 58 more under 7, 59 between 7 and 8 hours, 45 more under 9 hours, 16 under 10 and finally 3 under the 11-hour time limit. Another classic Gauss curve.
The fried orange chicken and cauliflower were such a treat and I also indulged a good portion of rice after racing on so few calories, thanks to Vespa! Thank you Mamahuhu crew (3 locations in San Francisco), delicious!
There was also abundance of local beer, hopefully enough for those finishing later in the day.
Again, it felt really good to see this event resurrected, special thanks to Jeff and his crew of volunteers, and the Tamalpa club! Tough course to run, tough course to monitor with the road crossings and limited parking facility, tough layout of aid stations across a very protected natural area and a late cut-off making for a very long day for the volunteers. These volunteers, real pillars of our local ultra community!
Huge thanks to all who made this possible and allowed us to safely play on these wonderful trails across and around the Marin Headlands. And stoked that Jeff is already planning the 2024 edition, can't wait!
Thank you for directing, Jeff, thank you for sponsoring, Karl and UltraRunning Magazine, see you next year!
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1 comment:
Au final une belle course ! 👍👍
Bonne continuation de préparation au Spartathlon !
Sophie
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