My goals? Sure, finish, score points on our USATF MUT Grand Prix, test my fitness on this classic mid season benchmark; but also a very particular one: set a new Age Group course record. Or event record/best as the course has changed quite significantly over the past 4 decades. I broke 4 hours 8 times since 2007 but last time was in 2018. Since then, I've been pretty far in the 4:34-4:55 range. Yet, I'm feeling stronger this season so I was optimistic about running under Al Brosio's 2004 mark of 4:38:51. Which corresponds to a 8:59 min/mile pace. Al stopped running ultras at about the time I started so I've not known him. From UltraSignup, he was a solid runner in the 80-85% range in his late 50's after he picked up ultra running at 57.
We were in great company in this classic, look at how many races this collective bunch of runners have run! Here is a selection of those with more than 100 finishes listed on UltraSignup, check column 3. And column 11 which has the number of Skyline 50K finishes, prior to last weekend.
As for the leader board of most Skyline 50K finishes, check Scena Performance's Hall of Legends page.
Now, at the brief pre-race briefing, Race Director, Adam Ray, warned us about a muddy section before and after the new aid station, Moon Gate, instead of the traditional Skyline Gate mid-way point. He also sent us off stating that this was going to be a fast course. Ah, I loved that, that would help setting a fast mark!
On the USATF side, Pamakids was of course well represented, as usual, but there was also a blue sea of the nearby Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders (just missing Christine, in Europe).
On the Quicksilver side, 5 men from 18 to 64, quite a range!
Returning to an older tradition, we started around Lake Chabot, clockwise, this year. Memories of sub-6 min/mile pace starts, with Chikara Omine in particular, came back, I was just happy to clock 7:37 for the first rolling mile and not to concern about losing sight of a first group around Andrew Catanese, and a second one around James Scanlan. At 55, James has his sight on several M55-59 records and I guessed he was after my M50-59 event best of 3:52.
With a few hills in the first 3 miles, I was pleased to hold on an 8 min/mile average pace, knowing we had a few tough climbs ahead. I paid special attention not to roll my ankle on one of the numerous golf balls only to do it on a small rock, 200 years after passing along the practice range, duh! More scare than damage but felt a bit stupid to do this on an easy fire road otherwise.
Approaching mile 4, I spotted James and his group about 140 seconds ahead. Again, I was ok to get slightly behind, focusing on pushing as steadily as I could on the uphills.
Photo credit: Brian Walker Ting, courtesy of #skyline50k and @scenaperformance.
Clyde Woolridge AS. Mile 4.1. No stop.
At this point, I was trading place with Dakotah Griscom, 39. I didn't know him, I learned at the finish it was his first 50K and ultra. He was slightly faster on the uphills, I was faster on the downhills. We would end up running almost 10 miles close to each other! Note that there was a live tracking with 3 splits: that aid station, Moon Gate and the last one before the finish, Marciel Road. Looking at the splits, I see I was in 16th place at mile 4.
Bort Meadow. Mile 6.14. No stop.
Entering the station, I passed Charles Savage, 77, who had picked the early-started option to secure his 19th finish. He was running alongside Tim Hicks, 81, who teased me with: "look, a 60-year old passing us, that makes me like a baby!" Tim would finish 10:06, Charles in 10:32. Respect! Especially after my upcoming appreciation of the new course. Shiran Kochavi, Pamakids MUT Captain, and volunteer, caught a shot as I was passing through.
I then kept my head down for the long climb to the ridge. Better climber, Dakotah passed me before the top but I passed him in the steep downhill before Big Bear.
Photo credit: Jenna Dobson, courtesy of #skyline50k and @scenaperformance.
Big Bear AS. Mile 8.92. No stop.
Running through the aid station, I got on the single track on the other side of the road, a winding section which we've ran in the past editions, instead of a much faster fire road and straight climb to Skyline we used when 15 or so years ago. The big surprise and scoop for me was to leave the wonderful Strean Trail to run Tres Sendas Trail, uphill. Well, running being misleading, hiking it up. It was already such a difficult one to descend in previous editions, the reverse direction really killed my average pace. Way above 9:30 as I got to Moon Gate, dang! I was so anxious to make up time on the way down, I didn't stop either, still having both water and GU Energy Brew in my bottles.
Moon Gate AS. Mile 13.25. No stop.
Dakotah must have stopped at Moon Gate because I lost sight of him, behind. I crossed a wet section shortly after Moon Gate, slowed down to avoid sliding and falling, I remembered Adam's warning and was glad it was over as I passed through the gate and crossed the road. Oh my, it wasn't all, water was dripping from the fog condensing on the redwoods and I lost balance while running through a handful of muddy sections afterwards.
As for making up time in the downhill, that was a complete miss between the high stairs and big roots. Trying to navigate I actually landed on my bad meniscus, ouch! I had caught up another runner but, with the scare and pain, I had to slow down a bit and let him go. One mile later, I caught up another runner with a white top. At this point, unable to run faster than 9 min/mile despite pushing really hard to make up time and get my average back to below 9 min/mile, from above 9:30, I wrote that Trumptrum in my head. Disclaimer, I was really pissed with that new section which I found much harder than any of the 15 previous editions, thinking that was going to cost me my goal of breaking 4:38. Crude content, you've been warned... And, no, it has nothing to see with policies, but, yes, I hate gaslighting among other current societal changes and normalization...
HTML tag <TrumpTantrum>
This Skyline 50K edition is a DISGRACE. The course has been RIGGED. What was the RD thinking, I'm getting my staff to FIRE him!!! We passed near a golf twice, I should have stopped, hopped on a cart, ultra running much easier on wheels. They named a trail after the FRENCH, pathetic! And they even put mud on the trail, DISGUSTING! And dangerous, bad idea! We need to redistrict this course, ASAP. So I can win and meet my goal next time. I'm the best, I always WIN.
</TrumpTantrum>
Pardon my French (Trail), I ruminated my bad thoughts for a few miles yet refused to back down, so I kept pushing on the pace on the tricky single track, like I still had a slim chance to meet my goal. There was still a half marathon ahead, I took a pouch of Vespa Power concentrate to recharge.
Getting on West Ridge Trail was cool as we were welcomed and cheered there by a group of a dozen runners, before flying down on that section. I was going so fast that, that I almost missed the next turn on Toyon Trail: there, I looked down the trail and saw a runner who had missed the turn. I stopped and yelled several times before finally getting his attention: one saved, phew!
Photo credit: Brian Walker Ting, courtesy of #skyline50k and @scenaperformance.
Big Bear AS. Mile 18.4 miles. 1-minute stop.
Finally stopping at an aid station to quickly refill my GU2O bottle and grab 2 pieces of watermelon before rushing out. Running most of the steep uphill, I passed 2 runners, then one more on my way down Bort Meadow, now being on fire again. That allowed me to clock my best mile at 7:17 (mile 21).
Bort Meadow AS. Mile 21.15. No stop.
Like on the way out, I flew through the aid station and, to my surprise, saw James at the table. My M50 record was safe which, based on my assessment of this new course being much more difficult, made sense. Yet, he wasn't having a great day as he is much faster than I am these days.
Just after the station, I had an hesitation. I could see the ribbons on the trail we took in the morning, Grass Valley, but I wondered if we might get back on Brandon Trail, like we used to, so I did a few steps to see if there would be other pink ribbons on the other side of the creek. I hadn't realized James and another runner had followed me, exiting the station, they yelled I had missed the left turn, so, with this verbal and visual confirmations, I rushed back on Grass Valley Trail then.
Running agains the clock, and seconds, I kept the fire on for the next two miles, clocking 7:32 and 7:47 on the rolling section. Then it was time to hit the long uphill to Marciel Road. Sincerely, I only recall flying down on it from all the years we ran that course in reverse. Needless to say, this wasn't symmetrical. I had managed to get my average pace down to 9:12 after these few fast miles but it was of course harder to maintain a 9 min/mile pace on these 3 miles: 10:16, 9:06, 9:11, every second was counting...
Marciel Road AS. Mile 25.85. Micro stop to get a hug from Stan Jensen.
What a relief to get to Marciel Road and see Stan. Despite being sweaty, he accepted to give me a hug, before taking my split. I asked how many miles were left and one volunteer answered, 2.5 miles! That was the best news of the day and worth keeping pushing after all. My next mile down to the golf was 7:32 but then we were still not quite at the lake yet, we had to climb another mile (8:58), then we hit the rolling section around the lake and I knew it was at least 1.5 miles, forget about the 2.5 miles from Marciel! I even caught up with Matt Ward with a mile to go but that gave him a boost so I couldn't pass him. At least I tried to stay a few seconds behind and, finally, the marina was in sight, phew! 4:36 on my watch, a new dose of adrenaline through the heart...
It probably wasn't looking like it but I certainly felt I was sprinting to the finish, seeing 4:37 on the clock as I approached the finish line. 4:37:37 chip time, 4:37:40 gun time, I did it, phew! I want to hear about the 2004 course to see how it was back then, I swear that has been the toughest Skyline 50K course I've ran since 2007.
To my defense, Andrew had won this edition in 3:52, the time I clocked after turning 50, and . And he was the only runner to break 4 hours this year. Quod Erat Demonstrandum. Case made! (In all disclosure, that was Andrew's Personal Best at this event, after running 3:53 and 3:54 before, out of 5 participations. But I'm convinced he is capable of a better time on an easier course. The 10th fastest time ever is still at 3:35.)
I had run with my phone the whole time so I had it with me to check on my age group right away, not that I had much doubt. Dang, I wasn't listed in the results but there was another dude with my finish time! Time keeper, Todd, realized that he had given me the bib of another runner who didn't show up, hence the mishap. Thankfully, I hadn't advertised the live tracking to my family in France, they would have worried. But Agnès was certainly wondering what was happening to me for not having any split showing.
And so... Short of feeling completely back in shape, I was really happy to break Al's M60 best time by 70 seconds, for what it is worth given the course changes. A 84% score on UltraSignup but Andrew is 29 years younger; age might only be a number but three decades start counting... ;-) And I know I could still do better because I haven't had any sign of cramping, nor much soreness the following day.
82nd 50K race/finish, this distance is my favorite and sweet spot. 10th overall, 5th Master. Overall, I'm glad I had this 4:38 goal to keep pushing the whole way. Otherwise, I would have likely eased up and not break 5 hours. 8 times under 4, 8 times under 5, grateful for these past 16 editions and hoping to remain healthy enough to get to 20 finishes.
Thank you Adam for perpetuating this Bay Area classic and ultra tradition. So sorry that you got beaten up by Trump above, this should pass, he should return to playing golf, the ultra discipline isn't for him! We need you to hold on your job, please! Thank you to all the volunteers who made this 44th edition possible. Short of time I only used one aid station but certainly appreciated the food and drinks at the finish. Including the yummy ice cream which Charles Blakeney keeps bringing year after year, home made by a family member.
Thank you also for the great course marking. And these Ham radio volunteers monitoring the course. It takes a village, many ribbons and hundreds of hours to keep us safe while we challenge ourselves, thank YOU!
Back to my fellow runners, I'l looking forward to hearing from you how you felt about that course, including pre-2007 historical anecdotes from the veterans! Please leave a note, below. That course... (click on this link or the image below for a flyover video).
Speaking of anecdotes, look at the imprint I left after laying down on a bench: sweaty serigraphy/transfer, and advertising for former sponsors! ;-)
Did I mention that, apart from the humid section after Moon Gate, the rest of the course was quite dusty!
Thankfully I had 2 hours at home to get a shower and finish packing before flying to Austin on Sunday evening, like in the good old days.
Special thanks to Adam for having brought back and keeping the original Skyline artwork on the participant t-shirts. And those custom socks, which Agnès enjoys for her hikes!
See you all next year for #45, we are making ultra history! And let's see which course we get, then! :-)
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1 comment:
Brooks shoe choice????
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