Running, my second job and passion...: May 2023

2 weeks have passed, let’s see what I can still capture as souvenirs for the sake of making up for what my memory might miss in a few years. Or for some historians interested in some recount of this 38th edition our Quicksilver Club ultra series; running since 1984, quite a fixture of our North California trail running community! I joined that history quite late but have been quite into it since 2009: 4 times the 50K, 2 50-miles and this year was my 7th 100K. When you love, you don’t count...

What do I mostly recall then? Before re-running the course in my head, first and foremost that it was announced as a hot year, but it was more that this was the first hot weekend of the year so nobody had any heat training, at least among the locals. While most people suffered from the heat indeed, some people reported the temperatures just breaking 90F so it wasn’t that bad at least on the thermometer scale. As a matter of facts some sections of the trail were still wet, a big change from some of the years where the trail itself is radiating heat in addition to the blazing sun on the numerous exposed parts of the course. The other big news of this year’s edition was the closure of the top of Limekiln Trail due to a mud slide from the wet winter and spring we finally had this time for a great change. Contrary to what people may think since I’m proudly wearing the Quicksilver jersey, I very rarely drive down to Almaden to train on these trails. I wasn’t familiar with this addition of running Dog Meat reverse. A minor change in the grand scheme, but still some interesting quad and hamstring work early in the race. Oh, and another big news: the Lexington reservoir is full again, what a special year! Look at all these trees taking a foot bath:

And now in more details as some of you wouldn't expect less... ;-)

I got to the Hacienda entrance just after 3 am, I was second in line, followed by William and Chuck from Pamakids. We patiently waited until the doors opened at 3:30, I even managed to work some to prepare for a big client workshop I was leading a few days later in Raleigh. Then we waited more, for the bibs to arrive at 3:45. Still ample time to get ready by 4:30 except that, because of construction going on on the parking lot this year, the parking capacity was reduced and some runners had to park at another place, half a mile away. With that, co-RDs, Stuart and Loren, decided to push the start to 4:45. Despite wearing my Brooks arm warmers, and ironically given the heat advisory warning, I got a bit chilly while we were waiting and chatting for these extra minutes.

A dozen or so runners took off quite fast in the first steep hill, I was fine still seeing a few headlamps ahead by mile 1 which I completed, with some walking already, in 11:28. By the cemetery, I pointed myself in 9^th place, quite far already behind a group of 4 in the lead, led by our local Steven (Kool, 28), for his first 100K and I believe second ultra (after Way too Cool 50K this winter). I crossed a good bunch of runners on the way back and up from that landmark made more special by a volunteer wearing a skeleton costume. The footing on that section is uneven and it was still dark so I was heads down, literally. With the late start though, I switched off my headlamp before our first passage through Hicks Road and left it to Clare. Scott was already supervising the road crossing and he was again a few hours later when I returned, one of these ultra shifts!

The 5-mile climb to Woods Road was eventless but fastidious. With some walking in the last 2 miles, 2 runners closed on me but stopped at the aid station while, carrying 2 bottles (GU Energy Brew and water) I continued on that infamous Dog Meat roller coaster. On the steep way down Priest Rock I caught up with a runner who was wearing a headset. With the steep downhills my heels were already burning and I felt a better strategy to dissipate the heat was to just let go at full speed rather than trying to put on some break, and passed him. Since he had his audio in and we were moving fast, I just made a hand sign while passing. Fortunately, I didn’t take a fall in that tricky section. While I was eating a GU Energy gel before the Lexington Reservoir aid station at the bottom of the toughest climb of the day, Dmitri passed me, schooling me for not talking back to him, ouch! Was it my hearing loss, or the fact that I typically don’t speak to someone wearing earbuds, or the fact that I was ingesting some good sticky carbs, that left me... speechless. ;-) At least he looked very relaxed and was having a spectacular day, he would end up taking 3^rd!

Lexington was my first stop, to refill my bottles and take on the vest and Leki poles which Agnès drove down to hand out to me. Despite just a couple minutes spend at the aid station, I got passed by another runner. I used to run most of this climb a few years ago but I lost the stamina so the poles helped moving upward. As I often say, what I love in ultra running is the running part, I still hate the occasional walking... With the course change, I saw another part of the pack as we crossed path Priest Rock. Big thanks to all for the encouragements we exchanged on that section. I-Tao Tsai stopped to take these two pictures; note the interesting perspective which make my poles look like they are 8-ft long (I set them high at 130 cm, but that's not as long as that seems here):

My GPS showed 23.5 miles when... I crossed Steven who was charging up Kennedy Road, wow! That was about a 4-mile lead already, despite my feeling I had a better run than last year, when my hamstring attach was still painful. Some wanted to beat the heat early!

I asked for some Vaseline at the Kennedy Road aid station to no avail (dang, that used to be a standard supply when I started running ultras in 2006...), took some Coke and ice in my cap, and up I was again, still feeling rather bullish, in 9th or 10th place. 3 miles up though, and despite the nice encouragements of the others now going down Kennedy, I managed to catch up with Ben only to fall apart and not being able to pass him. We were both slowing down significantly and that allowed another runner to catch up with us and pass us. A runner who appeared to potentially be in my age group. Indeed, it was Roni Kauri, 54, from the State of Washington. I was expecting a battle with Dominick (Layfield) again, now 51, but he DNS’ed this year (Did Not Start). At least Roni wasn’t competing in our Grand Prix. I must have spent at least 5 minutes at the Woods Road aid station, trying to cool down and regroup, wondering what did hit me on that Kennedy climb. Half way distance wise, with the toughest climbs behind, the toughest was over, yet we were now in the good heat of the day and it didn’t feel so go already slogging in the uphills, still with 31 hilly miles to go. My quads and hamstrings had started cramping at mile 25, way too early. And painful!

I tried to relax on the way down to Hicks Road but had to stop several times when cramping was unbearable and my tights were seizing. I was still taking one S!Cap per hour and had taken enough for 12 hours, plus 4 spare caps. In the past and very hot days, I would take one every 30 minutes. After running 482 ultra marathons (including 189 ultra races), I should know better... I can’t believe I missed on managing my electrolyte balance this time, it had been years since I made this rookie mistake. Maybe a way to remain younger at heart?

We were so spread out that, despite slowing down, I didn’t get passed before I got back to Hicks Road. Two runners were there, cooling off, and left before I folded my poles. Half way to our return to Hacienda, I could see Karl (Schnaitter) closing on me. I made a long stop at my car to change top and cap, refill my bottles, reload with GU gels and a 3^rd Vespa, and pour ice in my bandana, hoping to get a fresh start for the last 20 miles. I saw Karl leaving ahead, now paced by Simone, but was certainly not in the mood of chasing them. Yet, keeping moving forward, I caught up with them in the roller coaster as Karl was badly cramping too. I got more ice at Mockingbird, another Coke, and managed to ask the nice volunteer to get a scoop from Kristina instead of pouring ice in water bottles with hands from the drink buckets (Paul’s legendary BBQ got nixed by crazy sanitary restrictions preventing from cooking outdoors, but it still makes sense to apply some basic hygiene on the drink side!). Anyway, the race strategy was now all about damage control on my side, keeping moving fast enough to get some points in the Grand Prix, yet slow enough not to fall apart. As it turned out, there has been an evacuation for heat stroke again this year, and more DNFs (114) than finishers (99), so not falling apart seemed quite a good outcome...

To my surprise, I caught up with Mike (Helms) at the Bull Run aid station as he was just leaving. I was so down though that it was going to take me a few minutes to regroup again, enjoying this special moment with my ex-club mates, the Stevens Creek Striders. I was looking forward to seeing Chris (Wilson) at the Catherine Tunnel Lolli loop, but no picture this time; Chris wanted to run the 50K this year but couldn’t find the registration page so ran another one. Despite a lot of drinking, cramps kept coming back but, after a few marathons 20 or so years ago, I have learned to run through and with them. Still, I had to stop a few times on complete seizure of my tights, that did hurt! Given the circumstances, I was pleased to keep moving on New Almaden and amazed at how neat the trail is after such a wet winter. Sure, some healthy poison oak in many places but kudos to our club members who volunteered for trail maintenance duties again this year, outstanding job!

A pleasure to be welcomed by another Strider, Mike Kreaden, who had taken a short break from skiing in Tahoe to come down and help us out. As I was whining, Mike said that everybody was one to one hour and half slower this year because of the heat. Keep that note in mind for when we discuss the winning time below. There was more excitement at the station thanks to the presence of Rajeev; Rajeev stated that I must have done so much better than last year when I passed him as he was struggling at the top of Providencia. But I’m afraid it might have been him being slower this year. At least it was great to see him still doing what he loves! With my cap and bandana full of ice –a luxury as the planet gets warmer—I kept on, slogging when I could and power walking otherwise. I passed a few 50K runners on the way up Mine Hill. About half a mile behind I could see Karl and Simone’s bright yellow jerseys. On the steep Providencia I got hit by the opposite: I started feeling dizzy and thought that, short of having experienced one already, I could be close to a heat stroke, yikes! I was probably not that close because it seems that you don’t really see heat strokes coming, but thought this was at least good heat training for the coming Spartathlon... As long as I was staying on the safe side. I managed to keep moving up to the only tree on that section and laid on my back in the shade. I don’t remember getting asleep but it must have been for some good 5 minutes because Simone was the fist to ask me he I was ok. She wanted to give me some salt, or send a medical team but, at mile 58 of 62, I didn’t want to drop that close. I managed to walk behind Karl up to the ridge but was unable to follow his jog once on Mine Hill. Several times I had to stop for more seizing of my hamstrings and quads, finally taking my 12th S!Cap. Again, I should have taken more, earlier.

The Striders were relieved to see me coming in their station after the heads-up and alert Simone had given them. I took a few pieces of watermelon, got ice water in my bottle, and off I continued on Bull Run still alternating slogging and walking. It must not have been with a pretty stride but I managed to run down to English Camp, and even sprint down the last mile to the finish. After breaking 10 hours a few years ago, I was bummed with my 12:07 finish last year. When I realized I could do 13:07 this year, I gave it my remaining all... 13:07:41, good enough for 12^th overall this year (against 10^th last year) and 2^nd in my age group. Given the circumstances, rather a good outcome. Well, except for my UltraSignup ranking which took a huge hit again... While Mike had estimated that everybody was slower, that law didn’t apply to Steven who won in a blazing 9:27:48, wow! 6^th best performance ever but I’d argue on a more difficult course.

Speaking of the UltraSignup ranking: that race got me a 72% and my overall score down to 85.6%. Surprisingly my age rank shows at 100% though, but that must be a glitch as everybody seems to be at 100% this weekend! Anyway, who cares, right?

And to add one more stats, quite a few steps in a single day...

As mentioned above, I’m feeling bad for the 100+ who didn’t manage to finish within the 17-hour cut-off. With 13,000 feet of cumulated elevation this course is a beast, albeit not technical overall. I used to say that most of it is runnable but that was when I was in top shape. Did I say that time was flying...?

Most sincere thanks to all the volunteers who made this key event happen again. I’ve heard that it was even more difficult for the coordinators to recruit this year, even more appreciation to those who answered the call. Especially as, a first for me, I didn’t help at all. While Shiran (Kochavi) stated that I was looking good on his picture at the finish, I didn’t get the energy to stop by Mockingbird to help Kristina this year. Special kudos to Stuart and Loren for perpetuating this great ultra tradition!

I had just enough in the tank to stay for 2 more hours at the finish and witness a few highlights such as: the finish of the top 3 women; a proposal; and the even more emotional finish of “Team Keith”. I had seen a tribute to Keith Evans-Orville in Ultra Running Magazine last month and noticed he was still in the entrant list. Some of his friends ran the 100K as a relay to honor him, ending in an embrace with Keith’s wife and family at the finish. What a meaningful tribute to Keith’s love for ultra-running!

Omnipresent ultra volunteer and finisher of many Quicksilver editions in the 90s and 2000s, Stan (Jensen), taking a Coke order from winner Jaclyn Foroughi, from Truckee, paced by Mandie (Holmes):

Jaclyn (1st place), Rebekah Rose (2nd) and Sue Qian (3rd), all under 14 hours:

Janeth (Siva), competing in the ultra volunteer category with Stan (Jensen), got a big upgrade with a powerful bull horn this time!

William (Dai) got his coveted 500K plaque for his 5th Quicksilver 100K finish:

With our new teammate, Elizabeth Omodt (3 out of our 6 club entrants finished, tough day...):

And these are the main highlights who come to mind after 2 weeks, although I could keep on with many more details from more than 780 minutes spent on the course this year. But who cares, right? And, indeed, long has been since colleagues, friends or even family members asked how my last race went. Just one more page in my personal running journey, while it lasts. And the interesting balance between physical challenge and pleasure to be part of this supportive trail running community! Next ultra race in a few weeks already...