Sister Moon, over Bear territory, in Cool, California, here is the back drop of the Cool Moon 100-mile and trail runs which happened this weekend, all themes well captured in the even logo. And I'm still in awe about what I was able to pull off there although the numbers, place and time, don't tell 10% of the story. Starting this race report on Sunday evening, on 1.5 hours in the car before driving, another 1.5-hour nap after doing the laundry as I'm alone for this Father's Day, with Agnès already vacationing overseas. Let's see how far I can go while all the images are fresh in my mind, before I crash...
It's the second year we selected this 100-mile race in our USATF Pacific Association Mountain, Ultra and Trail (MUT) Grand Prix, and I was sorry to miss last year because of my torn meniscus.
Anatomy of a course
With 8 laps on 2 different side-by-side loops (4 laps on each), this is quite a convoluted course and it would be hard to follow a race report without understanding some basics and a map. I have to say that not getting mixed up became my top concern in the last days leading to the race, up to bothering my Quicksilver teammate and Race Director, Martin Sengo, an hour before the start. Martin is an accomplished ultra runner with several Bad Water and 200-milers under his belt, little worries him. He told me: "you'll see, everything will make sense while on the course..." More on this in a few paragraphs, but at least I had done my serious homework.
The race starts in Cool, which is really a super cool village, 6 miles from Auburn, the Endurance Capital Of the World™, famous among other things for the track of its high school, hosting the finish of the legendary Western States Endurance Run. Speaking of Western States in short, Cool Moon 100 is a WS100 qualifier so it tells you about the difficulty of the course.
There is a North loop, the longest at 13.5 miles but more importantly the hardest with 2 killer hills. Then a shorter and flatter South loop at 11.5. At least each loop is run the same way, no washing machine style, phew!
Now, the trick is that, in addition to the start point of course, both loops share one physical point and aid station, Knickerbocker. Not only this but the South loop goes twice through that aid station, making it the busiest one with 12 passage, versus 8 for the start area. Conveniently, timing mats are both at the start line as well as that Knickerbocker aid station, providing 20 splits and a live tracking on UltraLive.net.
The aid stations are the following (from the race website):
- On the North 13.5 Mile Loop:
- The Ranch at mile 4.5 (full), then +25, 50, 75 miles
- Top of Dam Switchbacks at mile 8.8 (water only)
- Knickerbocker at mile 10 (full)
- The Ranch at mile 12.3 (full)
- Cool Staging Area at mile 13.5 (full) start/finish area
- On the South 11.5 Mile Loop the aid stations are:
- Knickerbocker at mile 16 (full)
- Pilot Hill at mile 19 (water only)
- Catecroft at mile 20.5 (full)
- Knickerbocker at mile 23 (full)
- Cool Staging Area at mile 25 (full) start/finish area
The North and South loops maps, respectively.
And the combined two loops, to illustrate the potential confusion. As we say in ultra, you can't fully rely on volunteers to get directions, you remain the ultimate responsibility of not getting lost and on course, so better keep a cool head throughout the day. And night. And potentially another day as the race gives 37 hours to finish.
Now that we have our aid stations almost in order, let's get to the race.
Friday the 13th
And speaking of getting to a 5 am start, better sleep closer the night before to avoid a 2.5-hour ride from the South of the Bay. I picked a hotel near Cal Expo which left 37 minutes to reach the start on Saturday morning so it worked perfectly. Well, except to get there on Friday. Early Friday morning, Google Maps was giving 2 hours and 6 minutes though Vallejo, or 2:07 on I580/205/5. I had planned on leaving early, that is at noon. By that time though, the ride was now given at almost 3 hours. But then a major accident blocked 580 and I took me almost 4 hours. A good test of patience, at least I was happy to made it to my room by 4 then in bed by 6. Things could have been worse on a 13th...
Early checkin at 4 am on Saturday, with the cool moon already up!
Loop 1
You got the loop format, and I'm going to go with 8, rather than 4. It's a classic and recommended mental strategy in ultra running, decomposing long distances into smaller chunks, that loopy format makes it easy at least. Although it's also harder mentally to have to go back on the same loop after you might have experienced some struggle. At least we were alternating an easier loop after the tougher North one.
Martin sent us, 100-miler and 100K runners in the first wave of 5 am. Later, a bunch of trail races were following, ranging from 50 miles down to 5K. It was still dark but I decided not to carry a headlamp for the first loop. The first mile was ok but, for the steep and rocky downhill of mile 2, I stayed as close as possible to the lead gal, Brianna Santos, who had a light. There was another guy ahead of us whom we lost sight of in the first mile. To my surprise we weren't following the same trail as the one of No Hands Half in January or Knickerbocker 30K of March. Similarly, we didn't start K2 from the bottom, but started the insane climb on Pig Farm trail, getting on K2 about half way up. What a crazy start of the morning, the glutes were already burning! I passed Brianna half way on Pig Farm then pushed rather hard to the top.
No stop at the Ranch aid station and on to the long descent down to the American River, also on a trail I had never ran on. I pressed on the downhill so much that I caught up with the lead runner before the next big climb of the course. That runner might have some personal business to do because he wasn't actually on the trail when I passed him, I just saw him behind when I was running the switchbacks. As usual, I felt great that early in the race, albeit worried for being in the lead, wondering about the pace.
As I was approaching the Knickerbocker aid station, on the trail just before getting back on the road, I saw a black bear on the trail, about 200 yards away. How cool, that was the first time I saw one in the wild. Oh wait, these beasts are dangerous, aren't they? I stopped for a few seconds but saw it disappearing in the bushes after seeing me so I kept going, albeit at a fast pace while passing along that bush. The moon was still up in the sky and I checked the bear sighting, I completely got the race logo!
Carrying my vintage UltimateDirection bottles (GU Brew and water), I didn't stop at the station except to ask the volunteers to confirm the right exit. Over the first mat, at mile 10. I made a quick stop at the second passage through the Ranch station, at mile 12.3, and kept running to the start line in Cool clocking 2:07 for the first loop, oops! Oops because a 9:24 min/mile pace might have been a little too fast and, with the first two big climbs, my adductors starting being painful, already; way way too early in a 100-mile race! I've suffered from painful adductors in 24-hour races before, this is almost impossible to come back from it as even walking becomes excruciating. Bottom line, I had to slow down, like seriously!
Loop 2
My main goal was to run more efficiently. I realized that, with the fast start but more importantly the lack of light in the first technical downhill, I must have been super too tense and put too much pressure on these adductors in particular. Focus was now on relaxing and enjoying the early morning hours.
Shortly before the return to Knickerbocker at mile 16, I see a runner coming from another trail on my right, second oops! He was on the in return to Cool, having missed the out fork. First I was afraid I had done a mistake but I studied the course so much and the course marking was pretty obvious, it was him. I told him he should get back to that fork but he decided to get on the out loop, in reverse. He said he didn't care to get disqualified. He was wearing bib 83 I think, which I believed meant he was on the 100-mile too, and that episode kind of got my mind really off track, losing the good spirit I was in, as it reminded me my Skyline 50K 2011 win after a faster runner ran the course in reverse which I didn't feel was fair (unless the course is completely flat, trail races are rarely symmetrical). Anyway, losing my mojo helped me slow down my pace, which I needed in... the first place.
After Knickerbocker was the main difficulty of that South loop, crossing the Knickerbocker creek steep dip or gap. Which we'll have to cross 8 times overall as we had to cross again to return to that station at mile 23. The rest of that loop had no major challenge, a long single track in the woods, just quite some poison oak to avoid (it will take a few days to see if I've been cautious enough...).
Martin was still filling water tanks at the water-only station of Pilot Hill, when I got to mile 19. Another quick stop at the Catecroft station on highway 49 to grab a few pieces of watermelon and banana, and off I was again. Quick stop at Knickerbocker where my cumulative average pace was now down to 9:33, all good! And, with some relaxation, my adductors weren't yelling too much at least, phew!
Overall, I was back to Cool for the second time just under 4 hours (3:59:56). For what is likely completely worthless, that might be a record split on the 100 mile. With a course record of 19:24 after 15 years, it was really crazy to start that fast. After 201 ultra races, you'd think I'd know better... But I still want to run like a kid! Photo credit, Marko Cater:
Loop 3
9 am, the sun had replaced the moon, it was warm already but wasn't too hot yet. I stopped for a minute or two to take a few GU Energy gels in my belt, drink some Coke and was quickly back to running. This time, in the Pig Farm wall, I paid more attention to tune down a bit the power walking, to preserve my glutes. And I stopped a few minutes at the Ranch aid station to eat a few pieces of fruit. And take a whole banana with me, which I placed in the front pocket of my belt. I know, what do you care about such a detail...
Well, I was going to eat it in the next uphill, just after crossing Salt Creek but... 500 yards before, I spotted a hiker on the trail ahead and that distracted me for a second, I missed a rock and, boom, I was sliding down in the dust of the trail, all flat of me. Exactly the same fall as the one I had back in June 2012 on the Tahoe Rim Trail while preparing for Gary Gellin's TRT group record expedition and... breaking my shoulder. For a few seconds, I wondered how bad the fall was this time... Thankfully, it was more dust this time and loss of skin on the right knee and the exterior of my hands (4th and 5th fingers, on each side). I lost a minute or two to dust myself off, look around to find one of my bottles which had flown 5 or 6 feet away, then stop at the refreshing Salt Creek to wash my wounds. While at the creek, a runner passed me, Kellen Scott, 34. Stupid way to lost a spot but it was still early and not leading anymore actually got some bad pressure off my mind, all good! That fall, though, big third oops... Oh, and the banana which I was carrying in that front pocket of my belt? Smashed and open in my belt, it wasn't pretty, but I still ate most of it as I needed the calories and magnesium!
My knee was still bleeding after the creek wash but the heat helped stop it before the end of the descent to the the river. I could still see Kellen a minute or so ahead but decided to not kill myself in the switchbacks given we still had 70 miles to go. To my great surprise though, I did catch him at the water/ice-only aid station at the top of the switchbacks. Well, not that he had slowed down but he was with another runner who were lapping. Kellen was quite agitated, I thought he was assisting that other runner but, no, it was something else. He had seen a big momma bear with two cubs, vandalizing that aid station before the cubs climbed the tree just above. He thought the cubs were still in the tree but I couldn't see any so, like with the first bear on loop 1, I went straight to first put the bags of ice back in the coolers, get some ice in my water bottle and in my hat, but then Kellen yelled that he was still seeing the momma coming back so we left promptly and I didn't even have time to close the coolers, 4th oops.
Kellen was running really easy and, with all this adrenaline, took off to warn the volunteers at the Knickerbocker aid station, about a mile away. I was still on my mission to slow down which, with the distance, was getting easier to do anyway. This time, it took me 2 hours to complete the 10 miles, compared to 1:35 on lap 1. Progress, sort of...
That time includes a few minutes to refill and for a volunteer to help me clean the wounds again. I finally manage to get most of the dirt out of my knee. For the hands, it was more painful as I kept passing the fingers through the handles of my bottles every time I stopped.
I completed the third loop in 2:41, instead of 2:07 for loop 1.
Loop 4
Now that I had figured out the convoluted course, it felt easier to navigate but also to walk some rolling sections. With that, I started wondering when I would lose my second place but there were still 60 miles to go and I really wanted to finish so it was more important to run conservatively. I still managed to run that loop in 2:22 versus 1:53 for loop 2, but the average pace went down to 10:51 by the 4th return to Cool. The key event of that loop was to get passed by bib 84 at the Catecroft station at mile 45.5. There goes my second place!
I was now 2 pm and the heat was getting serious, albeit not extreme between some breeze and even a few clouds through the afternoon. Plus the sections under the trees. Still, I felt a bit toast by mile 50 and much appreciated William Dai's offer to help. His photo credit, my start of loop 4, armed with ice bandana:
Loop 5
This time, it wasn't even a need, I had enough and started walking most of the time. The Pig Farm and K2 climb became epic and it took me just above 20 minutes to walk a mile, dang! So steep that, if you don't keep pushing hard, you can go back a few steps... I was quite happy and relieved to make it to the Ranch aid station this time. What was so easy in the morning became so challenging in the afternoon. Even the long descent to the river was painful, not to mention the pain in my right knee, bearable but annoying.
No bear to report that time at least. With all the walking, it took me 3:15 to cover these 13.5 miles, but at least I had covered 100K by now, in about 12 hours. Photo credit to Marko, as I was finishing loop 5 while he was pacing Miriam as she started that loop.
Loop 6
I still felt sluggish on that easier South loop and walked more and more. Actually, I also became nauseous which, even after 200 ultra races, was a first for me. To the point that I thought I was going to puke before I could make it to the Catecroft aid. In the mile leading to it, I stopped a few times to take deep breaths as I knew about the trouble you are getting if you throw up, with dehydration in particular. Then I remembered about the ginger trick so I stopped at the station for 15 minutes to not only cool down but drink a whole can of ginger ale, something I never drink otherwise. The say you should never try something new on race days but it was an exceptional situation requiring some remedy. And that did the trick, I was able to walk back to Knickerbocker safely. Still, I had not taken any gel on that lap so I certainly had not much energy left to run.
It felt great to get William's attention and support. He offered me a few options and I picked on the lightest, some broth. He also gave me a fruit bar which I place in my belt along a few GU gels. It was getting dark, I actually had to jog for make it to mile 75 before the end of daylight. Perfect timing to get my head and belt lamps. William also assisted me in changing top, and socks, a much needed pit stop overall before getting into the night. All in all, I stopped for 30 minutes so it was already 9 pm when I left. William checked his phone and saw me in second place after all! His photo credit, while refueling and before setting the lamps up (phones are too good with light, it was way darker than this!):
Loop 7
Second overall, that was a pleasant surprise and shock. That being said, there were a few runners who had passed through the station while I stopped so I wasn't sure I was still in second upon leaving Cool. That, plus the cooler temperature, gave me a kick and, now with two lights, I hammered the descent to Pig Farm trail, passing 4 runners, then power walked Pig Farm and K2, this time clocking 17 minutes for that steep mile. Brief stop at Ranch, jogging the descent to make sure I wasn't tripping again and power walking the switchbacks, with my fingers crossed that all the bears were getting a good sleep through the night. I was also excited to run that loop for the last time of the day and by the fact I was able to take and keep gels again.
Clocked 3:28 for that loop, not too bad given the night conditions. Almost 19 hours since the start and now approaching midnight. As much as I was far from my 20-hour finish goal, I was back and still moving! Finishing was the goal, with a potential podium as a cool bonus. Seeing the cool and red moon rising again was pure magic, with this poor picture not giving much credit to it.
Loop 8
I checked my phone and I recall seing 3rd place not even at Knickerbocker yet, so there was quite some buffer. But the lack of pressure got me to lose my mojo again and walk a lot in the next section to Knickerbocker, then the one to Catecroft. Besides, despite running on Vespa, I needed to still ingest a few calories. I lost a few minutes trying to swallow pieces of rather dry quesadilla and cheese bread. But the effort was worth it.
Leaving Catecroft though, a runner with a sub 100 bib number was approaching and I got scared I was getting caught so that gave me the ultimate kick of running most of the next 2 miles to Knickerbocker, then race the last 2 miles to Cool, at a 12:33 min/mile pace. There was no rush, that wasn't a 100-mile runner, but that helped me to finish earlier at least! 3:08 am, a time of 22:08:54 and, indeed, good enough for 2nd place this year. Although I have to admit far behind first place with Kellen winning in 19:36. I'm still getting on the top 10 performance list.
With 13,600 feet of cumulative elevation, and a few technical sections, this is definitely a course worth a Western States qualifier. Still, Western States has +18,090 and -22,970 of elevation, quite more. So it's only a matter of time before speedsters shave a few hours from the course record at Cool Moon. But, meanwhile and at my age, I'll gladly take a podium spot! It was one of the quietest finish ever, with only one volunteer at the finish line tent upon my 8th return to Cool, who handed me the cool finisher medal and 2nd place trophy.
I had forgotten to deactivate the heart rate monitor of my Coros watch so it died about 2 miles from the finish. Still quite a long Relive fly over with all these loops... you've been warned, you might get dizzy... (click on link or picture)
William was still up to help me pack, what an angel! (As I write this, he shows 2nd on the Western States wait list, he so deserves to get in, all fingers crossed!!) I slept in the car from 5 to 6:30 am then really needed to eat something (there was nothing left at the finish at 3) and get some coffee so drove back home and stopped at a MacDonald's on 80. Got home by 10:30 am and really enjoyed a shower, then a meal delivered by my boys for Father's Day, before another 90-minute nap. I did sleep for 9 hours on Sunday night after starting this post. On Monday evening, my eyes were hurting so much, probably from all the sun taken on Saturday, I didn't touch the post and got 8 hours of sleep. Finally finishing the post on Tuesday evening, after work. The wounds still hurt so I couldn't go for a run. Thinking of the race, sure, I started too fast but I'm super proud of having recovered from that mistake. I did sweat a lot but I was able to take one S!Cap an hour, and stay on my target of one bottle of GU Brew for every 15 miles. One pouch of Vespa every 3 hours, although I missed the 6-hour one. Quite a few gels plus fruits, some Coke, ginger ale, one thin slice of pizza (I love pepperoni but I went on the safer side of removing them). It's the water that I might have over used and which got me nauseous. At least, with all the walking, I never felt cramps coming so there is that on the electrolyte management.
Some post pictures of their apparel before the race. Past the disgust, this post-race pictures tells quite a story between the dust and the salt...
On our Quicksilver team, Miriam took 4th. Unfortunately, Charles dropped at mile 73 so we won't score a team. Pamakids has showed up in force again, big scoring advantage as we just passed the half of our Grand Prix season, resuming with Skyline 50K at the beginning of August. What a treat and relief to see Shiran, the Pamakids Captain extraordinaire, and now bionic, standing on his feet and helping out, with his two new knees: ultra respect!
Apart from the bears, wild turkeys, rabbits, I didn't see a snake at least. And I didn't see the mysterious animals buzzing loudly over the lake at night, that was quite something, and I'd welcome knowing what it was.
For a big change I spent quite some time at aid stations and I'm therefore even more grateful to the volunteers who assisted us throughout their weekend, for 2 days! Initially, I thought that was too many aid stations but ended up appreciating all of them as I started walking more. With a cut off time of 37 hours, it may get to quite some time between stations, and in the heat, mind you. Thank YOU, all of you! And then, my club and team mate, Martin, for putting up such a trail festival. Martin ran Bad Water and 200 milers, on top of his job and a family, raising twins, so that's mere ultra sleep deprivation training for him, but still. What a treat to run in Auburn territory! Oh, and all these bears, what a... cool way to trigger adrenaline...
To the next cool moon then!
No comments:
Post a Comment