USATF National 50k Champs- Bootlegger

11/9/13

After the Headlands 50k, I was pretty jazzed about ultra running and excited to be jumping in. I soon after signed up for the Bootlegger 50k.  My attraction to this particular race was because it had less elevation, was in a desert canyon outside of Vegas, and was the USATF National Championship race for 50k.  Pretty great incentives, right? I pitched the idea to my roommates to see if anyone was down to road trip to Vegas and split gas money, two of my friends even signed up for the 25k.

Training for this race was a little less than ideal. After headlands, I had huge notions of training even harder and longer and doing more.  I guess I didn't really take into consideration how time consuming school would be.  After all, I was literally just studying to get my A's in 18 units of hard science, sleeping a decent amount, spending some time with friends (not much), and getting in some runs.  I thought I'd be running so much more, but I only really had time to average 50 miles a week.  There were some weeks I had a stellar workout or tempo, a great long run (22-23 miles was my max unfortunately), or I got some more mileage.  One such example was when I went up North back to the bay. I ran with the SFRC crew and added on to get 23 hard trail miles on Saturday and then double with a hard, but somewhat conserved NWM 1/2 marathon effort on Sunday.  However, there  were also the not so stellar times that comes with training, no matter what level you are on.  There were the weeks I only got 40 miles, was very tired on a lot of runs, didn't get a quality workout, or just plain didn't have the time to run because of studying and class. Another example was about three-four weeks ago. I was very very sick for a couple days and felt awful on the (probably) 9 miles I got out of that week.  Nonetheless, I did what I could and tried my best. I now know how to manage my time better and commit for the next one.

Ian Torrence counting down

Pre race chit chat!

On Friday the 8th, we all packed into my car and drove the 7 hours to Henderson.  I ate the dinner I had pre made and pretty much went straight to sleep.  I woke up at 5:15 to get ready and check out of our hotel.  We arrived at the start at 6:15 and got my bib. I was just relieved to get to the start after stressing about traveling and worrying about the logistics.  It was fabulous to see Alex Varner and Dylan Bowman at the start and I got to chat it up with several others.  When the race finally started, everybody started very fast, but I kept with my pace and bided my time.  I didn't need to run 6:30s at the beginning of a hot, desert 50k.  I was in 7th place through the first climb, which was pretty challenging, but very cool.  The red rocks were incredible, 

and climbing up to a ridge just after the sunrise was amazing.  I passed the 4 mile, first aid station and had a pretty good clip going. After that aid station, the course meandered through the desert for a couple miles.  There were a couple steep pitches, but it was pretty manageable and even fun.  It was very rocky and technical though.  That part was a bit unexpected and added a lot of difficulty to the course.  After the second aid station it started to get pretty hot out.  We were running back and forth on these really sharp-turned canyons up and down.  The out and back to the last aid station on the loop felt decent at that point, but I was starting to feel tired and dehydrated. I hadn't gone to the bathroom at all that first loop which seemed concerning since I filled up my 18oz bottle twice and had two cups of water or heed.  When I was two miles out, I could see the cars lined up next to the start in the distance and that was such a relief. Just the thought of being halfway done and seeing Taylor and Ashley was pulling me onwards.

Taylor, my fabulous crew!

Off on the next lap!

I ran through the start line, Taylor squirted her water into mine (I was halfway done and it had only been two miles since the last one). She smeared Aquaphor on my face and everybody cheered me onto the second lap. I had passed one woman and moved into sixth place at that point.  A highlight was having Hal Koerner cheer me on! I settled into pace next to a man named Andy, who I found out is from Marin as well! It was great talking to him for a mile, but I felt good and pulled ahead.  The first climb the second time around was pretty brutal. It was so so so hot and there were tons of tourists watching me suffer.  At one point I pulled down my pants to pee, pretty sure 20 people saw my ass, and noticed that the little that came out was dark brown. (shit). Sorry if thats TMI, but this is my account of what happened during the race, and that includes all the nitty gritty gross details.  Once over the climb and down in the back area, where I before felt fast and strong, I felt flat and tired and dead.  I only saw one man in that stretch and I passed him at the mile 19 first aid station.  Heading towards the second aid station was probably the worst part of the race.  I had to climb and meander through canyons and sketchy turnoffs.  It was hot, I was dehydrated, out of water, and just wanted to be done. I knew I wouldn't have the time I had hoped for as the course was a lot harder than expected, but I just kept telling myself to be "ultra tough" and finish and set an age group CR and have two ultra finishes under my belt.  Also, quitting was not an option for me, so just finishing as fast as I could muster was my only goal for moving forward.  However, finding that second aid station was exasperating.  I kept thinking it would be around the next turn and when it wouldn't, I felt like crying (but I didn't; because I was trying to be "ultra tough"). When I finally got to them, I had passed another man and was so thankful to finally see people.

Desert Sunrise!

I started towards the last aid station much happier and had a better pep in my very slow step.  I finally got to the third and my legs and feet were sooo exhausted and beat up from all the sharp rocks.  The volunteers were all very excited to see me and were incredulous that I was 19 years old.  They also told me they thought I was in third place because some women dropped out. This was the caffeine boost I needed and I eagerly grabbed my water bottle and booked it out of there. I only had 2.5 miles left and was ready to be done. Also the prospect of getting third place and making my first podium at A. a race. B. an ultra race. and C. a national championship ultra race.  It felt fast compared to my previous miles but I was still pretty beat and tired on those last 2.5 miles. I pushed forward though and gave it everything I had.  I passed one more man that was not having a good day and about 1/4 mile away I stepped on a rock and felt like I split my foot open.  When I got onto that downhill homestretch… no emotion could describe how excited and happy I was. Everybody was cheering and my friends were lining the way screaming. I dropped my water bottle and flew.  I was high on emotion and finishing that I powered over the line.  I sat down and was immediately surrounded by DBo, Alex and my friends, which I couldn't be more content to be surrounded by.  I ended up getting 5th place and a very cool medal to show for it! I don't think they did age group awards, or they did it later but we had already left since it was getting pretty late to be hanging around the finish.  However, I am now the youngest finisher ever for that race and hold an AG CR for the course.  I set a new PR by only a minute, but hey, it's a PR in unexpectedly tough conditions.  I was told that it was over 100 degrees at various places along the course, which is just unfathomable.

Clearly giving everything I've got towards that finish

As far as nutrition goes, I think I had a pretty good handle on it. I never experienced any cramps or feeling sick. I had a tropical punch shot block every half hour and a salt cap every hour for the first four hours, then I took one every half hour after that.  I took heed at the aid stations and coke the last lap.  Right before the second lap I took a double espresso shot GU, too. I filled my water bottle every station except the very, very first one.  I would like to blame my "bonking" (was it even a bonk?) or just my tiredness and slowness on the middle part of the second lap on lack of hard training and dehydration, which I couldn't have really helped.  I felt like maybe I could've eaten more and I would've had more fuel, but I don't think that was the solution, especially because I felt like I was eating a lot.  However, it was only 46 calories per hour and 16g of carbs.  I will have to learn to either eat more or figure our my exact caloric needs.

"That area over there was hell"

In terms of the competition, it was definitely faster and tougher than Headlands, as it was the national championships. However, there were several females who took it out fast and raced each other way ahead of me.  I saw that one woman that I passed on the first loop maybe twice in a three mile span.  In that sense, I felt like I was only competing against the clock and the elements.  I barely saw anybody out there; it was a very lonely race.  One reason for getting to the next level is that I'd have more competition and can challenge myself in that sense. At Headlands I was constantly leapfrogging with women and chasing them down.  I felt like Bootlegger was almost like a well supported very long run that had others than a competitive race.  

Glad to be done!

After this, I am looking forward to putting my feet up and resting for a week and taking it easy before gearing up for the next one! I just want to say Thank you to EVERYBODY who supported me in this and my endeavors: My family and zealously caring friends, Ian Torrance & USATF for putting on a fabulous race with great volunteers and definitive course markings, SFRC and Red Rock Running Co, and everybody else cheering me on- you all inspire me to push further and explore the physical, mental, emotional, and geographic limits.

5th Place medal!

Photo creds: Ashley Fisher

103rd Dipsea Race Report

Sunday, June 9th I participated in the 103rd annual running of the Dipsea Race.

It is a phenomenal race. One of my absolute favorites.  The history is so rich and endless (the oldest footrace in the nation after Boston Marathon), the people and community are so dear (it is one of the biggest events in the county and everybody cheers, runs, or volunteers), and the race itself is awesome.

The Dipsea is a unique race.  It is only 7.4 miles, but shortcuts are allowed.  The course starts in the Depot in Mill Valley.  there are three flights of grueling stairs in the first 1/4 mile after the only flat portion of the course.  The trail keeps going upward through some houses up to Panoramic Highway.  The first descent is on trail with some stairs.  It is relatively steep and earned it's name "Windy Gap" for the gusts of wind always blowing.  The trail empties onto Muir Woods highway, which runners take the first shortcut- down the highway instead of on the "real" trail.  Runners get back onto the real trail and descend into Muir Woods.  There are two ways of getting down from the highway: The "safe" way winding down through the redwoods or the "suicide" shortcut.  It is aptly named suicide as runners bomb down a very, very steep, narrow single track, surrounded on all sides by poison oak and sharp bushes.  Once out at Muir Woods, runners cross a creek and begin the tedious ascent up Cardiac.  The first part is called Dynamite because it is very steep, narrow and runners have to navigate through tree roots and rocks.  Then the trail becomes "better" heading to the top.  It is a very long hill, about 2-2.5 miles.  Once at the top, runners meander around to where the next shortcut is.  Again, the option to go down a wider, much less steep trail is forgone to go down an even worse "trail" than suicide.  This shortcut is called the "swoop".  It empties onto Steep Ravine trail, which is all stairs downhill.  After, runners encounter "insult hill", named for the crushing feeling one feels when he/she realizes there is still more uphill to be run.  After, it is all downhill to the Beach.  There are, of course, more shortcuts.  One could take the a nice run through the Moors, or one could go down Panoramic Highway, and enter some more "trails" through blackberry bushes, poison oak, crossing a creek and navigating around felled logs.  Each of these shortcuts becomes more narrow, more steep, more dangerous in regards to the maintenance quality, and more taxing on the legs.  After, it is a short drop down to the highway and a 800 meter sprint to the beach parking lot, the finish.

On Sunday, I woke up at 6 am to eat breakfast and change into my race outfit and Skora Cores.  I went back to sleep around 6:30 and slept until 7:30.  At 7:45 am, we left for the depot. My mom drove me downtown and dropped me off, then she, my aunt, and my sister all headed over the mountain to the beach to meet up with my dad and his girlfriend to watch the finish.  I met up with some friends, chatted and caught up with all the people I haven't seen since summer when I left for school.  I did part of my warmup with Liz and Jon.  We watched the start at 8:30 am and cheered for all our friends.  Another unique fact about the Dipsea, the start is split into two groups: invitational and runners section.  The Invitational runners earn their spots place-wise each year and get to forgo the ridiculous entry procedures.  The start is further split by age groups.  The older folks and the youngest runners start first in Group AAA, then it gradually decreases to AA, A, B, C... etc until the fastest women and fastest men start, all the way at the back in group Z, and scratch.  It makes the Dipsea even more competitive because of all the people you have to pass to place well, and the older and younger athletes get an advantage; they are actually able to win the race!

To give you perspective, I started in Group Q of the Runner's section at 9:13 am, 43 minutes after the first group has started.  I actually cheated the system.  I turned 18 the day of the race last year, and I turned 19 yesterday (the Monday after the race).  The last group to start for women is group R, 19-40 age group.  So I had another chance!

When I stood at the start line, I knew what I had to do. I had to pass an incredible amount of people and race my heart out to get in the top 750, to make invitational before I lost a minute.  I stood at the front of the line, poised and ready.  My heart beating fast knowing it was a matter of seconds before I would experience incredible pain.

The rope dropped and we were off.  I let the 10 year old boys in my group sprint ahead, but I held my position at the front of the pack, knowing how crowded the stairs could be.  I passed those boys within the first 15 steps, and I kept passing more people.  I took them speed walking; skipping a step.  I ran between each flight and continued passing people, head down and gripping my quads or pumping my arms.  At the top of the stairs I straightened out my body and kept running up and outwards.  When I hit Windy gap, I sprinted as fast as I could down the stairs.  I think I only hit a few of them, it felt more like flying.  Sprinting down Bishops and jumping over all the rocks prepared me well.

When I hit the highway, I passed more people.  I felt my stride lengthen and I could hear some people I know say good job as I passed them.  I of course took Suicide shortcut and tried not to injure myself slipping and sliding down.  I accidentally grabbed a thorny bush to try to slow myself, and it raked through my hand. (I still have a couple thorns in there...) Glisading down High school hill and grabbing the side bushes also prepared me well! When I hit the parking lot at Muir Woods, I knew I had to push hard up Dynamite, but take it conservatively, so as not to die up Cardiac.  At the bottom, somebody counting told me I was 834th in the race.  It had a positive and negative affect on me.  Positive: I knew I was very, very close and still had a great amount of downhill to catch people.  Negative: the thought of maybe I won't make it, get passed on Cardiac, entered my head.  But it was quickly pushed out with the lactic acid seeping into my legs up Dynamite.  At this section, I had caught up to all the old people who were taking it slow.  I passed a lot of them, but many of them got mad and wouldn't let me through as they took their sweet time.  I guess they didn't want to be pushed off the trail, but it was annoying for me, and probably wasted a lot of energy going back and forth behind them, trying to find a way out.

 

Hurdling a log!

I came out of Dynamite and started up the fire road.  Within two minutes, a man covered head to toe in blood came running down towards me.  The 8 year old next to me shrieked in terror as his blood dripped all over the trail and some even landed on me.  I told myself that that wouldn't happen to me; I'm smart; I'm careful; I won't get hurt.  I kept pressing onwards.  I passed people on Cardiac, but some fast guys passed me too, which hurt my morale and let that thought come back into my head. When Cardiac got steeper at the top, I just had to remind myself there was a water station and people cheering at the top.  Mary would be there! It would all be downhill! I grabbed some Gatorade when I crested the top and started to lengthen my stride again.  Mary wasn't there, as I couldn't hear her.  I didn't dare try to search, as it would slow me down.  I passed by this woman, both of us running very hard.  It felt like the speed I did my 400m intervals at.  She was very encouraging.  I burped after the gatorade, and then she did right after.  We both laughed (well, as much as we could while at that pace).  When I passed her she shouted "you go girl! You're so fit and hot! I want your body! Well, not like that, you know what I mean! You're so tan, god!" haha it was very entertaining.

I finally got the the swoop shortcut.  It was even worse.  My legs hurt and I had to keep up a very fast speed, as an old man was hounding me. He couldn't pass me because there was no room, but he kept me pushing.  I tried to stay nimble and not break an ankle... We hit the bottom where we had to basically run down this steep mound of dirt onto the steep ravine trail. However, here it is a bit tricky because with the acceleration of running down the dirt mound, it is almost enough to run over the side of the trail-side cliff if you aren't careful. So in one motion I jumped on my butt and slid downward resumed running.  I didn't even slow or stop, which is awesome, but I got a little scraped up and got dirt all over my butt! The stairs on Steep Ravine were slick with the drizzle and condensation from the fog and I had to put extra effort into "flexing my abs and trusting my feet".  It was tough on my legs constantly going down steps as opposed to running. But thankfully I hit the bottom without falling or worse! Then, insult hill. Oh god how I hate this hill.  It is completely demoralizing.  It took every ounce of will power not to walk like the others, keep pushing, and not give up.  I just had to put my head down and grind.

Eventually, I hit the highway again and tried to pick people off.  This mother and her 12 year old daughter remained in front of me when we got back onto the trail shortcut.  The mother was very annoying, shouting at her daughter commands for navigating the trail, commands at me to move out of the way so her daughter could be out of harms way (because me, a 118 lb girl could do SO much damage...) But they were much slower than me, and again I kept trying to pass her, but the girl wouldn't move out of the way! So finally I had to shove her a little onto a "pullout" patch on the trail, much to the disgust of that mother.  But I didn't listen and sped up.

Sprinting my heart out

I was on an all out roll towards the beach.  I kept telling myself to push harder; it will all be done soon.  It was almost over.   I caught up to a woman who had passed me on the final part of trail and managed to pass her while hurdling this giant piece of wood, over a ditch and onto Panoramic.  A guy was right in front of me.  I sprinted with all my heart and soul towards him, trying to reel him in.  Oh how it hurt! I was in complete pain, yet I couldn't feel anything.  When I made the turn onto the final straightaway, I could hear my family cheering my name.  It felt like I was flying.  I don't think my arms have ever pumped that fast, and I don't even remember feeling the ground with each footfall.  My face had pain and exasperation written all over it.  My heart was in overdrive.  I caught up to the man and finished basically next to him.  As soon as I crossed the line, I was bent over hugging my legs.  The volunteers asked if I was alright; I took a deep breath, straightened up, and proceeded over to get a water and shirt.  I looked at my watch.  I had PRed by 15 minutes to run 1:13.  I smiled and jogged over to my family.

I was so happy to be done and to have finished well.  I assessed my body to find lots of mud and dirt, but no real cuts or blood! Which, considering, is a miracle! haha

I meandered over to the mass of people on the grass picnicking, despite the rain and fog.  I exchanged stories, talked and hugged all my running friends.  It was a fabulous morning.  We left an hour later, as I had to get warm, shower with tecnu, eat food, and study!

Later that night, once the preliminary results were posted, I anxiously scrolled looking for my name.  I had finished 638, qualifying for invitational by 102 places!! My time was good for 454th!! Also, I had passed about 200 people going up and over Cardiac, which is mind boggling to me!!!

I am very pleased with my results and race.  I gave it my all and finally am seeing results for my racing and training.  It's a great feeling, knowing that I am doing well and running stronger, faster, and harder than ever!

You could say I've made a comeback, but I say I am finally making an appearance.  I cannot wait to see what I can do next!

all smiles!

My tat held up well

These little girls are so cute! (coach's daughters)