6 years ago, I ran my first 50k; Run for the Toad. I knew nothing. I ran as hard as I could at the start and I changed my shoes after every 12.5km loop. Mistakes were made. This year, I was back at Pinehurst for the 2018 edition of the Run for the Toad. This race would mark my 50th ultra marathon. I've learned a lot over the last 6 years and have experienced a lot of highs and even more lows. How did my 50th ultra compare to my first? Here's how it went down:
The Run for the Toad is a big event and the Race Directors, Peggy and George, certainly put on an incredible race. They set up the "tent city" in the weeks leading up to the event and they carefully consider every detail. I can't even imagine the work that must go into preparing an event like this. They are also really great people and important members of the trail running community. Last year, at the inaugural running of our Sticks n' Stones race, Peggy and George showed up just to offer Heather and I support and encouragement. It meant a lot to us.
I had a decent week of running leading up to the race but it did take me longer than usual to recover from the previous weekend's Chase the Coyote, which is also one of my favourite Ontario races. It had beat me up pretty bad.
The weather forecast was absolutely ideal for me; chilly and overcast. I knew that it wasn't going to be a great race for me and I set the goal of running it in under 5 hours. 4:45:00 would be better but I wasn't really racing the clock; just trying to get in a 100km+ week of running as I start to build for my December 100 miler. The first time I ran this race I was 4:55ish and I had that number at the back of my mind as well. Like last weekend, I would be running the 50k event without carrying anything to drink or eat and would rely on the aid stations, which were close together.
I started running with my friend Jesse; we've run together many times and even ran an entire 100 miler together a couple of years ago. We are typically around the same pace, though he had a faster goal time than I did. We ended up running the first 25k+ together. However, I seemed to be breathing heavy right away and was tired by 5k. Sometimes it takes me 8-10k to find my groove. By 10k I was drenched with sweat while those around me were too cold. I didn't necessarily feel bad, but I certainly didn't feel good. I was fatiguing earlier than I should be. Our first loop was quick, but not dangerously so and was a couple minutes slower than when I ran this in 2012. Our second loop was comparable to the first but I knew that I needed to slow down. By 30k, I was walking even the small hills and I was pretty stiff with a sore knee. It continued like this until 45k, at which point I knew I had to pick up the pace if I wanted to break 5hrs.
In the end, I snuck in under 5hrs but, unfortunately, my 50th ultra was 2 minutes slower than my first. The good news was that I actually didn't feel too bad afterwards and I was able to participate in a 13k group run the following day.
The following weekend, I ran the Guelph Thanksgiving Day 3-in-1 race. Basically, I ran a 1 mile race, a 5k race, and then a 3k race, and added the times to get a cumulative time. Although it technically counts as 3 distinct races, I'm only counting it as 1 race towards my goal of running 40 races. Here is the very short version of how it all went:
I was standing in the wrong area and missed the start of the 1 mile race. It took me about a minute to sprint to the start line after the gun went off. I'm an idiot. The funny thing was that there was a group of runners that were running the 1 mile while carrying a canoe with somebody in it. With their free hands they were carrying, and presumably drinking, a can of beer. Hilarious. Spectators were quite surprised to see them slowly pass by and then, 1 minute later, I sprinted by as fast as I could. I was absolutely gassed by the the time I was 1/2 a mile in.
The 5k went better. I ran fairly conservatively at the beginning and was able to run a 19:28, which I was pleased with- especially since there was a hill that we had to run 3 times.
The 3k was okay. I was pretty tired and didn't really push very hard until the final 200m when some young kid kicked it into high gear and nearly caught me. All in all, it was a fun event.
The next weekend I decided to run the inaugural Phoenix Trail Run at the Fanshawe Conservation Area in London, ON. I wanted to do the 50k but, because I had to lead the 25k training run for the Beav the following morning, I decided to run the 25k. I'm glad I did because even the 25k event took everything I had.
Heather and I camped at the park the night before. We arrived late and it was cold and rainy, but we still had a good night. We didn't have to wake up too early and I was feeling ready to race in the morning.
The course is a fast one without any major climbs. I really like running here and my two fastest 25k races were both at Fanshawe on the old Vulture Bait course. This race really made me realize the toll that racing nearly every weekend has taken on my body. I felt like I was running quite well and was working pretty hard all day but my time was over 15 minutes slower than the last time I ran here. I ran a good final couple of kilometres but my time was certainly a little disappointing. I drowned my sorrows in mac and cheese after the race, which was excellent!
Later that evening, actually at 1am, our dog got sprayed by a skunk. Before realizing what had happened, she ran inside and rubbed her freshly sprayed face all over our bedroom carpet. It was actually ideal because I had really been wanting to steam clean the carpets again and, as everybody knows, 1am-3am on a Saturday evening/ Sunday morning is really the best time to be steam cleaning. 4 hours later, we were up for the Beav training run. Nobody got lost because they simply needed to follow the skunk smell oozing from our pores once we started to sweat.
Well, that just about wraps up my last few weeks of racing. I actually did 1 other 5k race as well but I don't want to bore you with the details. It was ridiculously hot that day, there was an absolutely putrid smell coming from the Hamilton harbour, and the course was long. The best part was my Subway sandwich after the race, which was delicious. Not as good as the mac and cheese at the Phoenix Trail Run, but still quite good.
We are 41 weeks into 2018 and I have now completed 39 races. 1 more to go! I'm actually registered for at least 5 more races (that I can remember), which means that I only need to finish 20% of my remaining races. I like those odds!
Comments