Solo 50K

The heat is on... Can you feel it?  The mercury topped 95 degrees here in the Portland area on Friday.  I'm not complaining - I love the heat!  However, my sensitive Portland acclimated body is still working out the heat factor.  I had planned an alternate run due to my not being able to make it down to the Lake Tahoe race.  Why not run a 50K around here?  I couldn't get any takers for a 50K on Mt. Hood so I did a solo, more flattened route on Saturday.

I set off with Tobey for the first 6.5 miles, which due to me missing a turn, ended up closer to 7.3.  It was early and I was already feeling the heat out on the pavement.  I dropped off Tobey, refueled and strapped on my trail shoes for the next 23 miles which included 15 on dirt.

Apparently I have a pacing problem but I'm working on it.  The longer I run, the more I fade, which I guess is somewhat normal.  I was hoping for a 13 minute pace overall and managed 11 minutes on my first 7 miles.  With 12 down I managed to lose a minute per mile off my pace already and dropped to a 12 minute pace.  Somewhere around mile 13 I hit a low point and by mile 15 my time was 3:10 - a drop to a 12:40 pace.  Yikes!  Halfway done only?  My pace was taking a beating.

At this point I was doing loops in Tryon Creek State Park which felt like a tropical rain forest.  Looking at me you'd think I had jumped in a pool with my running clothes on.  I think I passed many a hiker who was wondering...  The loops in Tryon weren't that bad and I switched from clockwise to counter clockwise.  I started feeling a bit better and the trails energized me to some extent.  I was checking my Salomon Wings and noticed the lace on my left foot was wearing thin in one spot.  A week earlier the right lace broke and I had to replace it but I had no spare laces with me this day.

Around mile 27 I left the shaded confines of Tryon Creek State Park and was back out into the steaming sun.  It felt good though.  But crap - I forgot to turn on the AC at home!  Deb and Erin were still there so I texted Deb to see if they could turn it on - after she had texted me saying there was a surprise for me on the kitchen counter when I got home.  Good!  I like surprises :)

I kept a pretty good pace those last 4 miles and was feeling mostly good.  With one mile left to go - it happened.  My other shoelace broke.  There was no repairing it.  I did my best to trot along and not lift my left foot too high off the ground.  Sort of a shuffle that probably looked a bit odd to anyone catching a glimpse of me.

My finish time was about 7:05 - just under my PR from the Angel Island 50K.  Not a bad time but it was a pretty flat course.  I found out later that the temps during my run ranged from 70-85 degree with a high around 89 a couple hours after I finished.

The surprise when I got home?  A bottle of Hoegaarden beer that Deb had remembered was one of my favorites.  I popped it in the freezer, cleaned myself up, then sat back to enjoy it and relax.  Ahh... what a day!

I'd like to finish an "official" ultra sometime this year but I'm not sure which one.  I'm thinking about the Cle Elum 50K on September 19th and/or the Sisters Poker Run 34 mile on October 17.

Happy Running & Dirty Feet,
Jessica

Comments

[Billy Burger]

Awesome job Jessica! Holy crap girl...I like that kinda gumption to get out on your own to get an ultra done. Especially in hot temps like that.

And Hoegaarden is the shit - you've got great taste!

[stephanie]

Sorry to hear you weren't able to make it to Tahoe, but running a 50k on your own is a great accomplishment. Congrats!

[Amy]

You are such an inspiration! I like the idea of ultras, and then I see a 7:05 finish time, and have to lay down from the exhaustion of thinking about running for that long! :) Awesome job!

[Anne]

Pretty awesome that you were able to do it in that heat that you aren't used to, and that you did it alone. That takes a lot of mental stamina. Congratulations!