Sylamore 50k

Two weeks ago, I ran my first race since August. My goal at Whiterock was to run the race 100% problem free. Aside from a short (2 min) bout with kidney pains, I ran the race as well as I could have, slow, steady, controlled.

At Sylamore, knowing that there was going to be a lot less altitude I wanted to try and finish sub-6 hours.

At the start of the race, I watched all the speed demons race off, I heard that there was going to be an attempt at breaking the record today.

Stu, Deb, Debbie, Me, Julie at the start of the race.

After the first mile, we reached the famed stream crossing. This is about 100 feet across and waist deep at it’s deepest point. Needless to say it was a tad cold, but nothing I couldn’t handle! Right after the stream we went up hill. The view out over the river was amazing.

Cruising along not paying any attention, and just following the guy in front of me, I soon found myself lost! There were 4 of us, wondering around looking for a blue blaze. It seemed like forever!, but really, I think we were off track for maybe a minute. Once we got back on trial I found myself behind some people I’d followed before. I just relaxed and centered myself. I hadn’t lost that much time and there was a lot of race left ahead of me.

The first aid station was at the base of the first big climb. Keeping with my new fueling strategy, I stopped off, filled my paws with bananas and orange wedges and took off hiking up the hill. It really seemed like minutes before I was on top. Looking at the course profile makes it seem worse than it is. But really the climb was only about 500 feet. I was really excited to let gravity do it’s trick on the decent. On the decent I’d met a fella named Frasier, from Memphis. He was looking to do a 6:30 time today. After we got to the bottom he decided to hold back a tad, while I kept on trucking.

The second climb was awesome. It was steep, rocky, technical, I knew I was gonna have fun coming down this later. After the second long decent, I was at the second aid station. Continuing on with the my fast aid station strategy, I grabbed more fruit, stuffed my face and headed out.

The last segment was the easiest (if you’re looking at relative altitude gains). This section I ran with another guy who’s name I never got I’m glad he came along at this point. I let him pass, but found his pace perfect for me to be pulled along with. I just fell into a comfortable pace behind him and we talked the rest of the way to the turn around point.

At the turn around I had to do something about my foot. I had sand in my sock and it was starting to rub my foot! I had a hot spot, luckily it wasn’t painful, just annoying. I had a couple blooming bananas, took a salt tab, filled my pack with water and headed out. I made it to the turn around in about 2:30. I was feeling really strong about my pace. I knew I’d just have to relax, let the race unfold in front of me for the rest of the way back. As long as there were no disasters I’d finish in under 6 hours.

On the way back I saw Debbie and Deb and Julie! They all seemed in good spirits, and Deb was taking tons of pictures! Before I knew it it I was back at the middle aid station. I ate more fruit, messed with my sock some more, took another salt, ate some potatoes this time and took off up the hill.

Me, on my way back to the finish line.

I had two more big climbs before the last aid station and I needed to keep my momentum going forward. Walking up the hill I found myself being passed by people, this was kind of disheartening for me. But I knew there were some technical downhills coming and I could use those to my advantage. Once we got to the top of the first hill, I let it go. I flew down the hill, passed people, splintered the group, lost just about everyone who’d passed me! Felt great! Next the short trek along the river to the second climb. Feeling a tad tired I ate some more food. It was around here that I’d started running with Rob. Rob and I kept motivating ourselves to the finish! Rob pulled me up the second climb. We met back up just after the last aid station. I knew if we could maintain an 11 min/mile pace we’d make it back to the finish in time.

This was when the race started to get hard! Everything started to hurt. Our pace suffered! I was getting more and more concerned with my watch. Waiting for the stream crossing. I knew once we were are the stream crossing it’d be 1 mile to the finish line. These last 5 miles included a lot of walking. Cramps, puffy fingers. The temps rose to the mid 60′s today. I’m happy with the clothing choices I’d made in the morning. But still wasn’t prepared mentally for the heat. I could feel it getting to me. Every rock face reminded me of the first one I saw outbound. Just praying that it’d be the last one, meaning we’d descend into the creek!

Rob and I reached the creek crossing with 20 min to spare. At this point we knew we were going to make our sub-6 finish. This is Rob’s first, my second. My first sub-6 was my second ever 50k, on a really flat course, and I finished 20seconds under 6 hours!

The last half mile down the paved road was brutal. We knew we just needed to keep going, but we kept taking turns cramping. his calf, my hamstring, his hamstring, my calf. The finish line was beautiful! We shuffled across the finish line happy to be done. I’m already ready for my next race!

I keep getting better, this is exciting. I hope I can continue to crescendo all the way to Western States and get my first sub-24 100 and get that silver buckle!