Great quote from famous health advocate and runner Are Waerland

"...Running acts as a bath in pure oxygen. It opens all the pores of our skin,
ventilates our clothes, stimulates our nerves, brings our capillary muscles into action,
oxygenates our blood, burns up all rubbish in our tissues and leaves us with a good
supply of oxygen in stock for further demands. This extra store of oxygen in the
human system manifests itself physically in a feeling of buoyancy and of almost
boundless energy. Worries disappear like a mist before the morning sun in June.
Difficulties seem to exist only to be overcome. Activity is our joy. Life is glorious ...
whilst oxygen-hunger makes us languid and lazy, we gasp for air and are mentally
irritable, taking a gloomy view of everything!..."

and another one

"What is old age but a gradual, involuntary and voluntary slowing down of all our
bodily activities. If you always walk gently, slowly, respectably, step by step, you will
be an old man at 30. But if you run at 60 and 70 and 80, at least once daily for 10 or
15 minutes, you will never know old age. You will keep young until the very last
moment of your life, and you will smile at death which should come to you then, not
as the result of a devastating pulmonary fire or pneumonia, but in the form Nature
meant it to come, the heart suddenly going to rest with its last beat like a clock when
the spring has run down. When the heart stops, everything on all the canals in the vast
lagoon-city of our body also comes suddenly to a standstill. Every boatman ships his
oars, every vessel hauls down its flag. The great Silence has fallen over the whole
community. The time has arrived for breaking up, for saying 'good bye' and starting
on a new adventure."

Tahoe Rim Trail 100M - tough!

I ran the same 100M race in 2006, but decided to stop at 77M since I felt so tired. I have since come to understand, by doing other 100M races, that this is something to be expected for a 100M race...So this year I had set mind to finish this race all the way.
I went up to Carson City on Friday, the day before the start to check in and weigh in for the race officials etc. I felt better prepared than the previous year, but still was only able to sleep 4 hours during the night before the race - before getting up at 2 AM to get ready for the start at 5 AM.

Similar to the previous year I headed out at a brisk but calm pace in the beginning, The first 30 minutes are in early dawn and without headlamp it is sometimes hard to see roots and rocks on the trail ahead. But I stayed close to some other runners in the front pack. Instinctively I knew I was running at a too high pace, but it was fun and the running was easy even if we were climbing 1000 feet in the first 4 miles up to Lake Marlette. I ran a few miles with Scott Dunlap. After just over an hour I came up to the first aid station at Hobart, it was 2 minutes faster than last year. I filled up my bottles and continued up the next hill. It was a cool morning with a brisk breeze, in what would turn out to be a cooler day compared with 2006. I was glad I decided to wear a long sleeve jersey.

I climbed up and around the Marlette ridge, and rounded the photographers in their usual spot. I kept a steady pace along the next few ridge lines, until came down to the long zig-zag downhill section leading into Tunnel Creek. My time at Tunnel Creek was still a couple of minutes faster than last year – at just over 2 hours. I filled half bottles and started down Red House trail. The previous night I had been reading about downhill running technique, and this was a perfect place to fine-tune my downhill form. A couple of runners had passed me in the last hour but otherwise I was staying steady in the field, probably at around 6^th place, as I was going down the hill. My time to Red house was faster than last year, and I ran all the way up to Tunnel Creek – except for the last steep section in the sand.

I was at around 3.15 into the race and I continued towards Diamond Peak. Last year I ran this section with a small group of runners which helped maintain a nice steady pace, but this year I was on my own. The section up to Diamond peak went quick as usual, but the last section to Mt Rose was felt very long. There are never ending series of seemingly similar twists and turns and it plays games with your mind – thinking that the final turn is just around the next corner. It would be really good to do a few training runs on this part of the course so to better know how to run this lengthy 6+ mile portion. A few runners passed me during these hours and I started to realize I probably had gone out way o fast. I started to have some pain in my knees which surprised me, and I as also feeling a bit tired and had to walk most of the last hill over the wide meadow leading into the Mt Rose aid station. I arrived there about 10 minutes later than the year before, at around 5:00 into the race.

I was doing fine on my hydration, weigh-in showed I had lost only 1 pound in the first 5 hours. I spent a few minutes resting, and had some sandwiches and then returned back down the trail. Now my leg pain was worse and I walked long stretches where it should have been an easy run down the trail. I arrived back to Tunnel Creek at around 7:00 hours. Last year I had felt a little bit of cramping in my thigh muscles at this point and had gotten some help to stretch it out. This year I was OK – except for the continued pain that limited my ability to run continuously. I was still only 10 minutes off my time from 2006. I filled up my bottles and continued the hike up the zig-zag trail to Hobart aid station, I did very little running since it is mostly uphill and I did not have the energy to really get into an effective stride among all the climbing. At Hobart I had a great milkshake (this is the best!). By now the day was starting to get really hot, but I was very

focused on my fluids since I did not want to repeat the problems I had previous year where I had to wait for a bit at Snow Valley due to too much weight loss at that point. The climb up to Snow Valley felt shorter than last year, I was power hiking all the way up and arrived at 9:29 into the race, I was now 15 minutes behind pace from last year. The following section down to the start at Spooner Lake is generally very runnable, but I walked large portions of this arriving to the Start/Finish area at 11:20, approximately 40 minutes later compared with previous year.

However, I did not feel too bad about this, although I had leg pain, since I had felt I had good energy level and was actually looking forward to the second lap and the night portion of the run. The volunteers at Spooner aid station were amazing, 100% service, and super friendly. I
changed shoes, socks, and shorts. I called home to my wife and let her know all was fine and that I was starting the second lap. After eating some more pasta soup I started the long trudge up the Marlette Lake trail. This climb always is so much longer and difficult the second time compared with the first lap. Halfway up to the lake I started to feel a little bit tired and had to pause a few times up the trail and catch my breath for a few moments. I sensed I was not getting enough energy so I had a big bar of chocolate – this tasted great!

As I came closer to the Hobart aid station I felt the energy slowly returning. A few runners passed me when coming down to Tunnel Creek, where I arrived at about 15 hours. My pace during the second lap was virtually same as in 2006, and the Red House loop was even slightly faster, probably due to faster down hill running. I had taken a couple of Ibuprofen and it magically helped numb the pain and I was feeling much better than earlier in the day. I was still 45 minutes off the pace from the previous year – but I kept moving steadily and I felt it really helped to have done the race previously so to know what to expect during the second lap.

Last year I stop the race at mile 77 in Mt Rose, it was my first 100M race ever, and I had become amazingly tired. Ass the night had progressed, I had difficulties to mentally keep myself going in the last stretch up towards Mt Rose aid station. With this in mind I had decided that this year I should go carefully but really tough it out and to really keep an eye on how I was feeling as I proceeded up this section of the course. I met some of the lead runners returning when I got closer to Mt Rose. This gave me some energy even though I realized that I had 30-45 minutes remaining before I would reach the turn around point. Route finding was easier this year, the race director had used a better reflective marking and it showed perfectly in the dark.

At Mt Rose aid station I sat down for a while and had plenty of food and drink, 2 peanut butter sandwiches, chocolate milk, pasta soup, and one can of Red Bull. I was relieved I was feeling much stronger mentally compared with the previous year, even though I was about 1 hour later overall at this point. I had planned to take another dose of painkillers here but I had lost my pills, so I had to continue on without it. It didn’t occur to me that I should have asked to get some at the aid station. It was really cold at Mt Rose and especially the meadows area was literally freezing – and I saw several other runners struggling due to too little clothing on. I was fine with a long-sleeve running jersey + wind breaker. But it would have been nice to have had a cap for my head. At this point I knew that I would be able to complete the race and I was starting to calculate how many hours I had remaining if I wanted to qualify for the 30 hr belt buckle.

The next few hours were quite interesting as I grew increasingly sleepy and tired. I knew this would happen so I was not surprised when I had to stop to sit down on a nearby rock a handful of times and just collect myself and focus my energy. I had no pain any more and I was power hiking much of this section. Several times I found myself sleeping while walking – amazing. I passed a few runners during the night – so I realized I was not the only one feeling tired at this point, and I was able to run some portions of the trail back to the aid station at Tunnel Creek , arriving at 23:30 hrs (4:30 AM). It was still dark, but I was relieved I had completed the demanding Mt Rose loop and that the night now was almost over.

At Tunnel Creek I layed down on floor in the aid station tent. The volunteers brought a couple of blankets, and I asked them to wake me up in 5 minutes. It felt really great to get a few moments of rest. I had a couple of bowls of soup, and then started out along the trail again. In some strange way I was relieved that I had the long uphill zig-zag section since this meant I did not “need” to run, and it “was OK” to just power hike. I was able to switch off my head lamp half way up the hill, and I enjoyed a beautiful sunrise while coming up the crest around Marlette Peak. I arrived at Hobart aid station at 25:30 and had some more soup, and bread, and some pain killers. I knew the last long climb to Snow Valley Peak was just ahead, but I was glad it is a short section – just under 3 miles, and from there it would be mostly an “easy” downhill to the finish line.

I crested to Snow Valley aid station at 26:30 and felt great. The aid station volunteers were friendly and helpful as always, but I only stayed a couple of minutes before continuing on. This second time down the hill I ran, or rather shuffled, most of the way down trail. In fact I did this section in 10 minutes faster compared with the first lap – about 17 hours earlier. It was a great feeling to see the finish line, and I forced myself to run the last ¼ mile leading into the finish area – arriving at 28 ½ hour. Kevin and other volunteers greeted me and gave gifts, including a great bottle of beer!

At this point I did not feel that tired or much pain, clearly endorphins were in play! Physically I felt as if I could have continued on for another lap, however mentally I was glad it was over. I phoned my family to let them know all was OK and that I would get a few hours of well deserved rest before I would head home. As I picked up my drop bags and walked back up a hill to my car I started to feel that in fact I was a bit tired and that my legs and feet had gotten a beating – with a 1 inch sized blister under the front of the left foot, and with a stiff feeling in both legs.

Overall, the race was a great experience and with no doubt the toughest ultra run I have done this far. I was happy with my race logistics, and my night running, and the fact I was able to push a negative split for the last 2-3 hours on the second lap. However, I also realized that I need to continue to learn to pace myself better in the first 5 hours of these races. Had I started out with less of a frenzied pace I believe I would have been able to lower my overall time by 1 or maybe even 2 hours. This need for better pacing early on in races is no surprise, as the same happened at American River 50M this year where I was racing at a 7 min / mile pace for first several hours, and as a result then had to suffer through the last 20 miles with a lot of power hiking.

JF

Airport Runs

I tend to travel a fair amount for work, and thus end up spending quite a bit of time in airports. I always bring my running gear in case I get an extra hour due to an airplane delay or similar.

This is a summary of runs and other logistics that I have found useful at a few major airports.

New York (JFK)
Loop: JFK Loop
Lockers: No
Showers: Yes, American Airlines lounge
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

Chicago (ORD)
Loop: ORD Loop
Lockers: No
Showers: Yes, American Airlines lounge
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

Houston
Loop:
Lockers: TBD
Showers: TBD
Overall Rating: 2 out of 5

Minneapolis (MSP)
Loop: MSP Loop
Lockers: Yes, after security checkin
Showers: No, but stop by the lake half way during the run...
Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

London (Heathrow)
Loop: threadmill at AA mini gym, International arrival gate
Lockers: Yes - lockable shower room
Showers: Yes, American Airlines lounge
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 (a bit booring, but convenient)

Copenhagen
Loop:
Lockers: TBD
Showers: Yes
Overall Rating: 2 out of 5

Rio Del Lago 100M - Yeah!

Sweet success - I completed my first 100M run! Last weekend I was able to complete my first 100 miler, beating challenging conditions. The whole week before I had been battling a persistant cold with stuffy nose and head. To make matters worse I had to fly to London on a quick turn business trip, not returning until Friday morning in San Francisco. I was worried the long travel and resulting jetlag would make the cold even worse - but I proved to be unstoppable :-)

Race start early Saturday morning from Cavitt School yard.
The first hour is spent on rolling hills on gravel bike roads along the American River. I was glad I brought a headlight, several other runners had skipped their light - and had to stumble around in the dark for the first section. I led the field for the first 5 minutes...I contribute it to having a good headlamp.

After 45 minutes or so, the trail narrows to a single track hiking trail along the shore line, very runnable and with just minor elevation changes. The trails can be rocky in places twisting around every corner as it continues north. Trail markings were Ok but definitely not superior - if there was one suggestion to Norm for next year - then it would be to put some more effort on the markings.

I passed by a couple of aid stations and filled up with some bananas and water - but generally just kept going for the first couple of hours. After just over 2 hours the trail starts climbing over a few smaller hills, only to suddenly hit the steep Heartbreak Hill that climbs from 500 ft to 1400 ft in less than a mile - power hiking is the only way to get up.



There is an aid station half a mile after coming up the hill, and I finally was able to fill up on fluids - advice for next year is to bring 2 bottles from 3rd aid station since the section to up after the hill is quite long.

I came into the Overlook aid station at 3.20 feeling in good shape. This was the first weight check and I was doing OK. I had learned my lesson from TRT and started drinking earlier in the run. I dropped my headlamp and running top since it was already getting warmer. I continued down along the WS100 trail, decending quickly for another 4 or so miles to aid station No Hands Bridge at 4.25.

Then the trail climbs back continuously for the next hour arriving at Cool Fire station at 5.20. The following section was the most tedious part of the race, with the course doing a loop around the grassy fields, along dirst roads, passing across a couple of creeks, to return back to Fire station at 6.30 - a bit boring and very hot. Remember to bring a lot of water for this section if it is a hot day and this can be a good section to do some power hiking to recover from the earlier climbs.



The run down to No Hands Bridge was relaxing and quite fun to make good distance and to get some shade among the trees. The trail markings were a little sketchy at time - it is good to study the map in advance for this section. Over the Bridge and then back to Overlook aid station at 8.44, I dont remember the trail was so steep...I power hiked some of the steeper sections here. At the aid station I swapped socks, and loaded up on some energy bars and fluids. During the early parts of the race I had suffered from some stomach troubles and this had continued for the last few hours, but it finally started to stablize which made me feel better about fluid intake and not having to jump into the bushes any more... The temperature had been around 60 degrees at start but would be around 90 degrees for much of the day - making for warm conditions.

The run along the drainage canal is nice and easy, then hits the steep downhill at Heartbreak Hill, back down to the river level. This time I was prepared for a lengthy part until next aid station - so I had loaded up with extra fluids and more - arriving at the aid at 10.20.

The trail back to the Cavitt School was nice running, I was very happy with the pace I was able to maintain - running on flats and downs, and power hiking all ups. The run had started going down, and my headlamp was in my dropbag at Cavitt School - but the last 30 minutes was in more or less complete darkness, luckily this section is bike trails to running and route finding is very easy. I called home to let my family know everything was going great and all was fine this far.

I arrived back at Cavitt School after 14.10 (i.e., at 8.10 PST). The aid station here was great, warm soup, helpful volunteers, I got my iPod, new socks, and changed to bigger shoes, and put on a light wind jacket. My personal goal for this run was to complete my first 100M, second goal was to do it without injury, final goal was to try do it in 25 or so hours. At this point in the race I was really happy with how thing had been going and I was confident I would be able to complete the remaining 33 miles in less than 15 hours (to make the 30 hr cut off). During my Tahoe Rim Trail I did a lot of power hiking during the second lap on that 50M course and I decided to do the same for the remaining part of the RDL 100M race. I figured that even if I only walked all the way it would not take me more than max 10-11 hours to complete.

The following section is very easy terrain - flat and mostly on bike trails and gravel roads. The aid stations are well placed 3-4 miles apart, and less in some cases. After 17.40 I arrived to the main aid station before the trail drops down across the main bridge over the river. I had drop bag at this aid station - and I also grabbed some nice hot soup. At this point I had started feeling a little tired and drowsy - but kept power hiking at good speed all along.

After the aid station the trail circles down/under/over a bridge/road/bike trail to come out on an easy dirst trail continuing along the bike trail and road leading towards the turn around point at around 83M. I reached this at a few minutes around 2 AM after racing for approx 20 hours. It was great to sit down - I had some extra soup and tried hold on to the energy. This was the longest I had every run straight so it great feeling, and I was certain I would make this 100 miler - but also knew there was quite some distance still to go (16 miles...).

After the turn around I started meeting many of the other racers, most of them were 30 minutes or an hour or more behind. I did not feel any worry they would catch up - since I didnt care much now that I knew I would be able to complete my own race. I continued - the aid stations were great, helping with soup and encouragement, and after the second to last aid station the sun started coming up and I was able to turn off my headlamp. I was really glad with the performance of the lamp, I used rechargeable AA batteries and they did a good job during all of the night. My time for mile 67 to 83 and from mile 83 to mile 100 was virtually the same - so I was holding a very steady pace during the night. The last few miles passed slowly - but finally I arrived back at the finish line at Cavitt School - after 25 1/2 hours of racing. It was a great feeling. I was very tired - but maybe more by lack of sleep than a complete physical exhaustion. I believe the fact that I walked the last 11 hours allowed my body to stay relatively fresh throughout the last 3rd part of the race. In future races, as I want to break 24 hours, I will need to run a portion of the last section.

Conclusion: Rio Del Lago is a great first 100M race. It certainly is a challenge, but the easy terrain in last part of race make for it a doable race if one just keeps going. The logistics is good with easy access for pacers and friends. Race director Norm is doing an excellent job, volunteers are helpful and truly amazing.

Tahoe Rim Trail - first 100 M run

I participated in the TRT 100M race in July. This was my first 100 miler, and ultimately I was not able to complete the full distance, however it was a great experience and I learned a lot. This is a blow-by-blow summary of the run.

Friday July 14th: Early on Friday morning I drove up to Tahoe, to arrive to the runner check-in at noon. I stayed at the Plaza Hotel down town in Carson City. After weigh-in and regular medical, there was a runner orientation meeting where race directors walked through all the practical details of the race for all participants. I spent the rest of afternoon eating and relaxing. Carson City was very hot - an indication of what was to come the following day.

I had a hard time falling to sleep that night, in anticipation for the race next day. Wake up call was early around 2.30 am to get a solid breakfast in time for the start at 5 am. It was a dark morning - but the race organizers had done a great job preparing the starting area with clear markings and lights. The race kicked off and I got a good start, and actually led the field for much of the first 2 miles. I had decided to run without headlamp in the early morning so I stayed close to other runners for this section.

The course soon started climbing and then din a steady go up reaching Marlette Lake after approx 40 minutes. The course continued on forest roads, over a few steep rolling hills up to the first aid station. I filled my bottles and continued on the trail now leaving the forest road onto single track. Now the sun had come out and no light was needed. The trail crossed a few patches of snow as it continued climbing. The next stretch was very runnable with gradual climbs and nice trail. After another 45 minutes the trail reached a highpoint and started descending to the Tunnel Creek aid station. A seemingly never ending series of switch backs lead down to a flat area where the aid station is. I reached this after approx 2 hours.

I filled up my bottles and continued down the Red House Loop. This section is the lowest elevation point on the trail and is known to be challenging. This certainly proved to be true - the trail is rough, with sandy stretches, rocks, rough gravel, and long sections that are very steep. At this point I was running at around 4th place in the race, with some faster runners having passed me just before the first aid station. I actually enjoyed the Red House Loop, if one can enjoy something like this, it made for fast and exciting running. The climb up from the fluids-only aid station at the bottom of the loop was a steady grade and very runnable - arriving back to the Tunnel Creek aid station again at approx 3 hrs.



I left the aid station quickly and continued up towards Mt Rose - this is a beautiful part of the trail, following along the crest of the ridge line for much of the next 9 miles. At this point the day had started heating up and I was glad to reach the fluid-only aid station at the half-way point. The trail kept climbing slowly up towards the Mt Rose aid station at 26.5 miles. The last section was a little muddy, required jumping puddles and a few streams. I finally reached the aid station, did the medical check and weight check. I was down a couple of pounds so I reminded myself to watch my fluids as the day was getting even hotter. After refilling my bottles with ice and sports drink I started off down the trail again.

The way back to Tunnel Creek was nice - the steady decline made it quite runnable and I continued at good pace, and at this point I was probably in 6th place or so. I reached the aid station after approx 7 hours. At this point I was feeling some tightness in my left leg so I decided to get help some stretching/massage from one of the volunteers - this helped a little. The following climb up from the aid station was quite demanding, and my pace had slowed to a fast hike. Now it was mid-day and the heat was intense and so I was drinking continuously to keep my weight in order. I mixed walking and jogging for the next 5 miles until reaching the foot of the last major climb - the last push up to the Snow Valley summit. This turned out to be quite demanding, and I fast walked most of this section since it was steep and it reaches over 9000 ft elevation.

After the long climb it was great to arrive to the aid station at the summit - the volunteers were superb. I had continued loosing weight so I stayed here for an extra 5-10 minutes while I drank and ate to get back some weight. After a second weight check I filled up bottles with ice and started down the last long descent to the Start/Finish area. A long section of downhill with many switchbacks offered easy running and I could keep a nice pace for most of it. I arrived at the 50mile point at 10.40, a time I was happy with – especially considering the elevation, the climbing, and the continued heat.

The aid station at the start/finish was a busy place with many volunteers and friends waiting for their runners. I sat down and was served a big bowl of pasta, and I changed to fresh set of running shorts/shoes/socks/shirt. I also got my night gear out, and iPod.

I left the aid station after approx 10 minutes and started out the second lap. This definitely was a bit of a mental challenge, and having just finished a big meal I walked the trail for the next 2 hours until I got to the following aid station. At this point I started a slow jog up the trail, and I met quite a few stragglers from the 50 mile and 50K - who had DNF their races.

At this point I had passed my previous distance record at an official race (55 miles) so this was new territory, both physically and mentally - but I was keeping a steady pace and was feeling quite OK, arriving to Tunnel Creek aid station at around 7 PM. I left my night gear at the aid station and continued down the Red House Loop. This time the running was significantly harder and pesky mosquitoes made it less enjoyable. I walked the uphill at a steady pace and arrived back to Tunnel Creek at around 9 PM - right as I had planned.

The volunteers had made some pasta which I devoured while putting on head lamp and a light wind jacket as the air was getting a bit chilly. I started back on the trail - with 9 miles to go to next stop at Mt Rose. It quickly got darker and after 30 minutes I could only see the next 10-15 feet ahead on the trail. It was a quiet night without any wind - so conditions were perfect for night running.

This 9-mile section turned out to be surprisingly demanding. After a couple of hours I started to fade and my previously fast pace had slowed, and at around 11 PM I was feeling quite tired - and hoping to see the aid station soon (although I should have known it was still quite a bit left). I believe the reason for the increased tiredness was due to me eating too little during the night portion, something I now have learned for my next long race. As I got closer to the aid station I met the race leaders and the few runners coming spread out after him - at this point I estimate I was at around 10th place overall. Except for the lead runner - all the other runners had pacers helping them through the night. I had no pacer - and I now understand how helpful it is to have a person helping during the night - especially mentally.

During the last slog up to the aid station I got really tired, and I was looking forward to resting for a while. The volunteers were great and helped me with anything they could think of. At this point I felt very very tired - a feeling I had not felt before, and that is hard to describe - but then I mentally made up my mind that this was it for me that night. I felt good with 50 Miles at 10.40, and also good I had done 77 miles in 19 hours - so I called it a day. The remaining 23 miles may seem relatively short now - but sitting at the aid station in the middle of the night it felt too far away…

Some volunteers helped me back to my car, together with 2 other runners in similar situation. I felt really good physically, but looked forward to a nice rest and some food to regain my strength.

Overall, this was a really good race, well organized, excellent marked, great volunteers, and a demanding course to say the least - but with beautiful views during most of the way. Highly recommended.

I will be back next year - to do the full distance.

JF

Some other TRT100 stories:

http://hurthawaii.blogs.com/2006TahoeRimTrail100MileRunRodBien.pdf