North Face 50 mile trail race report. So, I entered this race because I have signed up for a 100 mile race in October called Grindstone and one of the requirements for that is to give the race director a live internet link to searchable race results for a race that is at least 50 miles (or longer) that you have done in the past two years. (The last time I ran a 50 miler was 2009, 5 years ago.) It also has to be turned in by September 1, so I didnt want to wait too long for a 50 late in the summer and then be out of time just in case something went wrong in my attempt. We runners all know that all kinds of things can happen in any event longer than a half marathon (13.1 miles) that can mess up your race and make the wheels come off. I rode the train up from Lynchburg to Northern Virginia and got off at Burke Station. ($50.00 round trip) My oldest son lives in Manassas and picked me up and I am rooming for the weekend with him so I was able to do this reasonably inexpensive as far as this sort of thing goes. Woke at 2:50 am and left for the 5:00 am start at 3:30 getting there at about 4:10 am. It was a little cool, but I knew the day would be sunny, and warm up quick so I was dressed with shorts and technical t shirt and I had to rub my arms and legs to keep from shivering. We got started and ran on a mostly flat trail for the first 15-16 miles along the Potomac River from Algonkian Park to Great Falls Park. There were three short hilly technical sections along this part but they didnt last very long. One creek crossing that had gotten washed out a bit from winter that had some people confused as I got there both on the way out and on the way back. I just bypassed all of them and tromped thru the water and sand then looked back and shook my head. There were several other events that got started later than my race but which shared this part of the course. I can excuse some first timers in shorter events that might not be used to creek crossings. Which was exactly the case on the way back in the afternoon. But the only runners on that part of the trail earlier were 50 milers. Even if it is their first time at that distance they should have come across some creeks somewhere in trail marathons, 50 k races or training! Any way, I got to Great Falls, almost 16 miles at about 2hrs 50 min in. So I started doing a little rounded off guessing math, and came up with 45 miles in 9 hours and started to think my goal of 10 hours might be within reach. Jake Reed had told me if I ran Mountain Masochist 50 miler in 11 hours ( I did it in 11:02 in 2009) then 10 hours on TNF 50 miler was within reach. He does not have 58 year old legs though, and I do, and I know what happens after 25 to 30 miles to me... I get slower and slower. The course in Great Falls Park makes three somewhat confusing approximately 7 mile loops on an extensive trail system there which by this time of day had several hikers and folks out for a weekend stroll, which was a little annoying in a couple places but all in all not bad. The main Great Falls aid station you went thru 4 times, once on your way in then at the end of each of the three loops and the race had your drop bag there so it was real convenient to have a change of clothes, socks, shoes, extra nutrition and such. The aid stations themselves were really well stocked with Cliff Shot gels of all kinds of flavors, electrolyte replacement drink, water, and the other usual fare, bananas, orange slices, potato chips, M&Ms, baked potato chunks with plenty of salt to dip, even a variety of broth. As soon as you get into the loop you go up the longest hill on the course, about a half or maybe 3/4 of a mile but it is not real steep and can be run. I hiked most of it the first time and ran all of it the second time thru, after I had gotten into my drop bag and put on fresh socks and shoes, had some food, an Ibuprofen, and stashed my sweat soaked shirt in my drop bag. I ran about half to 2/3 of that hill the last time up. This loop does have a couple out and backs on it, and a few technical short rocky sections, and there is one out and back on the way there from the start and the same going back so you get to see other runners frequently on those sections. I got to say hi to Jake Reed twice! He was up with the leaders. I have not yet had a chance to check on his results. He may have won. I said earlier that these loops were a little confusing but that was only a couple turns on the first one. After that you had some familiarity with where you were going. For the most part the course was pretty well marked and most places where you could easily go the wrong way there was a volunteer to direct you. There were a couple sorta decent views of the Falls themselves but you would have had to take some time to go further out on an overlook to get really good views. They also had certain check points where they marked your race bib so they ( and you) could keep track of what lap you were on so that your 4th time thru the Great Falls aid station you knew you could head on back the 16 mile trail to the start. Somewhere near the top of the long hill on my third loop I had 30 miles and 5:54 on my watch. It had already given me the low battery signal and shortly after that it went blank, so from then on it was strictly running by feel of effort...which was beginning to feel like alot except for around 5 to about 20 minutes after each aid station...about the time it takes your body to start putting those calories to good use then it uses them all up. I ran more than I thought I would on the way back but not quite as fast as I wanted. I dont know if having my watch give me miles and time would have helped push me a little more or not as I got closer to that 10 hour mark. It was getting hot and I ran out of water in my handheld bottle twice between aid stations on the way back. Not a good feeling. I was concerned I would start getting leg cramps like I often do at marathon and ultra marathon distances but they never came. I was trying to be diligent with electrolyte drink, a piece of banana, a slice of orange, a chunk of heavily salted baked potato, and a caffeinated soft drink cup along with refilling my water bottle and grabbing two or three gels at each aid station so I think that paid off. When I got to the finish I was checking the digital clock at the finish line and not making sense of it at all. It said 15:15: and some seconds. I knew it didnt take me no 15 hours to run what I just did. I was trying to ask about the race clock but the guy at the finish line that was doing the MC job just wanted to know my name and announce it over the PA system and congratulate me on completing 50 miles. I was a bit bewildered by that clock till I dug out my phone from my SPI belt pouch and unwrapped it from the plastic bag I put it in. It gave me the time of day which by then was 3:17 pm. So I figured out that the race clock was not keeping race time but rather just time of day in military time. I found the tent where you could use a computer to check your results. That stuff didnt work. I was beginning to think computerized timing chips and mats and scanners would better be replaced with old school Popsicle sticks and a couple statisticians with analog stopwatches, the way my high school cross country meets were timed in the 1960s and 70s before digital watches and computers were around. Well I was hungry and thirsty so I got some real food and more water and sat on the grass in the shade eating and trying to convince my body to get back to normal. Meanwhile the announcer is talking on ad infinitum and announcing people as they cross the finish line and then he says something about age group awards and if you might have gotten one go to the awards tent. Well, I remembered looking at the finish times for last year in the mens 55 - 59 age group and thinking I had a shot at a top three AG award. So I went over to the tent and showed the young lady there my race number and she tried to look up my results but could not find anywhere on the course that my timing chip had been scanned by the electronic equipment. So apparently I had a bad chip or maybe got it too close to my cell phone or something. She went over to the timing tent and got them to review the video recording of the finish line at about the time I finished and verified my time, checked the markings on my bib from the Great Falls loops and said, you got 2nd in your age group, come back to the awards tent and get your goody bag! 10 hours 15 minutes. A 47 minute PR over the only other 50 miler I have run, 2009 Mountain Masochist. I have a theory about my improvements of late which I wont go into here except to say it starts with nutrition.
Posted on: Sun, 08 Jun 2014 02:46:05 +0000
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