Okay kids, grab your popcorn, this is a lengthy one...
The Day Before the Big Day
My OP experience started Friday, first with my race packet pick-up and then the drive out to Kentucky Camp. At registration I was happy to meet Lynda, the RD, in person. After many e-mails its always nice to put a face to the electronic persona. A few other TTR folks were there, including Donna and her daughter Amy, who had come down from Washington to do the race. I will just say thanks one more time to
Renee and Dallas for introducing me to this spectacular group of folks. They are a talented bunch who are quite supportive and genuinely nice. So, I signed my waiver, bought a pair of compression sleeves for my calves (such a good decision, seriously) and headed out towards Sonoita.
In preparation for the drive to the race, I had given the Sami a fresh oil change in the morning. Then, to really be sweet, I took it to the Saguaro wash and blasted it with engine cleaner. Needless to say, the Sami ran like a champ. A little slow up some of the rolling hills of hwy 83, but no slower than to be expected. After checking the odometer and worrying that I may have missed the turn to Kentucky Camp, magically a sign appeared to show me the turn was just ahead. I wound my way about 6 miles along the dirt road to reach the parking area. Following the suggestions of TTR folk, I parked just outside the designated parking area and set up my tent. As it was only early afternoon, I had plenty of time to relax (imagine that!), walk around and explore. At one point I wandered down the road to the actual start/finish area of Kentucky Camp. I was snapping pictures of the place when a guy jogged out from the trail. We chatted for a bit, I learned his name (John) and that he was from Georgia, a member of GUTS, and of course knows my homie
Christian. We also chatted with Jackie, a very nice volunteer and avid hiker from Tucson. I poked around the camp a bit more, headed back up the hill that would start my race, fired up my campstove, made some brown rice pasta and read my book. As daylight faded I retreated to my tent and listened to the noise of cars and people, some coming just to check things out, others to set up camp. I fell asleep sometime around 10:30, feeling relaxed and a bit amused with the idea of the day ahead of me.
And so, it begins.
I had set my alarm for 4:18. Somewhere around 3:30ish I woke up, but stayed snug in my sleeping bag, in a sort of half-awake state until the alarm went off. I could hear cars and voices, at times my tent was completely illuminated by head lights. I shook off the warmth of my sleeping bag, embraced the chill, and got dressed.
Well, here goes nothing.
I had put together my drop bags Thursday night, rechecked them Friday and packed them up in a bag to carry down to the start. I glanced at the bag, made sure everything was there, and set off down the road to check-in. It was dark and chilly, but not unbearable. I had thrown my hoodie and pj pants over my race clothes, so I was toasty enough. I checked-in, got my race number- 173- and milled about. Lynda asked how I had slept and seemed super relaxed for an RD on race morning. I will simply say that she has this operation dialed. Standard race morning milling about, saw more of the awesome TTR folks and chatted with them. Sarah, the fast looking one from Pemberton, was there. She mentioned concern over an injury that might have forced her to drop the race...I'll just fast forward to the conclusion on that one and reassure y'all that she toughed it out...and
won the female division, 8th overall. Again, so impressed with the talent of this group.
Lynda gave the 5-minute to race-start warning and we all started to gather behind the line. We held a moment of silence for Gabe and the other victims of the Tucson shooting- Gabe's dad Ross, one of the TTR folks, has been a race volunteer for the past 10 years. (He's also a stellar, super nice guy who chided me for calling myself slow in my introduction to TTR). Then, before I knew it, we were off. It was dark, the air was crisp, we trotted up the hill and headed out onto the course.
The things you know, but quickly forget.
As the sun started to come up I ditched my headlamp. Around 5 miles into the race the sky was filled with mountain tops and a fiery sunrise, it was breathtaking. Unfortunately, I forgot a cardinal rule of trail running: if something is so spectacular that you really want to look at it, you better stop. The consequences of disregarding this rule can vary in severity, but there are almost always consequences.
Of bones and blood and nerves and dirt.
I paid my blood rite to the trail. Thanked the dirt and rocks for being a part of my day, and once again gave thanks to my amphipod bottles for saving my hands from being shredded.
In and Out (not the burger joint).
A quick refill of water and the addition of electrolyte drink to one of my bottles, a slice of orange and I was off. I had made some killer pancakes Friday morning with cornmeal, buckwheat and chia. I made a few extra to have for race morning and ate two of them before heading to the start. They were super delicious and gave me great energy to start the race, have a settled stomach, and feel super full. I cut out wheat completely from my diet a couple months back, and have been totally gluten-free for the last month. It's really helped my asthma and I can also feel some relief in my joints. Totally worth it.
Anyhow, back to the race. After the 7 mile aid station the next was at Wasp Canyon, mile 13. As usual, all of the volunteers throughout the course of this race were amazing. I can't say thank you to these folks enough. I couldn't do these crazy races without them. I refilled my bottles and kept moving. One of my goals was to keep all of my aid station visits brief, and so far I was doing pretty well.
After mile 13 the course started up a pretty consistent climb towards Gousigns pass. When I made it to the top of the pass I remembered my earlier mistake, stopped, and took in the view. It was incredible. I really do think I need to start saving my pennies for that
camera... I found the perfect one, so maybe by the summer I'll be able to snap quality photos while out on the trail. For now, you'll just have to take my word for it.
Incredible!!!
Just a little wind.
I was stoked to be heading down the pass. Downhill technical trail running is one of my forte's, and a place where I can actually make up time in a race. My knees reminded me of the earlier fall, so I had to back off a bit. It slowed me down, but I really wanted to finish the race, so I didn't want to push it, do something stupid, and blow out my knees. The wind was unreal. I felt like I could've stretched out my arms and flown down, but instead I focused on my footing and kept moving forward.
The Helvetia Aid station at mile 19 caught me by surprise. Whoa! I'm already at mile 19! Ross, from TTR, was there snapping photos and helping with the aid station. I filled my bottles again, ate a couple tortilla chips and hit the road. I was feeling pretty great and was stoked to know that the next aid station at mile 25 had more TTR folks. Dallas had already told me he only wanted to see me once coming through there, and not on his final sweep of the course for stragglers and drops.
The wind became a wall.
The wind that had helped push me down the canyon was now smashing me in the face. There were moments that visions of people trekking across Siberia, leaning into a wall of wind and snow filled my head. Of course, minus the snow. Maybe its because I had just watched 'As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me.' Maybe its because it was really crazy windy. It was pretty intense, and slowed me down a bit, but I was still happy with the rate I was moving along. I was on track for my target of a finish between 12 and 13 hours, so, I kept moving forward.
Nearly Halfway there.
Almost halfway and feeling good. The day was warming up, so in spite of its speed inhibition, I was grateful for the wind keeping it cooler than it would have been on a still day. As I trotted up the last rise before the aid station Dallas and Mike recognized me and started cheering for me. In outdoor medicine we talk about 'stoke tanks' to determine evac priorities with non life-threatening injuries. If a patient is stable but their stoke tank is wicked low, you'll do everyone a favor by getting them out of there sooner rather than later. Let me just say, I was pretty stoked to be at the halfway point of the race...but to have these 2 amazing runners cheering me on, giving me hugs and high fives and catering to my needs...my stoke tank was off the charts. I asked about Renee and Sarah and was glad to hear that they had both come through looking strong. Sarah with a good lead on the female runners and in a position to take the overall Female win on the race (which she did!) I got ready to head out, Dallas snapped some photos, and I was ready to roll.
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| Dallas snapped this as I headed out of the aid station. |
Vaguely Familiar.
Somewhere around mile 27 or 28 we got onto the only repeat sections of the course. It was nice to run through some familiar sections, and I was looking forward to getting back on the Arizona trail. Hit the California Gulch aid station for the second time at mile 29. Another quick stop, refilling bottles, ate some banana and orange and hit the trail.
Goodbye Technology.
Now, I usually run with my Garmin during races. Not so that I can obsessively check times and paces, but mostly so I can go back after the race and compare how I felt to what I was actually running. Honestly, I hardly notice its there during a race, so I was surprised when it beeped at me around 30 miles to tell me it was going to die. Oh well.
Arizona Trail time.
I kept moving along the Arizona trail section and was surprised when I reached the Granite Mountain Aid station at mile 33. I refilled my bottles (yes, I really was drinking enough for them to be at least half empty every time. I knew it was warmer than the wind was letting on, and I did not want to have hydration issues. However, I knew I was balancing my salts effectively as well, since I only had to pee twice over the course of the race. No hyponatremia for this kid!) I also decided this was the point in the race to add the rocket fuel I had discovered at Pemberton. So, I drank a little coke, ate some banana, and moved on.
The next aid station would be at mile 40, which I had heard was a pretty fantastic set-up, with music and motivational signs and people cheering you on. It was also the last aid station where I had a drop bag. (I had three drop bags total) so I was looking forward to that.
Somewhere between mile 33 and 40, just before the old Windmill, I was happy to run into Joe Dana and his race partner Eb. Joe is another example of the TTR group and their tenacity. Here's a guy in his 70's who had a heart attack and valve replacement a year ago, started the race 2 hours before all of us, and was trucking along, all smiles. We chatted about what I should expect in the miles ahead. Eb, who apparently had never managed to notice the windmill in any of his previous years running the OP, was excited when Joe pointed it out. Eb got his camera and Joe and I posed for a picture. I wished them a good race, and pressed on.
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| Joe and I at the Windmill! |
The Signs.
The signs leading into the Cave Canyon Aid station at mile 40 started around mile 39. "1 mile to Aid Station 40." I was stoked. Still feeling good, pretty sure I was still on track for a sub-13 finish if my knees held up. Just keep moving forward. About a half mile later another sign: "10 1/2 miles to that sweet belt buckle" These people were speaking my language! A goofy grin filled my face and I pressed in a little bit harder. With signs like these, I wanted these folks to know that I would earn that sweet buckle. Another sign: "I will not waiver." And another: "I will not falter." I started to hear the hoots and hollers. Down a small hill to the volunteer checking my number, yelling encouragement and radioing instructions to the folks at the top of the hill to get my drop bag ready. I ran up the hill through a gauntlet of folks crewing for other runners, telling me how strong I looked and to keep it up.
Again, as always in these events, I send a thousand thanks out to these kind strangers. Your support is invaluable.
The routine.
I filled my bottles, drank some coke and kept moving. Only 10 (or so) miles and I was there. I could do this. I would do this. I was on my way. As for all of the course, this was another beautiful section. There were a lot of folks out recreating, lots of dirt bikes and atvs and puzzled looks. I was glad to reach the link trail and get back onto a more remote section. Met back up with the Arizona trail and was simply in my element.
Positive Forward Motion.
I just kept moving forward...positive forward motion was what I told myself. My feet and legs felt at home on the trail and I just kept moving. When it was starting to feel like a lot more than 6 miles, I came out of the trail and into the last aid station at Gardner Canyon. Christy, another TTR person who I met at Pemberton, recognized me. She was volunteering at mile 46, and it felt great to be recognized after running the last 6 miles pretty much alone. I was ready to head into the finish.
The window.
The sun was starting to get lower in the sky, and I was worried I may have lost the window to my sub-13 goal. I asked one of the volunteers for the time. When he replied: "17:49." I knew it would be close, but I still hoped I could make it. Just keep moving forward.
The final miles.
The sunset was equally spectacular as the sunrise. I really didn't want to have to stop to get my headlamp out of my pack, so I did my best to pick up the pace to get to the finish. I know it felt faster than I was actually going. In reality, I'm sure it was more of a slog than a run. But, whatever it was, there was no stopping me. From mile 40 to the finish, I ran it all the way in.
At one point on the last stretch, while running on a forest service road before dipping into the final trail section, I looked to my left and saw Kentucky Camp. It looked so. far. away. But, logic told me that I'd already run at least 46 miles, and it had probably been a mile since I left that aid station, so how far could it really be? I would not be discouraged. If nothing else it served as another kick in the pants to keep moving and make my goal. It was beautiful. Have I mentioned that yet? While on the last section of trail the sun just finished setting. Running through valleys of tall grass, the moment the sun went down the air became cool and crisp. It was exhilarating. I could smell the fire and bbq of the finish line and knew I was close. I couldn't believe it! My first 50 and I was almost there. Keep moving. Keep running. Strong finish.
How it ended.
I ran across that finish line. Amidst cheers and whistled and congratulations, I finished strong and gladly received my belt buckle from Lynda. And then I asked my time. I was nervous. It seemed too dark to have made it, it was no longer dusk, but dark. Prepared for moderate disappointment but keeping things in perspective, I asked the time keeper for my results. "Runner 173, Scout Phillips, let's see. 12:51.43."
I was floored. I actually made it! Renee was there and gave me a huge hug. She looked great and had finished in 11 hours and some change. If things continue to go well for me, that'll be my target for next year.
Next Year?
Oh yes, I said it. Next Year. This race is too close to home and too awesome to not run it again. Plus, the finisher's award is a belt buckle, c'mon! What more do you need?
The wrap up.
I hung out at the finish for a bit, cheered in some more runners, chatted with the TTR folks (I think one of the T's is for Terrific. Seriously, so glad to be getting to know these folks.) Shuffled my stuff about, got back into my hoodie and pj pants, out of my trail shoes and into sandals. Picked up my drop bags (one was missing, but mystery solved, it was in Dallas' car, so I'll get it back.) Then decided that the drive back to Tucson, a potential dance party, and eventually my own bed was worth the effort of breaking down camp and hitting the road. Renee and I headed out at the same time and walked up the hill together. We had a nice chat but the windy day had definitely taken its toll on my asthma, as it was tough to catch my breath amidst conversation and I felt wheezy, but I survived. We reached the top of the hill, the Sami and my tent, said our 'see ya laters' and parted ways.
As I gathered things together, changed out of my race clothes, and packed things up, I had a horrible realization. I didn't have my belt buckle. Yes folks, sad but true. In the daze of completing my first 50 miler and in the warmth of an old cabin and good conversation, I set that most coveted award down and failed to pick it back up. The up side to this is that there was a box of old buckles from past OP's and I did pick up one of those. So, worst case scenario, I still have an OP buckle. Best case scenario, Lynda still has buckles from this year and I can still get one. I've already sent an apologetic and pleading e-mail. So ridiculous.
And that's pretty much that. I drove back into town, met up with some friends, wandered around- which felt surprisingly great to be moving. At some point I realized I was paying less attention to conversations and getting sleepy, so I headed back to the Sami and drove home. Marveled at my ability to get up the stairs to my little castle, took the most spectacular shower (although, I should've at least toweled off at the end of the race...I sweat so much, I still get salt burns on my skin, but they weren't awful.) Climbed into bed around 1 and fell asleep. I had set an alarm for around 9, just to not waste the whole day. Silly me, I forgot that I just don't sleep, and woke up around 5. Lazed about, took stock of my surprisingly not-so-stiff limbs, stretched a bit and rolled out of bed a bit after 6. Spent about half an hour in my front room enjoying the sunrise and doing some long stretching yoga. Braved the stairs and was happy to not be hobbling down them. Unloaded the Sami, got dressed, got my things together and headed into town for a day of relaxing and writing in a coffee shop. Ran into some good people, as usual, went on a nice walk, got some groceries and salve-making supplies at the co-op and headed back home.
So, there you have it. My first 50. Certainly not my last. (Also, to be clear, it's said that its more like 51.5 miles, and I'll agree with that.) Official race results are here.
You made it!
Thanks to EVERYONE for another fantastic race. And thanks to y'all for making your way to the end of this novella. Hope you enjoyed it. I left my camera/pictures at home, so I will have to add those later.
Some other random race details and recipes:
Things I ate on the race:
- 2 honey stinger gels
- 2-3 trail bars (I cut them into small chunks, so 1 bar is about 1 inch squared)
- about 2/3 of a Fuji apple
- about 2 bananas
- 4-6 orange slices
- about 6 corn tortilla chips
- about 1/2 cup of my power trail mix
- 1 piece candied ginger
- equivalent ~1/2 can of coke
- lots of water and electrolyte replacement drink
That's about it.
Recipes:
Pancakes:
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1 Tbsp sugar (generally I use evaporated cane juice crystals or sucanut)
- 1 cup milk or yogurt (I use plain coconut milk yogurt when I have it, or rice milk, you can also do 1/2 milk 1/2 yogurt if you'd prefer, it works just as well)
- 1/4 cup applesauce or mashed banana or 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp melted margarine, butter or oil
Mix everything together and cook in a hot skillet or griddle. Generally I have no issues with these sticking, they truly are the perfect pancake. If you're worried about things sticking and want to know an old trick: rub your pan with a slice of parsnip, it never fails.
Power Trail Mix:
- Chopped dates
- Raw Cacao nibs
- Raw coconut flakes
- Chia Seeds
Mix everything together in the ratios you prefer. I tend to use about 5 or six chopped dates to a 1/4 cup each of all the other ingredients. Throw it all in a bowl and toss it around to mix well. The dates naturally stick to all the other good stuff, so the more you chop them up, the better it gets. It's totally possible that you could throw some nuts or other things into this mix, I just like to keep it simple. The cacao nibs provide a nice little chocolaty boost, and the dates cut out some of the bitterness that you normally get with them.
Simple, but delicious.
Trail Bar Recipe:
I've already posted that here.
OGS for this race were chia, cacao nibs, chai amazing meal powder and coconut. The nut butters I used were a 50/50 split of cashew and almond butter.
Skin Salve:
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- ~4 Tbsp shea butter
- 1/3 cup aloe juice
- 1/4 cup cocoa butter chips
- ~1/4 cup coarse ground coffee
Place the coffee grounds in a muslin tea bag or cheesecloth. I don't have a double boiler, so this is how I set this up, if you have a double boiler, great, this will be even easier for you.
In a small saucepot heat water to a low boil. Place a bowl that fits over the pot completely on top of the pot, and add all the ingredients. Stir regularly as the butters melt. Be sure that the coffee bag gets coated/seeps into the oils. Once the solids have all melted, turn off the heat and let the coffee bag sit in the oil for about 5 minutes. Remove the coffee bag, and squeeze any excess oil back into the bowl. Filter the oil into a large mouth jar through cheesecloth. I usually filter this three or four times through the cheesecloth to remove most of the finer coffee grounds.
The salve will set back up into a firm but malleable consistency once it cools. It can also be used in its liquid form. It is great for helping to heal irritated skin. This takes care of my salt burns like nothing else.
