The run for the toad is one of the toughest off-road ultra marathons around. It is a 12.5 km loop. Over 6000 meters of vertical change, dirt, mud, a good 50% uneven ground, slick grass, rolling hills and some 50 degree plus climbs that make even the pro’s walk. I love it. This is what running is all about.
1200 plus runners showed up race morning to a course that had 4 straight days of rain and this day was not looking any more promising. Once again the race organizers George and Peggy did an amazing job getting the park ready. Tent city was in full bloom with bails of hay and pumpkins strategically displayed to give that warm fall feeling. After a few brief trips to the bathroom and a double check of my own aide station I was ready. Casey and I parked the car near km one of the course and set up an personal aide station for ourselves. There are aide stations throughout the course that offer necessities, but we preferred our own substances. I like fig newton bars and e-load refuel drink, while Casey enjoys Chia-seeds and raisins.
After a beautiful opening ceremony featuring a military bag pipe band the gun sounded. 1200 + runners took to the trail jockeying for position as the open space we start in is going to get pretty small once we hit the single track trails. It didn’t take too long to find my grove and position as I was near the front of the pack. It’s been great getting to know the endurance running community. I recognized a bunch of faces at the start and managed a few familiar hello’s and good lucks as we started. There were many ultra trail series runners.
The beginning of a race like this can be mentally challenging. As I mentioned earlier it is a loop course and there are 2 distances being run. A 2 lap 25km race and the 4 lap 50 km race. Starting at the front of the pack put me with all the speedsters. Not just the 50 km speedsters, but the 25km one too. Now the 25 km ones do not need to save energy for the extra 2 laps. I knew that if I got caught trying to keep up with these 25kr’s I’d be useless come the 4th lap. I think I did pretty well. Having said that, I did have a PB first lap. 1:07:55. I decided after seeing that time that I should settle into my pace. Which I did. My goal going in was to do each lap in 1:10. I ran a solid 1:12 for the second lap. This brought my 1:10 average back even. On the third lap my right quad started cramping. Right away my brain knew there was not going to be any 1:10 this lap. I stopped and walked it out. Stretched it a bit and gave it a quick rub down. I That seemed to work for a bit. However, I found myself able to continue at a good pace, but unable to maintain my desired pace. My body and mind argued for most of the third lap. My mind wanting to go fast enough to keep that 1:10 and the right quad saying …..ah…no. I worked my small grinding strides up the climbs using my arms like a boxer giving tiny chin punches. Then let gravity take me down the hills being careful of my foot placement and body form as this would have been a bad time t go over on your ankle due to poor foot placement. I did however go over on my right ankle 3 times. Once I thought my race way over, but it worked itself out. I eked out a 1:14 for that lap. When I stopped at my car for some fuel I met Casey there. Se was starting her third lap and getting some fuel. That last lap was great. My mind had managed to put aside the leg pain and I found my grove and worked it. I finished in 4:48. 4:51 gun time. 8 minutes off my goal and 44 minutes faster than last year. Good for 21st overall. If there was one more lap I think I would have passed a bunch and cracked the top 10, as my last lap was faster than all but one of the finishers in places 10 through 20.
As it turns out, Casey was having a pretty decent race. I was worried about her going into the race. She had some illnesses that kept her from a lot of training this year, and she had some brutal blisters that hadn’t healed yet from last weekend training run. Al these thoughts are going through my head just as I hear thunder. Oh no! Then rain, HAIL! and then lightening. The paramedics rush to the race organizers to tell them they have to pull everyone of the course. The Paramedic said they were unequipped to handle lightening strikes. “But who is” ? I think.
Pulling people off a trail race is not as easy as a road race as runners are deep in trails for km’s at a time before emerging at aide stations. As Casey was approaching the final aide station some guy says to her “your done”. WHAT! 3 km left in a 50 km race and all he can say is “you done”. Needless to say she was pissed. She walked back to the start and found me waiting at the finish line with her medal. I put tit around her next, but she wanted nothing to do with it. Understandably so. I’m not sure how I wold have handed that situation, but I doubt as good as she did. Getting pulled 3 km’s from finishing one of the toughest 50km ultra trail races around. With blisters and not so great training year. You BASTARDS! The lightening was no where near us either. I did the math. There was a good 10 seconds between the lightening and the thunder. Meaning it was still at least 2 miles away. However, they are trying to keep everyone safe and don’t take chances when it comes to lightening at events. Winning a pair of Montrail running shoes during the door prize draws took a bit of the sting out of it I think for her. One of the pro’s said to her later ” I know it’s not what you want to hear, but you are an ultra marathoner, You WERE going to finish, It’s not your fault and out of your hands. Congratulations!.” He was right. I am so proud of her. She was only going to be a few minutes of her last years time. With the year she had, to pull that of brings tears to my eyes. Great job baby. Your determination is admirable and inspiring.
Now it’s time to take a couple week off to recover before starting the training for the 12,000km run across Canada’s rail trail next summer.
Run for your life
Steve
