Recovery Week

Major lesson learned from Headlands 50 last week? Eat All The Food! While a main goal of running this race was to practice fueling with something other than tailwind, I did ok. I ate. Sporadically. Not enough. It was a few days before I was moving around like normal and still had a fake amount of fatigue in my legs by mid week. I'm still confident that my slow recovery was due to not taking in enough calories during and immediately after the run. I also didn't drink enough water after, the day after, and most if this week. I've at least tried to watch that the food I choose has some kind of nutritional value, and adding a giant green smoothie daily.

Big River

This week I experimented with samples I received from Gu Energy (stroopwafels) and Pacific Health Labs  (AccelGel), as well as fruit snacks. Yes, the little kid jelly things that the label tells you are healthy! If it's not something like whole fruit or potatoes, and I'm using it for fuel, it's probably not healthy. Delicious little sugar bombs.

I went for 2 shorter run/hike combos, one testing the new Black Diamond Distance-Z poles, and one that due to some, er, trail exploration, we added a bit more distance than my buddy was hoping for (though still short). By the weekend I was finally feeling good, and decided to try a mid-length back to back long run. Yesterday a 9-miler with Sid, some extra hiking to test the poles a little more. Slow but steady, body felt good. This morning I met Brie and Rachel for 5 miles along Big River, and then headed out for another 7 solo. Considering how sore I was for most of the week I'm happy with my 30 mile week, 21 of which were in 2 days.

Switching fueling methods makes me feel like a complete beginner again, it's taking a lot of getting used to. Fortunately it seems that I'm actually handling calories pretty well. I added a timer to my watch so it beeps every 25 minutes to remind me to have a snack - a big problem with Headlands was simply forgetfulness. Oh yeah, food, I should do that.

A moment of quiet in Russian Gulch

So much to learn. 100 miler in 47 days!

Headlands Hundred 50 Miler

Third time lucky - an ultra finish for me! After my DNF at Pioneer a few weeks ago, I signed up for the 50 at Headlands Hundred. It was my first 50 in 2014 and I completed then, and a generous cutoff (the 100 mile has 33 hours, and that is somewhat flexible thanks to awesomely supportive race management). As long as you can keep crawling in a vaguely forward direction, you can get it done. Exactly what I needed to before Rio 100. 

Picture from PCTR facebook page

I was using this as a training run, with the main goal being conquering one of the most difficult parts of ultrarunning for me - eating. This was the first trail race I've not relied on Tailwind. I still think it's a great product, but it's time to play with new stuff. I definitely didn't eat enough this race, leading to dips in energy level, but anytime I really felt like I couldn't keep going I remembered that there wasn't the steady intake of calories that I'm accustomed to. I definitely didn't take in anywhere near enough, indicated by the rollercoaster energy, and how sore I still am today. While it's a tough course, I shouldn't be feeling as sore and stiff as I am. I'm very confident that better calorie intake would have helped with this.

As opposed to non-hazardous cliffs? Photo from PCTR FB page

Another reason for choosing this race as an event with a high likelihood of finishing was the weather. Marin is cool and foggy, just like running in Fort Bragg. My ideal climate. It doesn't have the shade that we have on the Mendocino Coast, but the temperature never really gets hot enough for it to be an issue. Sunscreen is definitely important, and I had planned on using my Blenders sunglasses to see if it helped the headache I usually get after running there. It was so foggy that I never needed them, and after they blew off my hat on one of the ridges I tucked them safely in my pack. It was cold even for me in some spots, and I actually changed into a warmer shirt later in the day. My Spandits boardies (FIN-tastic with pocket a-la-carte) performed flawlessly as usual. And the bra chafe that plagues me every race in some way or other? Not this time. I taped under the shoulder straps just in case, there are little plastic adjusters that sit right where the pack straps do, but I'm not sure it was necessary. I might find a little fleece cover for them to try. Good job, Victoria's Secret! Though it's going to take a while to get used to them being closer to my face than usual, not mashed against my body. Hello boobs!

From my Strava - got hills?

I was out there a little longer than I had hoped, but it was good practice to finish in the dark and try to not fall asleep. I carried my headlamp all day, it made more sense than risking getting caught out without it for the sake of a tiny weight. The sleeping wasn't too bad this time, but by the time the sun went down I could smell the barn. Had I been heading out for another loop I'm not sure that would have been the case. I also had the company of another runner, and a section of trail where the Night Sweats 15k race was coming up a technical section as I was coming down, so with that much activity it would have been hard for me to sleep walk! I struggled mentally this race. I went in completely depleted emotionally, and that certainly took its toll, including a complete breakdown that resulted in bawling my eyes out on the side of the trail not moving anywhere. Very mature way to deal with things, but it made me feel a lot better. I didn't take any pictures the whole course (hence the borrowed photos - the photographers on course haven't posted anything yet).

I learned some useful things at this race. Fueling is so crucial and I have to find a better system for eating more regularly. The M&Ms and Skittles both worked pretty well, but it would have been better to have them in a ziplock baggie for easier eating. Soup works really well at night, warming and salty. Just staring at the aid station tables wasn't particularly helpful, but when a volunteer listed items off to me things started sounding good. Sitting down felt really good for a moment, but a volunteer found out from me how long I wanted to sit for, 2/5/10 minutes, and as soon as my time was done made sure I got up. My hands didn't really puff up like they usually do, they started to a few times and I'm not sure what I did differently for them to equalize again, but they would. There was some cramping, and again I'm not sure whether the water I would chug or the endurolytes were what helped - that's an experiment for a training run. There was a point where I realised that walking hurt just as much as running, so I might as well make some time, and it actually helped me feel better. Anytime I caught myself walking for too long I would run for at least 5 minutes to break up the trudgery and make sure I didn't fall into a death march.

Photo from PCTR FB page

I have lots of things to put into practice, some good ideas for what training I want to focus on between now and November, and a 50k to practice aid stations. For now, it's focus on recovery, and learn to use my trekking poles (and get my shoulders accustomed to them) in time for Sonoma Ultra 50k, with 9500' elevation gain, in 3 weeks.

Pioneer Spirt 50

Note to self - get better at blogging, at least for events!

A week ago Saturday (*now 2 weeks ago tomorrow...), I ran most of the Pioneer Spirit 50, put on by Single Track Running. The goal of running this race was some course recon for Rio del Lago 100 miler, and to practice heat management. **Short version - it was f*cking hot and I dropped/missed the cutoff at mile 44.** 

Photo by Elicia

There was a shuttle that would get us from the parking lot at the finish line at some ungodly hour, but Mel (of Boots and Saddles fame) and I had Best Crew Ever, aka Elicia, who rolled out of bed at a slightly later ungodly hour to drive us to the start and follow us around all day. There was an option for a 4am start, but I decided that since either way I'd be running through the hottest part of the day, the extra hour in bed would be preferable.

We started near the back of the pack, and followed the train of headlights winding its way down the dusty trail for the first part of our Cool cloverleaf. We would come through the first aid stations 3 times before heading for Folsom. A few slightly tricky footing sections due to the darkness, but mostly a steady pace. Mel and I ran together for most of the day, the first time I've raced with someone. Every now and again one of us would pull ahead but we would either catch up on trail or at the next aid station. While we paced well together, we both knew that if it was time for one person to push on solo that they should do so.

The race was going well all the way up to No Hands, AS5. I had a little chafing issue that I kept forgetting to take care of, but I was anticipating the heat and dousing myself in water and cramming ice in my bra and hat as soon as it got a little warm. I noticed at Cool (AS4, mile 16) that I wasn't drinking enough, and made a mental note to take in more from my pack on trail. At this AS and the one before, I guzzled about 3 cups of water, it was more delicious than my tailwind. This should have been my first clue!

Photo by Elicia, ~14 miles

After No Hands Bridge is a big climb, and the point where I started feeling the heat. I've ridden this trail once before so thought I knew where we were headed. I made it most of the way up before finally finding somewhere to pull out of the train of runners, pretty sure the puking was about to start. A few minutes standing in the shade helped me feel better, and I pushed on with my stomach content intact. I noticed my hands swelling, and tried to sip some tailwind but it left a funky taste in my mouth. A steep (very steep, couldn't stop running if I wanted to, quad-busting steep!) singletrack downhill brought us most of the way to the river. I caught back up to Mel in time for the trail to somehow get steeper, and we both ended up using our butts to shimmy down to reduce the risk of falling. There was some language used. The steep trail brought us out on some rocks by the river, but the trail wasn't done with us yet. There was some scrambling, climbing, shimmying, jumping over gaps where the trail disappeared completely, and some precarious balancing on trail narrower than my the shoe I was trying to keep traction with. My legs had been threatening to cramp, and after half a particularly big step up my left leg, the one perched on the rock I was climbing on, completely seized. Poor Mel was stuck behind me, I was blocking the whole trail and unable to move. It was about 30 seconds before I could get going again, and was very aware of the cramping coming back. Seeing an easy route to the river was a very welcome sight, and I sat there cooling off for a few minutes. I still wasn't drinking anywhere near enough, and by now it was hot, and mostly exposed trail. Fortunately we were done with what Mel and I fondly referred to as the 'Death trail'. Prior to that section we were solidly on pace for our hoped 12-hour finish. In the space of a few miles we had slipped into 14-hour beat-the-cutoff pace.

Mel navigating part of 'death trail'

It was only about 2 miles to the next aid station but a hot climb to get there. I got a little light headed, and was trying to drink more but feeling nauseous. I asked Elicia to just top off my pack with water, I finally realised that if I added tailwind I wasn't going to drink anything. My big mistake here was not taking food, and without tailwind I was heading off without calories in an already depleted state. I did get some candied ginger which really helped settle my stomach. The next section was in the shade along the canal, and I really enjoyed it, cruising along at a good pace. I had heard a lot about the Cardiac hill - another quad buster down to the aid station. On the way I could feel something going on with my socks, so at the aid station I sat down to fix them. Unfortunately the only chairs were the folding ones with a seat a few inches off the ground. Cue cramping, which persisted every time I tried to get my foot near enough to remove my shoe, fix the problem, and put my shoe back. It didn't occur to me to ask a volunteer to help me, so took twice as long as it should have done. After San Diego, I have learned my lesson about not fixing foot niggles before they become problems.

I'm not quite sure what happened on the next section. We had plenty of time. Then we didn't. Somehow Mel and I found some scrapings at the bottom of the tank to push us into the aid station when we realised how close to time we were. We arrived with less than 5 minutes to go until mandatory Out time, volunteers flurrying around us making sure we were ready to throw us back on trail so we didn't get disqualified. A volunteer was sponging me off when I suddenly felt really light headed, saw spots, and swaying. I sat down and still felt like I was going to pass out when I heard "30 seconds remaining" from a volunteer and Mel's "Cyd, are you coming, we have to go NOW!" So of course, up I got and off we went. I didn't grab food again!!! Mel had grabbed otter pops for us, and gave me a couple of boiled sweets. The little bit of sugar got me to the next aid station, but wasn't enough to revive me. I still wasn't drinking, and was fading fast. The next aid station was only a few miles away, and again I left with no food. I've been using tailwind for more than 2 years, so never had to think about calories, I fill my pack and go. I also wasn't taking electrolytes.

I love this picture! No Hands Bridge, ~21 miles

I had heard lots of stories about the meat grinder, and while it certainly wasn't the most fun trail I've ever run, or "run", it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. It was slowly cooling off, and I was starting to drink the water from my pack more regularly. It had occurred to me a while back that I hadn't had to pee in a long time (ask my running buddies - I stop to pee annoyingly frequently). I finally had to stop, and without going into details, the colour was not appropriate and it was very uncomfortable. I slowly dropped back until Mel was out of sight. I called Elicia after a mile or so, explained I wasn't feeling good, but that Mel should be in shortly and to make sure she got out of the aid station quickly. I was feeling light headed and nauseous again, but wouldn't let myself sit down. Soon a pacer came by heading out to meet their runner, and said I was about a mile from the aid station and that I could make it. With 6 minutes to cutoff, that wasn't going to happen on fresh legs with good hydration, let alone now. It also turned out to be further than a mile. What I didn't know was that they had extended the cutoff from 5:12 to 5:30. I learned this when Elicia met me about half a mile down the trail. She had brought me some ginger ale, which I forced a little down, and finally sat.

If I had pushed myself, I probably would have made it by 5:30. Even after sitting on the trail for a few minutes, and not even trying to keep a decent hiking pace, I only arrived 5 minutes late. They may even have let me continue on at that point. My concern was how dehydrated I was, and the aching I had been feeling in my lower back was higher than it should be for muscle fatigue or hip tightness. Slogging out another 6+ miles may have been doable, but at what consequence to my recovery? My goal is to complete Rio del Lago 100 in November. While pushing through to finish would have been great mental training, it certainly wasn't the best choice for my health.

I'm not pleased that I didn't finish, but I took a lot away from this race. I am more familiar with some of the trails I'll be running on the 100, I learned that I need fueling options other than tailwind, my heat management was actually pretty good if you exclude the hydration factor. Plus, I decided that I really need a finish, so I went ahead and signed up for Headlands 50 on September 10th! So instead of a 50 mile long run, I'm getting a 44 mile and 50 mile. Headlands was my first 50 in 2014, and the cooler temperatures and generous cut off times make a finish more likely - I'm not sure mentally I can go into a 100 miler coming from 2 DNFs. It also gives me a chance to practice fueling with food instead of tailwind.