Grizzly Peak 50K

My first attempt at an official Ultra race.

After studying up on Carb loading, stretching, tapering, fueling, hitting the wall and the numerous obstacles , at some point it's time to just get your shoes muddy. It just so happens there is a Grizzly peak 50k race, in my girls back yard. Since my lovely partner in crime, Nima, has been in Berkeley I have had much time to train on that wickedly large peak, and in fact it was the first place I ever hit the wall. My goal at the time, one year ago, was to go to the top without stopping; and upon my return, I felt, well high. My legs were numb, and I could not get one repeating phrase out of my head. It didn't occur to me I had used up all my fuel. When I got to my girls place I was like an alien in an Edgar suit from Men in Black, I couldn’t move properly and all I could say was “Sugar Water”. When I collapsed she put the fan on me and got me what I needed.

So that was about 7 Miles, one year ago. 
31 1/2 aught to be no problem.

I tapered down my training; 34 miles a week, 26, 19, took a week off. I carb loaded the week before to 24 hours before Food bars, Soylent, avocado toast every few hours, watered down super seed Oatmeal for breakfast, Cliff bar 1 hour before, Glucose shot 15 min before then off we went.

8A.M. Slightly foggy, relatively muddy trail for having not rained in weeks. It was crowded out the gate as I jockeyed to position. At this point I should explain the race. It was two 13 mile loops followed by a 6 mile loop, so runners could do a 10k, half Marathon, 30k, Marathon, or 50k depending on how many loops they ran. We also snaked between Two Aid stations, one with water and the other fully stocked with whatever you might want, which was a lot the last time around, as well as the finish line. All of this on the 50K trail with over 6500 vertical feet climb.

This being my first ultra race, my previous longest run being 24 miles solo, I just guessed whom my fellow 50Kers might be. I felt great, Running up every hill, passing all the walkers, feeling light and energized. I had done something right for sure. At the peak I found myself on one of the most beautiful runs of my life, on an island in a cloud, San Fran on my Left, San Pablo Reservoir on my right, green fields speckled with patches of poppies and lupens. I let out a “Ute” of stokedness. On my way back I was complimented by a seasoned veteran of ultras who was just out to do a quick 30k on my strength up one of the hills. I told him it was my first ultra and we chatted till I let him pull away, relieved he wasn’t my competitor. Then about a mile or so from the turn around I received some disconcerting news from the guy I had been pacing. He asked me what race I was in, as he threw it into high gear, I said 50K to which he said I was ‘owning it’ - first place by what he could tell, but second was on my back. I asked him what he was running as I raced to keep up… he yelled “13” as he sped by.

The leader caught me at the turn around and made sure I was running the full 50, to which I said yea and would see him on down the trail after a quick Soylent stop. The second time up the hills wasn't quite as Sound of Music as the first time, to say the least. And I made sure, not only to keep up my carbs with bananas, which I am morally against; and potatoes, which I am ethnically for; but I also got to eat my very own slice of humble pie as all those guys I bounded past tortoise-and-haired my ass back to grade school.

Hitting the wall is spooky. A rapid brain drain characterized by stupification and loss of balance.  Tripped on a rock by I quickly sucked down a glucose shot, but although you get mental clarity pretty quick it takes a while for your muscles to catch up. At the next aid station, candy bar, potato, banana, coca cola, electrolyte. More hill. More hill, and more hill. I realized then, there is a reason everyone else walks up the hills... It's not like I was breaking any land speed records racing up them, but I was totally draining my legs.

So after I wallowed in a bit of self pity, I decided it was time to zen this race to the end. I had about 10 Miles to go, but most of the up was behind me. I had to get in the rhythm. Little accomplishments, the next checkpoint. Attempting to look strong at the turn around so Nima wouldn’t make me stop, I swooped in to grab some more Soylent. Just then my legs started to cramp up and I got a mad limp on. I was all rehearsed to go “no babe, I can finish this” but I was caught off guard when she said “you just shouldn’t stop.” To which I told her I had to, but would keep going as soon as I had some carbs. She knows me too well these days.

I looked forward to the flat to practice my exhausted zen running, or zombie shuffle. I looked forward to the downhill because it's downhill. I looked forward to the steep uphill for a chance to power walk for a minute. Those last 6 miles were the real training I realized. And though I was dreading a race at the finish line, I dug deep and found enough to run in hard.

At the end I was greeted by my comrades, all with that stoked to not be running any more look. The coordinator of the race asked if I was the guy who went out way too hard. We all laughed and they told me that this was the hilliest course in northern Cali, and a brutal one to start off with.

All in all it was a great training run, I got 7th overall, and 3rd in my age group. The Ultra community really are great people. A network of support, everyone understanding that the only person you're really racing against is yourself. One more step toward the great unknown.

Here's a topographic profile, a map, and a view from the top for anyone interested:

 

        

Hoofin' it to Hot Springs

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