Hey everyone,
It’s Monday evening, less than 7 days till the start of the Badwater Ultramarathon. It’s a little hard to describe what I’m feeling, but the feeling will intensify as I get closer to race day. All the memories of last year are rushing back to me and it feels so good.
One positive going into it was the relaxed 4:53 50k I ran on Angel Island with 4200 ft. elevation gain. I felt very comfortable and very at ease keeping my pace at an even keel without stressing myself to the point of injury. I feel like I’m beginning to peak and my many late night runs will finally pay dividends.
It’s been a tough year overall, with my first two DNFs, experiences getting lost on course, altitude sickness at Western States 100 and overall sub-par performances from what I’ve been used to or been building towards. But in spite of that, this one race can change all that. One race. For me, this is the Super Bowl of my running year, the crown jewel of what I’ve been building towards. For all the things that haven’t gone right this year, one race can wipe that all away. While admittedly the sickness at Western States leaves a bitter taste in my mouth that I would love to wash away in 2008, right now this is the race. I want to rise to the occasion when the stakes were the highest. Last year’s race was about survival, but this year’s race is about taking it to that next level. One race, one journey, one moment (or one collection of moments). Whatever time goals or place goals I have, I’ll keep them to myself. Surpassing it all is the goal of representing the Lord well in all ways: strong when weak, wise when foolish and faithful when hopeless.
As I prepare to look down the starting line at my fellow competitors, I feel nothing but respect and love in my heart. I pray that the Lord would bless each of their journeys, wherever that may take them. While the competitor in me always strives to be number one, the respect and love in my heart is like no other competition I’ve every known.
That’s all for now; I’ll write more on Friday before I leave for the Valley. My uncle will update the site during the race. You can follow the webcast starting Monday morning at http://www.badwater.com/. Stay strong and keep movin’.
God bless,
Gundy
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Badwater Looming
Hey everyone,
I know it's been a couple weeks since I last updated, and with the Badwater Ultramarathon closing in, I figured I probably need to update this more often. My Uncle Andy will be updating the site during the race, but for now, I want to let everyone know what was going on. The hardest part of training the last couple weeks has nothing to do with running. It's been the stretching. Stretching is by far the hardest thing for me to get better at. I've been diligent for a little while now, but even then trying to make sure I carve out the time to do it right is the hardest part. So, if you have any tips on getting more limber, please feel free to let me know.
The easy part has been the running. I've had a 70 mile week and a 100 mile week the last couple weeks, which has been great. I'm looking to get another 100 mile week in before an 8 day taper. Unlike some others, I enjoy staying sharp by getting those runs in, even a couple weeks before the event.I've incorporated into my training a lot of night runs. Over the last couple weeks, I've done three late night runs, starting anywhere between 10 pm and 3 am. This is because I'm trying to make sure I can fight through the fatigue of the Badwater as well as future 100 mile runs. Everyone slows down in the evening hours, but if I can limit that, it will make me that much stronger overall.I am so excited for Badwater! I can't wait to be out there with my crew. Most of my crew is new to the race, so I'm excited to introduce them to Death Valley and Mt. Whitney. Climbing Whitney when the race ends will be a new thing for me, and going back almost 4 years after I first climbed it will be special. The biggest aspect, as I get more and more of those pre-race jitters, will be my mental and spirtual preparation. In particular, when my prayer life and connection with the Lord is strong, I become a stronger runner. When it is weak, I can feel it when the hard times come running. So, I ask that each of you say a prayer for me as I pray both for myself as well as for my crew. The challenge of Badwater is unique, and being in Death Valley continually reminds me that my life is not my own, but rather belongs to the Lord to do with as he wishes.
Thanks again for all your support, I love you all out there and pray for you all. You are the best. Stay strong and keep movin'.
God bless,
Gundy
I know it's been a couple weeks since I last updated, and with the Badwater Ultramarathon closing in, I figured I probably need to update this more often. My Uncle Andy will be updating the site during the race, but for now, I want to let everyone know what was going on. The hardest part of training the last couple weeks has nothing to do with running. It's been the stretching. Stretching is by far the hardest thing for me to get better at. I've been diligent for a little while now, but even then trying to make sure I carve out the time to do it right is the hardest part. So, if you have any tips on getting more limber, please feel free to let me know.
The easy part has been the running. I've had a 70 mile week and a 100 mile week the last couple weeks, which has been great. I'm looking to get another 100 mile week in before an 8 day taper. Unlike some others, I enjoy staying sharp by getting those runs in, even a couple weeks before the event.I've incorporated into my training a lot of night runs. Over the last couple weeks, I've done three late night runs, starting anywhere between 10 pm and 3 am. This is because I'm trying to make sure I can fight through the fatigue of the Badwater as well as future 100 mile runs. Everyone slows down in the evening hours, but if I can limit that, it will make me that much stronger overall.I am so excited for Badwater! I can't wait to be out there with my crew. Most of my crew is new to the race, so I'm excited to introduce them to Death Valley and Mt. Whitney. Climbing Whitney when the race ends will be a new thing for me, and going back almost 4 years after I first climbed it will be special. The biggest aspect, as I get more and more of those pre-race jitters, will be my mental and spirtual preparation. In particular, when my prayer life and connection with the Lord is strong, I become a stronger runner. When it is weak, I can feel it when the hard times come running. So, I ask that each of you say a prayer for me as I pray both for myself as well as for my crew. The challenge of Badwater is unique, and being in Death Valley continually reminds me that my life is not my own, but rather belongs to the Lord to do with as he wishes.
Thanks again for all your support, I love you all out there and pray for you all. You are the best. Stay strong and keep movin'.
God bless,
Gundy
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Western States 100 letdown and Badwater buildup
Hey everyone,
Thanks for the notes everyone. I really appreciate it. I know the notes they put on the western states 100 site can be a little confusing. I'm writing an entry regarding my DNF at the Western States 100. . I started getting sick around mile 14, but was still on a sub 24 hour pace past Red Star Ridge. I felt good going in, but somehow the altitude got me messed up and I lost significant time going into Duncan Canyon. My legs were fine but I wasn't taking in enough nutrition. On the way to Robinson, the elevation drops into the bottom of the canyon and I started killin' it, passing 15-20 people. I dumped the Hammer Gel, which was causing me to puke with the gel sticking in the back of the throat. My crew at DC gave me Boost, which went down smooth. I chatted with a number of people as I moved up the hill. My legs felt awesome, I was able to hit the downhills at 9 min/mile, and my climbing was quickened. But on the final climb to Robinson, going back up again in elev., I lost 5-7 minutes when I puked the undigested Boost in my system. I kept going, got into Robinson, and let me crew take care of me. I stayed for 15 minutes when I puked the water they gave me. Funny thing was, I was only 3 lbs. under weight from 177 lb. at start. Doctor said it was elevation, checked me out, and let me go. The bug hit me again on the way to Miller's Defeat and I had to slow down. I still got in there with 50 min to spare. Puked again, went to lay down and make final decision later, but they let me sleep until it was a couple min. after the cutoff. I drank some 7 up and perked up. With how that worked and how I was disgusted with how gu20 and gatorade were making my stomach feel, I should of had them fill both bottles with 7 up (for the short term sugar) and leave with 15 before cutoff. Felt bad, but what was done, was done. I've got Badwater in few weeks, I love heat, so I guess that will be my personal Super Bowl now. Not finishing WS, for me personally, just puts added importance on getting a time in the low-30 hours there. It sucks, but it is what it is. My legs felt great on the way home as I scarfed down a big burger, fries and shake, and feel awesome, so I went for another long run to keep it up. Every time I go out there in a race like this, I carry not only my own expectations of self, but also the support, prayers and well-wishes of a lot of people. I'm just praying for myself right now that I can get a little God-power to deal with all the challenges at Badwater again. I'll always know that I never quit and that no matter what I think about not finishing, it always pales in comparison to the other things in my life such as my family, my friends, my church and my work with children in Africa. My character is neither blemished by defeat or made golden in victory. I may be only as good as my last race, but Badwater and redemption awaits…… Jonathan
Thanks for the notes everyone. I really appreciate it. I know the notes they put on the western states 100 site can be a little confusing. I'm writing an entry regarding my DNF at the Western States 100. . I started getting sick around mile 14, but was still on a sub 24 hour pace past Red Star Ridge. I felt good going in, but somehow the altitude got me messed up and I lost significant time going into Duncan Canyon. My legs were fine but I wasn't taking in enough nutrition. On the way to Robinson, the elevation drops into the bottom of the canyon and I started killin' it, passing 15-20 people. I dumped the Hammer Gel, which was causing me to puke with the gel sticking in the back of the throat. My crew at DC gave me Boost, which went down smooth. I chatted with a number of people as I moved up the hill. My legs felt awesome, I was able to hit the downhills at 9 min/mile, and my climbing was quickened. But on the final climb to Robinson, going back up again in elev., I lost 5-7 minutes when I puked the undigested Boost in my system. I kept going, got into Robinson, and let me crew take care of me. I stayed for 15 minutes when I puked the water they gave me. Funny thing was, I was only 3 lbs. under weight from 177 lb. at start. Doctor said it was elevation, checked me out, and let me go. The bug hit me again on the way to Miller's Defeat and I had to slow down. I still got in there with 50 min to spare. Puked again, went to lay down and make final decision later, but they let me sleep until it was a couple min. after the cutoff. I drank some 7 up and perked up. With how that worked and how I was disgusted with how gu20 and gatorade were making my stomach feel, I should of had them fill both bottles with 7 up (for the short term sugar) and leave with 15 before cutoff. Felt bad, but what was done, was done. I've got Badwater in few weeks, I love heat, so I guess that will be my personal Super Bowl now. Not finishing WS, for me personally, just puts added importance on getting a time in the low-30 hours there. It sucks, but it is what it is. My legs felt great on the way home as I scarfed down a big burger, fries and shake, and feel awesome, so I went for another long run to keep it up. Every time I go out there in a race like this, I carry not only my own expectations of self, but also the support, prayers and well-wishes of a lot of people. I'm just praying for myself right now that I can get a little God-power to deal with all the challenges at Badwater again. I'll always know that I never quit and that no matter what I think about not finishing, it always pales in comparison to the other things in my life such as my family, my friends, my church and my work with children in Africa. My character is neither blemished by defeat or made golden in victory. I may be only as good as my last race, but Badwater and redemption awaits…… Jonathan
Friday, June 15, 2007
Western States 100 Buildup
Hello everyone,
It’s another week closer to the Western States 100 and another week closer to Badwater again. The clock is ticking. Many people running the race will often take the last two weeks off to taper prior to the race. However, I will continue to push forward, albeit at a slower pace than normal. Last weekend, I got in a 32.3 mile training run on a section of the Western States course from Robinson Flat to Forest Hill. It traversed a pristine area of forest north east of Auburn and Sacramento. Although there were patches of snow when I first set out at 6900 ft. elevation, it quickly warmed up in the canyons and valleys as the run went on. The highlight of the run had to be my chance encounter with a black bear. At the time, I had turned my Ipod on and proceeded to drift off into my own world with nary a soul in sight. While running down a section of flat fire roads, I looked up to see the fuzzy, plump creature scrapping at a stump on the side of the road. I quickly put the brakes on with about 20 yards to spare and proceeded to slowly walk back up the road while maintaining visual contact with the bear. Compared to other black bears, it was rather small. My biggest fear was that it was possibly a cub with its mother nearby. Most black bears will run away at the sound of humans, but in cases where a mother believes it is protecting its cub, the results can be vicious. However, once the bear turned at hearing my footsteps, it scurried off down the hillside. I waited a few minutes to be sure it was gone before continuing on my way. I immediately turned off the Ipod for the time being, weary of future encounters with the black bears and cougars that inhabit these forests. As I proceeded onward, I would intermittently yell or make strange noises to alert them of my coming presence. I felt like a bit of an idiot making these stupid noises, but better to look like an idiot than to end up the victim of an animal attack.
It was great to be outdoors and breathing in that fresh air. The only place to get air like that in the city is at your local oxygen bar. The neat part of the run was that there was really only one way in and one way out. That feeling of truly being alone was refreshing, giving me the time and space to relax, think, pray and enjoy. I’ve been tired and weary lately, so it’s hard to explain how such a long run can be invigorating. Sometimes, taking yourself away from the things that you like work or social obligations or cell phones ringing is just what the doctor ordered. Now that I am leading a group to Uganda for two weeks in September to work with schools, churches and other organizations there, the demands on my time and the responsibilities that come with that are even greater. Moments like these remind me that it is important to always remember that it is God who brings order and purpose to what I do, so that the demands and responsibilities of my life do not consume me.
This week, I have some shorter 10-12 mile runs with a 22 miler on Friday night and a 16 miler on Sunday afternoon. Also, just wanted to let you know that if you want to follow the WS100 on the web, they have live webcast updates starting 5 am on Saturday, June 23 at www.ws100.com. I hope you’re all doing well and will definitely lift up a prayer for all of you this week. Stay strong and keep movin’. God bless.
Gundy
It’s another week closer to the Western States 100 and another week closer to Badwater again. The clock is ticking. Many people running the race will often take the last two weeks off to taper prior to the race. However, I will continue to push forward, albeit at a slower pace than normal. Last weekend, I got in a 32.3 mile training run on a section of the Western States course from Robinson Flat to Forest Hill. It traversed a pristine area of forest north east of Auburn and Sacramento. Although there were patches of snow when I first set out at 6900 ft. elevation, it quickly warmed up in the canyons and valleys as the run went on. The highlight of the run had to be my chance encounter with a black bear. At the time, I had turned my Ipod on and proceeded to drift off into my own world with nary a soul in sight. While running down a section of flat fire roads, I looked up to see the fuzzy, plump creature scrapping at a stump on the side of the road. I quickly put the brakes on with about 20 yards to spare and proceeded to slowly walk back up the road while maintaining visual contact with the bear. Compared to other black bears, it was rather small. My biggest fear was that it was possibly a cub with its mother nearby. Most black bears will run away at the sound of humans, but in cases where a mother believes it is protecting its cub, the results can be vicious. However, once the bear turned at hearing my footsteps, it scurried off down the hillside. I waited a few minutes to be sure it was gone before continuing on my way. I immediately turned off the Ipod for the time being, weary of future encounters with the black bears and cougars that inhabit these forests. As I proceeded onward, I would intermittently yell or make strange noises to alert them of my coming presence. I felt like a bit of an idiot making these stupid noises, but better to look like an idiot than to end up the victim of an animal attack.
It was great to be outdoors and breathing in that fresh air. The only place to get air like that in the city is at your local oxygen bar. The neat part of the run was that there was really only one way in and one way out. That feeling of truly being alone was refreshing, giving me the time and space to relax, think, pray and enjoy. I’ve been tired and weary lately, so it’s hard to explain how such a long run can be invigorating. Sometimes, taking yourself away from the things that you like work or social obligations or cell phones ringing is just what the doctor ordered. Now that I am leading a group to Uganda for two weeks in September to work with schools, churches and other organizations there, the demands on my time and the responsibilities that come with that are even greater. Moments like these remind me that it is important to always remember that it is God who brings order and purpose to what I do, so that the demands and responsibilities of my life do not consume me.
This week, I have some shorter 10-12 mile runs with a 22 miler on Friday night and a 16 miler on Sunday afternoon. Also, just wanted to let you know that if you want to follow the WS100 on the web, they have live webcast updates starting 5 am on Saturday, June 23 at www.ws100.com. I hope you’re all doing well and will definitely lift up a prayer for all of you this week. Stay strong and keep movin’. God bless.
Gundy
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Marathon Fun in San Diego
Hello again from San Francisco,
It's been nice weather up here in the Bay Area. So, I spent the last weekend in San Diego at the Rock N' Roll Marathon. Uncle Jose and I went to spend some time hanging out with the Injinji crew and getting a solid training run in for preparation for Western States and Badwater.So, as is our custom, we traveled through Friday night to arrive in San Diego early Saturday morning. We decided to go straight to the expo and met up with the Injinji folks. Again, Joaquin and Randuz and the rest of the Injinji family treated us superbly. My uncle and I decided to help out at the booth, helping market the toe socks to fellow expo-goers. Having first hand experience with the socks, I could honestly convey the benefits of the socks to my running. I was also blessed that Injinji will be making a generous donation to my fundraising with World Harvest Mission, which definitely felt good. It always is great when the people who sponsor you help take the things that mean the most to you to the next level. Thank you, Injinji for the support in all ways. As for the race, it was an easy going, relaxed 3:22. I felt quite at ease running at that pace, balacing the needed for a good, harder training run for Western and keeping myself healthy overall. I even took the opportunity to help pace a couple people I saw struggling on the run for a little bit. The ride home gave us a great opportunity to have a quick dinner with some friends and get home in time to go to work on Monday. Monday, monday.....so bad to be back. Going to the sierras for a training run on Saturday in preparation for Western, so hopefully that goes well. My legs feel great and the patella tendonitis is definitely subsiding. As long as it doesn't come back strong, I'll be very happy.
Take care, stay strong, and keep movin’.
God bless. Gundy
It's been nice weather up here in the Bay Area. So, I spent the last weekend in San Diego at the Rock N' Roll Marathon. Uncle Jose and I went to spend some time hanging out with the Injinji crew and getting a solid training run in for preparation for Western States and Badwater.So, as is our custom, we traveled through Friday night to arrive in San Diego early Saturday morning. We decided to go straight to the expo and met up with the Injinji folks. Again, Joaquin and Randuz and the rest of the Injinji family treated us superbly. My uncle and I decided to help out at the booth, helping market the toe socks to fellow expo-goers. Having first hand experience with the socks, I could honestly convey the benefits of the socks to my running. I was also blessed that Injinji will be making a generous donation to my fundraising with World Harvest Mission, which definitely felt good. It always is great when the people who sponsor you help take the things that mean the most to you to the next level. Thank you, Injinji for the support in all ways. As for the race, it was an easy going, relaxed 3:22. I felt quite at ease running at that pace, balacing the needed for a good, harder training run for Western and keeping myself healthy overall. I even took the opportunity to help pace a couple people I saw struggling on the run for a little bit. The ride home gave us a great opportunity to have a quick dinner with some friends and get home in time to go to work on Monday. Monday, monday.....so bad to be back. Going to the sierras for a training run on Saturday in preparation for Western, so hopefully that goes well. My legs feel great and the patella tendonitis is definitely subsiding. As long as it doesn't come back strong, I'll be very happy.
Take care, stay strong, and keep movin’.
God bless. Gundy
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
2007 Memorial Day Fun
Hello again from San Francisco,
The weather is seasonably cold out here, which is to be expected. It was Mark Twain who once claimed the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. While that doesn’t always make for good training for the Western States 100 in the Sierras or the Badwater, it does make for an unpredictable summer, which is exactly how I like it.
Memorial Day Weekend was a time of training, volunteering and just enjoying the time off. For most marathoners and ultramarathoners, the hardest part is finding balance in one’s life. So, although I could’ve been at the Western States 100 training camp Saturday through Monday, I chose to only go Sunday. I spent Saturday in Napa tasting some wine and taking a train up to St. Helena. My dad grew up in Napa and my aunt lives in Napa, so it was a bit of a family history trip. As the designated driver, I kept my wine consumption to a minimum. I also didn’t want to adversely affect my training so far. Overall, it was a nice day around 80 degrees with clear skies overhead. The wind kicked up a little bit, but not enough to put a damper on a good day.
Sunday, I spent the day at the Western States training camp in Forrest Hill, CA. It’s about 15 miles east of Auburn tucked neatly into the surrounding forest. I ended up with about 21 miles worth of running on the race course that we’ll be on during the WS100, winding from Forrest Hill to Rucky Chuck. The most impressive part of the run was being on the hillside overlooking the Truckee river. We had the best views of the canyon below; I will post the pictures when I get them. It was a picture perfect day to go for a stroll through the Sierras.
Finished off the weekend volunteering at the Tamalpa Runners’ Marin Memorial Day Races at College of Marin in Kentfield, CA. I did all the miscellaneous stuff, from helping the announcer, preparing post-race goodie bags, and clean-up at the end. With about 700 competitors in the 2.5 mile and the 10k, as well as the kids races, there were a lot of people to account for. It always amazes me when the under-10 years old kids finish the 10k, with an overabundance of energy. Makes you wonder what we’re all capable of, in all facets of our lives. I was impressed with the number of volunteers that they had out there helping. Anytime you put on an event that big, organization is the key. I could probably learn a few tricks, if only so I can apply them to my crews at my other races. I’m off to San Diego for the Rock N’ Roll Marathon this weekend as well as a trip to the Injinji headquarters to visit with my sponsor. Road trips only mean one thing; long drives, good food (relatively speaking), and a great race. I’m hoping for a great race on Sunday.
Take care, stay strong, and keep movin’.
God bless, Gundy
The weather is seasonably cold out here, which is to be expected. It was Mark Twain who once claimed the coldest winter he ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. While that doesn’t always make for good training for the Western States 100 in the Sierras or the Badwater, it does make for an unpredictable summer, which is exactly how I like it.
Memorial Day Weekend was a time of training, volunteering and just enjoying the time off. For most marathoners and ultramarathoners, the hardest part is finding balance in one’s life. So, although I could’ve been at the Western States 100 training camp Saturday through Monday, I chose to only go Sunday. I spent Saturday in Napa tasting some wine and taking a train up to St. Helena. My dad grew up in Napa and my aunt lives in Napa, so it was a bit of a family history trip. As the designated driver, I kept my wine consumption to a minimum. I also didn’t want to adversely affect my training so far. Overall, it was a nice day around 80 degrees with clear skies overhead. The wind kicked up a little bit, but not enough to put a damper on a good day.
Sunday, I spent the day at the Western States training camp in Forrest Hill, CA. It’s about 15 miles east of Auburn tucked neatly into the surrounding forest. I ended up with about 21 miles worth of running on the race course that we’ll be on during the WS100, winding from Forrest Hill to Rucky Chuck. The most impressive part of the run was being on the hillside overlooking the Truckee river. We had the best views of the canyon below; I will post the pictures when I get them. It was a picture perfect day to go for a stroll through the Sierras.
Finished off the weekend volunteering at the Tamalpa Runners’ Marin Memorial Day Races at College of Marin in Kentfield, CA. I did all the miscellaneous stuff, from helping the announcer, preparing post-race goodie bags, and clean-up at the end. With about 700 competitors in the 2.5 mile and the 10k, as well as the kids races, there were a lot of people to account for. It always amazes me when the under-10 years old kids finish the 10k, with an overabundance of energy. Makes you wonder what we’re all capable of, in all facets of our lives. I was impressed with the number of volunteers that they had out there helping. Anytime you put on an event that big, organization is the key. I could probably learn a few tricks, if only so I can apply them to my crews at my other races. I’m off to San Diego for the Rock N’ Roll Marathon this weekend as well as a trip to the Injinji headquarters to visit with my sponsor. Road trips only mean one thing; long drives, good food (relatively speaking), and a great race. I’m hoping for a great race on Sunday.
Take care, stay strong, and keep movin’.
God bless, Gundy
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Greetings again,
Well, it’s the beginning of a new week. Here's a Silver State 50 Race Report......Myself, along with (I think) at least 3 other 50 mile participants (including Hal Koerner), missed the 50Mile race/50k race split (9.4 mile mark) and kept careening down the hillside into Boomtown. It was an unintended detour of about 4 miles. I had stopped to ask earlier on, but was waved on in the same direction. Needless to say, I arrived with two other runners at the 2:19 mark of the race, which was a 10:32 pace for those first approx. 13.2 miles. Of course, once I got down there, I was faced with a decision. Either finish the 50k or high tail it the approx. 4 miles back up the hill (approx. climb of 1600 ft. from 4900 ft. to 6500 ft.). I briefly paused and began leaving the aid station 100 ft. down the road for the 50k when I stopped, turned around, and started back up the hill. The intent of the run, for me, was to get ready for Western States, so in my mind the longer the better. I didn’t like having to make that decision, but the competitor in me wanted to go for it. What made it even more difficult was the soft, malleable trail I was climbing. For the most part, it was a moist sand, narrowly hemmed in to the hillside. It was probably the end result of each year’s snow/rain cycles. On the downhill, it was superb for taking the pounding off the joints as you kick up the dirt with each stride. On the uphill, it made for a more laborious climb, each foot sinking downward as the other foot was trying to climb upward. The other runner who initially was going up the hill with me ended up turning around at the sight of his father who was doing the 50k. He wanted to help him finish, which was understandable. Me? I was left with a race against the clock and a sense of urgency to push myself to get through. The aid station at Ranch Creek had doubts, but I pushed on to catch up to the aid stations and stay ahead of the course sweeper.
Even in the midst of hurrying up, there are always those moments which make you pause. Passing by a Boy Scout camp in the hills, I heard a number of Scouts yelling “Rattler”. To avoid the embarrassment of running into the snake unannounced, I asked the scouts where it was. They pointed to a fat, 8 ft. (I think) long snake shaded underneath a parked van 15 ft. away. It was not coiled and for the most part looked as if it just needed a cool place to slither to. The rattler was fattened, probably from a few meals of mice with it’s body expanded at various points across the length. After calmly walking past, I continued on my merry way. My stomach was growing quesy from who knows what food or drink or whatever, but I tried to ignore the nausea and continued to feed my body. Before heading into Boomtown, I had taken Rolaids and coke to calm it temporarily.
Boomtown- Mile Marker 29.5 Miles + almost 8 mile detour
Checkpoint cutoff time: 7 hours
Checkpoint arrival time: 7 hours
Perfect timing, I guess. It put me at around an 11:12 min/mile pace at that point, including the detour. I felt pretty darn good about that, considering that the race was meant as a test of a sub-24 hour WS run. The bad part? Going up that hill was the biggest pain in the arse ever. When you’re already nauseous, the last thing you want is to get a whiff of someone else’s nausea. Climbing up from Boomtown that 4000 ft. climb, I passed another runner who looked in obvious pain from throwing up. Watching someone throw up from afar is one thing, but being up close and personal is another. It’s not that I didn’t have sympathy for the man. But pragmatically, I didn’t want to get too close for fear that it would trigger my own reaction. For the most part, it kept the nausea at bay. I felt close to the edge, but far enough away that I could continue to put out the effort to keep climbing. Once I had finished the major climbs and had gotten back on the fire trail, I felt it coming again. This time, with only a quarter-mile until the aid station, everything came up. I had had very little solid food in the past 2 hours, so what came up was mostly water and a little bit of stomach bile to top it off. I was like a washing machine being drained of its dirty water after a full load. After a few iterations, I was done and sighed in relief.
It did nothing to address my lack of nutrition, but pulling my head up again to look around, the world seemed a bit more cheery. Heading into the aid station another quarter mile, there was a surprising spring in my step. I felt the overwhelming weight of the crud that was in my stomach removed. At a quick few minute stop at the aid station, I tried to stuff some solid food into my stomach such as turkey sandwich and jelly beans, and move on. Even after downing 20 oz. worth of water to rehydrate myself, I felt fine until I was back on the trail again moving onward. Once again, the struggle continued. After the first mile and a half, I felt it coming in my stomach. It was time for the washing machine to be drained once again. Again, a concoction of sports drink, water, and bile flowed from me like a Greek fountain. Not fun, not fun indeed. I kept moving, but continue to stop to rest on nearby rocks. After reaching another fire road, I let the course sweeps go ahead. They would get the next aid station employees to come on up and pick me up.
Even with plenty of electrolyte fluid on me, I stopped to get refreshed by eating some ice, carefully shaving off the top. Once again, this left me nauseous and once again, my body was having none of that. After picking it up a little to get closer to the aid station, the aid station crew picked me at the 42 mile mark after about 12 hours elapsed. At that point, I was content to go, having finished my “50 mile training run” including the detour. 12,000 ft. of climbing was enough one day. Heck, I didn’t even get to enjoy the downhills. My muscles felt fine, my body in good condition otherwise (minus nausea), and my training run over. The first time EVER I had not finished a race that I started. The only thing left bruised was inside. I was smiling, imagining how just last summer I had meandered through Death Valley without a care in the world, and here I end up getting sick. Are there things to re-evaluate? Are there ways to improve? Are there foods I tried for the first time that I won’t try again? Of course. I think that there’s this innate stigma attached to “not finishing” which is ultimately equated with “quitting”. Could I have chosen to go on? I probably would’ve kept going and finished if the time limit was different, even with my stomach calamities. Could I have made decisions along the way that would have made the difference? By making decisions to sit and rest and not “pushing through”, was I choosing not to finish? It’s true that I was sick and that on a relative scale, I was not anywhere near 100%. I don’t know about everyone, but I do know that for many of us who have seen people or things close to us fail, there is a general disdain for failure that develops. It’s not so much the expectation that I always have to “win at everything”, but rather the profound feeling of not measuring up that day. There’s room for improvement in everything that we do and although I’d love to win a couple races along the way, winning is also a product of the natural growth curve of our God-given talent as well as our character. Finishing, on the other hand, is often viewed as more a testament of our character rather than innate talent. The only thing left is to say I did most of what I wanted and the experience will elevate my performances later this year at Western and Badwater. The goal is still the same; finish Western in sub-24 and Badwater in sub-36. The bruising now will only make me callous over with strength for later. Thank God, that as always, I live to fight another day.
Alright, that’s all from me for now. I'm preparing for Western States and still training. Prepping for a dynamite run at the San Diego Marathon, maybe a P.R. around 3 hours now that my right knee feels good again. I have a garage sale at the end of next month to benefit my fundraising drive for World Harvest Mission. It's a lot of work, but definitely well worth it. Stay strong and keep movin’. God bless.
Gundy
Well, it’s the beginning of a new week. Here's a Silver State 50 Race Report......Myself, along with (I think) at least 3 other 50 mile participants (including Hal Koerner), missed the 50Mile race/50k race split (9.4 mile mark) and kept careening down the hillside into Boomtown. It was an unintended detour of about 4 miles. I had stopped to ask earlier on, but was waved on in the same direction. Needless to say, I arrived with two other runners at the 2:19 mark of the race, which was a 10:32 pace for those first approx. 13.2 miles. Of course, once I got down there, I was faced with a decision. Either finish the 50k or high tail it the approx. 4 miles back up the hill (approx. climb of 1600 ft. from 4900 ft. to 6500 ft.). I briefly paused and began leaving the aid station 100 ft. down the road for the 50k when I stopped, turned around, and started back up the hill. The intent of the run, for me, was to get ready for Western States, so in my mind the longer the better. I didn’t like having to make that decision, but the competitor in me wanted to go for it. What made it even more difficult was the soft, malleable trail I was climbing. For the most part, it was a moist sand, narrowly hemmed in to the hillside. It was probably the end result of each year’s snow/rain cycles. On the downhill, it was superb for taking the pounding off the joints as you kick up the dirt with each stride. On the uphill, it made for a more laborious climb, each foot sinking downward as the other foot was trying to climb upward. The other runner who initially was going up the hill with me ended up turning around at the sight of his father who was doing the 50k. He wanted to help him finish, which was understandable. Me? I was left with a race against the clock and a sense of urgency to push myself to get through. The aid station at Ranch Creek had doubts, but I pushed on to catch up to the aid stations and stay ahead of the course sweeper.
Even in the midst of hurrying up, there are always those moments which make you pause. Passing by a Boy Scout camp in the hills, I heard a number of Scouts yelling “Rattler”. To avoid the embarrassment of running into the snake unannounced, I asked the scouts where it was. They pointed to a fat, 8 ft. (I think) long snake shaded underneath a parked van 15 ft. away. It was not coiled and for the most part looked as if it just needed a cool place to slither to. The rattler was fattened, probably from a few meals of mice with it’s body expanded at various points across the length. After calmly walking past, I continued on my merry way. My stomach was growing quesy from who knows what food or drink or whatever, but I tried to ignore the nausea and continued to feed my body. Before heading into Boomtown, I had taken Rolaids and coke to calm it temporarily.
Boomtown- Mile Marker 29.5 Miles + almost 8 mile detour
Checkpoint cutoff time: 7 hours
Checkpoint arrival time: 7 hours
Perfect timing, I guess. It put me at around an 11:12 min/mile pace at that point, including the detour. I felt pretty darn good about that, considering that the race was meant as a test of a sub-24 hour WS run. The bad part? Going up that hill was the biggest pain in the arse ever. When you’re already nauseous, the last thing you want is to get a whiff of someone else’s nausea. Climbing up from Boomtown that 4000 ft. climb, I passed another runner who looked in obvious pain from throwing up. Watching someone throw up from afar is one thing, but being up close and personal is another. It’s not that I didn’t have sympathy for the man. But pragmatically, I didn’t want to get too close for fear that it would trigger my own reaction. For the most part, it kept the nausea at bay. I felt close to the edge, but far enough away that I could continue to put out the effort to keep climbing. Once I had finished the major climbs and had gotten back on the fire trail, I felt it coming again. This time, with only a quarter-mile until the aid station, everything came up. I had had very little solid food in the past 2 hours, so what came up was mostly water and a little bit of stomach bile to top it off. I was like a washing machine being drained of its dirty water after a full load. After a few iterations, I was done and sighed in relief.
It did nothing to address my lack of nutrition, but pulling my head up again to look around, the world seemed a bit more cheery. Heading into the aid station another quarter mile, there was a surprising spring in my step. I felt the overwhelming weight of the crud that was in my stomach removed. At a quick few minute stop at the aid station, I tried to stuff some solid food into my stomach such as turkey sandwich and jelly beans, and move on. Even after downing 20 oz. worth of water to rehydrate myself, I felt fine until I was back on the trail again moving onward. Once again, the struggle continued. After the first mile and a half, I felt it coming in my stomach. It was time for the washing machine to be drained once again. Again, a concoction of sports drink, water, and bile flowed from me like a Greek fountain. Not fun, not fun indeed. I kept moving, but continue to stop to rest on nearby rocks. After reaching another fire road, I let the course sweeps go ahead. They would get the next aid station employees to come on up and pick me up.
Even with plenty of electrolyte fluid on me, I stopped to get refreshed by eating some ice, carefully shaving off the top. Once again, this left me nauseous and once again, my body was having none of that. After picking it up a little to get closer to the aid station, the aid station crew picked me at the 42 mile mark after about 12 hours elapsed. At that point, I was content to go, having finished my “50 mile training run” including the detour. 12,000 ft. of climbing was enough one day. Heck, I didn’t even get to enjoy the downhills. My muscles felt fine, my body in good condition otherwise (minus nausea), and my training run over. The first time EVER I had not finished a race that I started. The only thing left bruised was inside. I was smiling, imagining how just last summer I had meandered through Death Valley without a care in the world, and here I end up getting sick. Are there things to re-evaluate? Are there ways to improve? Are there foods I tried for the first time that I won’t try again? Of course. I think that there’s this innate stigma attached to “not finishing” which is ultimately equated with “quitting”. Could I have chosen to go on? I probably would’ve kept going and finished if the time limit was different, even with my stomach calamities. Could I have made decisions along the way that would have made the difference? By making decisions to sit and rest and not “pushing through”, was I choosing not to finish? It’s true that I was sick and that on a relative scale, I was not anywhere near 100%. I don’t know about everyone, but I do know that for many of us who have seen people or things close to us fail, there is a general disdain for failure that develops. It’s not so much the expectation that I always have to “win at everything”, but rather the profound feeling of not measuring up that day. There’s room for improvement in everything that we do and although I’d love to win a couple races along the way, winning is also a product of the natural growth curve of our God-given talent as well as our character. Finishing, on the other hand, is often viewed as more a testament of our character rather than innate talent. The only thing left is to say I did most of what I wanted and the experience will elevate my performances later this year at Western and Badwater. The goal is still the same; finish Western in sub-24 and Badwater in sub-36. The bruising now will only make me callous over with strength for later. Thank God, that as always, I live to fight another day.
Alright, that’s all from me for now. I'm preparing for Western States and still training. Prepping for a dynamite run at the San Diego Marathon, maybe a P.R. around 3 hours now that my right knee feels good again. I have a garage sale at the end of next month to benefit my fundraising drive for World Harvest Mission. It's a lot of work, but definitely well worth it. Stay strong and keep movin’. God bless.
Gundy
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