I’m turning 50 in August.
I already feel like an “old man” but 50 is a landmark that has me really
questioning my goals and dreams. I have
been thinking about my goals as a runner a lot lately. I have run 35 ultra marathons, which include a
plethora of joyous moments. It has given
me a profound connection to the world and people around me. Signing up for this
Golden State 50K was another attempt at connecting to the running community. On
the heels of a fabulous Born to Run adventure (my last ultra), I was looking
for more running joy, and the Golden State 50K seemed to fit the bill.
Here were are at the start with the 35K runners. It's really easy to start out too fast when you're mixed in with folks running shorter races!
The first 10 miles flew by in under 2 hours (1:55). I logged
11-minute miles for the first 5 miles, then 12-minute miles for the next 5
miles. This includes walk breaks (uphill)
and the aid station stop. I was on pace for a sub-6 hour finish, and it made me
feel hopeful that my fast times weren’t so far behind me. The last time I ran a fast 50K was in 2017, when I finished the Mokelumne River 50K in 5:20, which feels like a lifetime ago. Nowadays, I’d count a 7 hour finish as a win. The next 10 miles were slower (more uphill), but still relatively fast. At 20 miles, my time was 4:08. I felt strong and confident.
Here is one of the tough hills early in the race... You can tell it's tough when runners put their hands on their hips!
This is my smile at mile 20!
But then the sun came out and it suddenly
felt a lot warmer (even though the high temperature was supposed to be only 71
degrees). Fatigue crept in and my confidence
quickly evaporated. At the Aid station, around
mile 22.6, I felt hot, slightly dehydrated and mildly nauseated. I was still running, just at a slower pace.
The hills felt tougher, but I did my best to stay positive and focused on taking
one mile at a time. Talking to fellow
runners really helped my own mentality. Turns
out I wasn’t the only one suffering. I encouraged everyone I met to “hang in
there” and “just get it done”. At mile
26, we get dealt some of the biggest hills of the day. With only 5 miles to go, I can smell the
finish line. I’ve already given up on my
delusional time goals. I’m tired and ready to finish. All of a sudden, I’m running well again and
passing runners in the last few miles. Near the finish line I broke into a full
sprint in an attempt to catch one final runner. Even though I didn’t catch my
target, it felt good to finish strong.
My Final time was 6:49. 54th place out of 86 finishers.
My Garmin recorded 30.97 miles, 13:14/mile, Elevation Gain:
3,323 feet. Run/walk Detection: Run Time:
4:31:28, Walk time: 2:08:47, Idle Time (at aid stations): 9:51. Average heart
rate: 139bpm.
Other notes:
I ran in my last pair of Hoka Clifton 9s, which my thoughtful
wife bought for me for Father’s day. Even
though I haven’t tried the new Hoka Clifton 10, the increase in heel to toe drop
(5mm to 8mm) really bothers me. I’m switching
to the Altra Torin which is a true zero-drop shoe. I’m not sure how that will go, but I’m
hopeful.
This is a snake I spotted on the course and picked up (of course I let it go!). I also saw a garter snake late in the race. I love snakes! I have a pet Rosy Boa snake, by the way...
I am recovering really well after my last two ultra distance races. I’ve been treating these races like any other long run. I am monitoring my resting heart rate, which ranges from 45-49, even after these long runs. I am also going to Brazilian Jujitsu classes 3-4 times a week, which has made be more fit over the past one and a half years. I’m tempted to sign up for the Tamalpa Headlands 50K on August 15th (one day before my birthday) but have not decided if I’m ready for more joy (and pain).
There are some great race day pictures posted by Inside Trail here (I typically don't buy pictures unless it's a goal race):
If you're considering this race, I'd highly recommend it! The course is well-marked and the scenery is amazing. Just be ready for a big, sandy hill at around mile 26ish!
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