Stinson Beach 50K Race Report

I signed up for the North Face Endurance 50-miler on December 4th, so I planned on using a 50K race, to use as a training run for my 50 mile race three weeks later. The Stinson Beach 50K seemed like the perfect choice, as long as I didn't get carried away and raced it at full effort. It has 7097 feet of elevation gain, and is run in the same area as the planned 50-mile race.


The Wednesday before the Saturday 50K, my 3 year old daughter developed a cold, complete with restless nights, a nasty cough and congestion. Of course I develop sore throat symptoms shortly thereafter. But runners will usually run, rain or shine, in sickness and in health. When you have a passion for something, you find a way to just do it.


The race is held in Sausalito, California at Stinson Beach, where the Dipsea Races are also held. It was going to be a sunny day with a high of 70 degrees and a low of 48. The 50K race starts at 8:30AM, the 25K starts at 8:50, and the 12K runners start at 9:10. Before the race I got to chat with Ian Sharman, an elite runner who runs the Comrades Marathon in Africa every year (he came in 24th place out of 16,000+ runners this past May). Since he relocated to San Jose, California from the UK, he runs a lot of the same races I run! And like many of the elite ultra runners, he's just a swell guy to chat with! Of course slower runners like me only get to chat with the fast runners before these long races, because by the time we're done, the faster runners are long gone!

The first section of the race (3 miles) is run through an enchanted redwood forest where you could imagine Ewoks roaming. I had overheard that this was "Ewok Forest" where they filmed parts of the Star Wars trilogy.

That sounded really cool, but upon further research after the race, Return of the Jedi was filmed in a different Redwood forest further north. Still, the thought of running through "Ewok Forest" conjured up some pleasant thoughts. These few miles were all uphill, with many stone stairs, babbling brooks, wooden bridges and even a ladder!

Is this really a race course? Or is it a lost world in another universe?
My first 3 miles would have been more fun if I didn't feel so miserable! My anterior tibialis muscles (shins) felt extremely tight and my heart rate seemed out of control. Going directly uphill at the start of a race sucks.

Thankfully, an aid station is positioned right at the 3 mile mark. It gives me a chance to "regroup". All runners know that some days you "got it" and some days you don't. The beauty of long ultra races is that even if you don't "got it" at the start, you have plenty of time to find "it"; the groove, the mojo, or whatever you want to call it. The next couple miles are downhill, and my body finally starts to warm up, and the tightness in my legs go away.

I'm just cruising along at an easy 9:20 pace, when the speedy 25K runners started to pass me. I couldn't help but speed up and consequently found my groove. Surrounded by 25K racers on a gentle downhill, I logged a 7:46 and an 8:02 mile (miles 6 and 7). It probably wasn't the smartest move, but it sure was fun.


Once we hit some wider, flatter trails, I slowed down and let the speedsters pass without a fight. I had a longer way to go, and couldn't sabotage my "training run" by trying to push the pace. My legs were feeling good though, so even the uphill portions felt easy to speed walk.

Around mile 12, I struck up a conversation with a fellow runner by the name of David. And as with many of the runners that I have met and talked to, it was "friendship at first sight". We talked about everything. Stories about our kids, our running, and our dreams came pouring out as we ran through a forest filled with rocks, roots, fallen trees, and other tripping hazards. He is fairly new to ultra running, and yet he has already completed his first 100-mile race! His dream race is the Badwater Ultramarathon - 135 miles of pure torture! I love it! And maybe when he's ready to run that monster, I'll be ready to crew for him. Ahhh, this is the stuff dreams (or nightmares) are made of...

David and I parted ways at the halfway point where I met up with another ultra running friend (Myles) who was having a bad day. I met Myles in my first 50K, 11 months ago (feels like a lifetime ago), when we both officially became ultra runners. Even though this is only the second time we've raced together, it feels like we're old buddies.

Miles 16-19 feel much more comfortable the second time up the same section. It felt so comfortable that I skipped the next aid station and forgot to top off my one bottle with water. Oops. Miles 19-24 are tough. I'll spare you the negative thoughts that crept into my head. Nothing was hurting. I was just tired.

The uphill hiking also became more laborious in the afternoon sunshine. I heard that only about 10 percent (the elites) of the field run the whole way. The rest of us mortals walk up these inclines. And when conditions are tough, we "crawl"!

It was during a "low" point of my race, when I got another injection of positivity. It came in the form of another new friend. When you're tired or hurt in a long race, find someone to talk to - it can really break you out of a mental funk. It doesn't matter if the person is a runner, volunteer, or complete stranger. It helps if they're smiling and in a helpful mood though.

Let me introduce to you Martin. A 57 year old gentleman, who seemed to know everyone there. He's been running ultras for about 7 years and has completed 5 100-milers. He's not blazing fast, but he is consistent and constantly moving with a natural fluidity. His positive attitude and passion for running was infectious. "All these runs are training runs", he says. He doesn't wear a watch, and he's not in a hurry. You can imagine him running a 100 miles with the same carefree attitude. I decided there that I wanted to hang on to his heels (if I could) and finish with him. It was like chasing a master and wanting to emulate his wisdom, humility, and positivity. I told him of my intention to finish with him, and he of course, welcomed the company. We ran to the finish together, side by side, with a strong kick at the end. It was a great way to end a great race, filled with great people, great weather, and a great course. Thank you, everyone.

Elevation chart, with mile splits, and aid stations:
Other notes:
I wore my LaSportiva Crosslites again. They're becoming my favorite shoes on long trails like this one. I didn't wear any compression tights this time, which I have worn in my last 4 ultras. And I forgot to take any Vespa servings (amino acid supplement) since I forgot the first serving before the race. I took a total of 6 scoops of Perpetuem (3 servings). I ate some leftover lasagna for breakfast before my 1.75 hour drive to the race location. My final time was 7:28:09, good for 49th place out of 64 finishers. This was my slowest 50K, out of the 5 that I have done, but it was also the toughest. It was also one of the most enjoyable races I've ever had. The cold finally hit me hard on Monday, and I've been at home sick for the past two days, which allowed me to finish this long report. If you're ever considering a trip to California and want a nice trail run, I would look up Pacific Coast Train Runs (www.pctrailruns.com). Their races are great for all levels of runners AND hikers. I can guarantee an amazing time with some amazing people.

Other pictures:

Dick Collins Firetrails 50-mile Race Report

"It is so very important to get back on a horse as soon as possible after falling off of a horse. And it could be said that this is true of any misadventure whether it be falling on your bicycle, having a car accident or slipping in the shower. " (Getting Back on a Horse after a Fall, by Dianne Lehmann)

I was thrown off the proverbial horse after 44 miles in a 100-mile misadventure only a month ago. My body suffered no lasting harm, but my mind and heart was dealt a big blow. My confidence was shaken. My dreams of 100-mile races have drifted further from reach, and is now laced with some tangible fears. On top of my fears, which I quickly suppressed, I hungered for redemption.

The Dick Collins Firetrails 50-mile race was my first chance to redeem myself on the "ultra horse". I was also hoping that meeting the legendary Ann Trason would give me a little extra inspiration and motivation to continue my ultra journey. My A-goal for the race was to break 11 hours, the qualifying time for Western States. I had already qualified with my first 50-mile race, but I felt like I needed to do it again to prove my worthiness to even enter the lottery for the oldest and largest 100 mile race in the US. Compared to my first 50-mile race, this course looks a lot tougher, with 7800 feet of elevation gain, so my time goal might be a little optimistic.


We start right at 6:30AM in the dark. The plan was to run the downhills and walk the uphills. But when I ran with company, I ran more, falling into a comfortable running rhythm that only got interrupted with steep inclines. The time and the miles pass by very quickly and pleasantly with good company. Some of the panoramic views were amazing, but they never impress me as much as the kind people I meet at these events. The volunteers and the runners I meet are always such beautiful highlights in my ultra experiences. The redwood forest groves, the lakeside views, and the scenic overlooks of the bay area are always gorgeous, but when you're tired and in pain, a smile or an encouraging word can do so much more to lift your spirits.


The Golden Hills Trail Marathon is the companion race to the 50-mile race that is a point to point course that starts near the turnaround point for the 50-mile runners. So after about 20 miles, we get to see a bunch of marathoners coming towards us in the opposite direction, with the 50-mile leaders mixed in. The great thing about an out-and-back course is that you get to meet all the runners, fast or slow. I got to greet all the speedy ultra runners that I want to be like when I grow up! It always amazes me to see these elite runners run up all these hills that leave most people gasping for air while walking!


After 25 miles and 5 hours and 15 minutes, my race is going well. I am managing my hydration and fueling very well. I even skipped a couple of the early aid stations. Even though the high temperature only reached 75 degrees this day, it felt warmer in the unshaded open spaces. I took one electrolyte pill per hour and increased the frequency when it got warmer. I felt strong, walking the hills and passed many other runners that were not walking as fast. I knew many of them would catch me later, but I was happy to make some decent gains on the inclines.


I crossed the 50K mark at around 6 hours and 25 minutes, which was a relatively respectable considering my 5:54 50K PR race that was held on these same trails back in August. At mile 33, I started to feel really tired. It was another "low" that I have come to expect in these ultras. I drank more of my Pertetuem mix (for calories) and took another electrolyte pill. At the next aid station (mile 34), I drank some coke, ate some fruit, and chatted with the volunteers for a while. My heart and lungs felt tired. I didn't feel motivated to run anymore and I was afraid that everything would fall apart on me again. I seriously wanted to sit down and take a break there at the aid station. I was afraid of having to sit down out on the course where I would have no aid. The volunteers were awesome at this aid station. They listened to me, and they cared for me. Their kindness and encouragement gave me the boost I needed to keep moving forward.

The next 3 miles were not easy. It was a lonely stretch of single track trails and I was stuck in a mental, negative funk. I felt weak and even the downhill portions felt dreadfully slow and uninspired. "Willpower comes from inspiration", I thought to myself. I was in serious need of some willpower, so I tried really hard to think about what inspired me. I thought about a friend who was training for her first ultra when she unexpectedly became pregnant. The pregnancy had its complications and she eventually lost her baby. It was very sad, and I could never imagine the pain and suffering she went through. My pain at the time was nothing compared to what she went through. I found her faith in God inspiring. Here I was having a pity party when I should be counting my blessings and having a little faith myself. With God as my strength, I moved on, more focused and more inspired.

Then a funny thing happened. Things got better. I didn't feel so tired anymore. And all of a sudden I was running again, with renewed strength and purpose. From then on, I started to make deals with myself. Run to that tree or flag, then you can walk. And it was not a shuffle either. I was running fast and strong; almost sprinting down hills at times. I would still walk the uphill sections, but I was starting to make really good progress!

When I got to the aid station at mile 44.2, I felt so, so happy. This is where the horse threw me off, and here I was again, running strong, positive, and at peace. And I had only a 10K to go! I ate some fruit and drank some coke before thanking the volunteers and headed back out to finish the race. Two minutes later, I was throwing up on the side of the trail. I threw up three times, and emptied out the contents of my stomach. I really did not see that coming. One gal stopped to see if I was okay and told be to go back to the aid station if I needed to, but I stubbornly pressed forward instead. Throwing up actually made me feel a little better. I was worried about my energy and hydration level after that because anything I drank or ate made me feel nauseous. The only thing that tasted good after that was some watermelon at the last aid station before the finish. I continued my run-walk sequence and knew that I would at least break 12 hours at the rate I was going.

The last 3 miles felt very long, probably because they were still plenty of hills, but I knew I was going to finish and nothing else mattered. When I turned a corner and saw the finish line, I sprinted with everything I had left, and I was fast! A well-known ultra runner asked me, "If you had that much still left in your legs, why didn't you finish sooner?" I'm not sure it was my legs that failed me. Maybe my endocrine system was just over-taxed with all the recent ultras and long runs. I was happy to have finished such a tough course and probably need a break from this ultra business. I felt sick for the remainder of the day. I could not eat anything till later that night when I ate some chicken noodle soup.

I did not stay for the awards ceremony, but I went over and shook Ann Trason's hand and told her that she was an inspiration to me. She just smiled and told me, "Everyone here who finished this race is an inspiration." Indeed, I met a lot of inspiring runners this day. Out on the course, I didn't think I would want to come back to this tough race, but after finishing and reflecting I can't help but think about how great the race really was. I'll be back.

I finished 198th place out of 235 finishers, with a time of 11:52:42.

Other notes:
I ran with my La Sportiva Crosslites. I had my New Balance MT100 shoes in my drop bag at mile 26, but never had any blister or foot problems so I stuck with the shoes that were working. I used Perpetuem for the first time in a race. I also used a serving of Vespa every 3 hours. I took chia seeds the night before the race and before the race to pre-hydrate. I ate a McDonald's Sausage McMuffin Breakfast Sandwich an hour before the race. I ate mostly fruit at the aid stations (oranges, cantaloupe, bananas, and watermelon) with boiled potatoes early in the race.

Mile Splits According to my Garmin 310XT:

Mile 1	10:21
Mile 2	11:26
Mile 3	15:02
Mile 4	10:19
Mile 5	10:09
Mile 6	10:40
Mile 7	10:29
Mile 8	14:41
Mile 9	13:05
Mile 10	8:42
Mile 11	13:47
Mile 12	10:58
Mile 13	10:00
Mile 14	11:46
Mile 15	16:43
Mile 16	11:34
Mile 17	14:03
Mile 18	14:37
Mile 19	11:03
Mile 20	14:20
Mile 21	15:35
Mile 22	17:26
Mile 23	12:15
Mile 24	10:50
Mile 25	11:17
Mile 26	21:43
Mile 27	15:25
Mile 28	16:57
Mile 29	15:12
Mile 30	15:14
Mile 31	13:56
Mile 32	11:09
Mile 33	13:05
Mile 34	13:30
Mile 35	15:26
Mile 36	18:18
Mile 37	23:16
Mile 38	12:12
Mile 39	12:17
Mile 40	11:36
Mile 41	17:11
Mile 42	23:06
Mile 43	13:10
Mile 44	12:10
Mile 45	17:41
Mile 46	14:37
Mile 47	15:54
Mile 48	15:30
Mile 49	13:43
Mile 50	14:41

Dick Collins Firetrails 50-mile Update (short version)

My failed attempt at the Rio Del Lago 100-miler 4 weeks ago made me hungry for a little redemption. It also made me a little cocky. It was so tough, that any 50-mile attempt in cool weather must be a done deal, right? Wrong! I only made it to the aid station at mile 44.28 (my Garmin showed 43.7) at the 100-miler, but my mind blamed it on the heat. There wasn't going to be any real heat in this 50-miler unless you count the heat created by 7800 feet of elevation gain! Boy was I in for a rude awakening!

So much happened at this 50-mile race. I hit some intense lows. I met some amazing people. We had some great weather. I puked my guts out at one point. The hills were brutal. I had flashbacks of repressed memories of traumatic experiences in my failed 100-mile attempt. I ran scared a lot. I was scared of another failure. It was like I got back on a horse too soon after it threw me off into a ditch. "Beware the chair", a volunteer told me when I was longingly staring at a really inviting chair at mile 34. I ran a lot in the final 13 miles, and that felt awesome. And it wasn't a shuffle either. I did a run-walk sequence that involved some really fast running! The uphill portions still made me sick, but my muscles never openly rebeled like they did in the 100-mile attempt. I ended up finishing in 11 hours and 54 minutes, my unofficial Garmin time, which is a bit off because I forgot to stop it in time. It felt great to finish! I felt so humbled. It was the 2nd hardest race of my life, and this time there's a happy ending!

Rio Del Lago 100 Race Report - DNF

I have been struggling with the race report for my first 100-mile race attempt. I’ve started many reports, only to trash them. It’s difficult for me to write about failure. I’ve tried to not be disappointed, and "to see the glass as half full", but its been a struggle. But maybe the disappointment was supposed to happen. This disappointment makes me hungrier to train harder and take some sweet revenge on the course next year. The outpouring of support from everyone has been amazing. The daydreaming about 100-mile finishes and hanging out with fellow 100-mile runners was awesome. I owe everyone that supported me, including myself, a race report, to document my mistakes, my small victories, and the details of my adventure before my memories fade and all that’s left is this insatiable hunger for a 100-mile finish.

I brought my camera with me to take pictures and to take verbal logs to help me remember my thoughts and feelings at the time. It was my way of sharing the epic adventure with my family and friends. I was also wearing a GPS tracker that allowed my friends and family to track me throughout my race, by the minute. I wanted my first 100-mile attempt to be extra special. Like my first 50-mile attempt, I felt like the stars were in alignment and that divine intervention would deliver me to that elusive finish line. But sometimes we need to be reminded, through divine intervention, that the finish line goal isn't as important as the journey itself. What a tough lesson to learn!

The day before the race, I went to the mandatory race briefing, where I met a bunch of well known 100-mile racers, many of whom have very popular blogs, including Catra Corbett and Jean Pommier. The medical check also includes a weight check and a blood pressure check. My blood pressure was super high, and the kind doctor had to check it again before it reasonably came down (which was still very high, for me). Of course, he knew I was just over-excited and anxious about my first 100-mile race. My weight and blood pressure was written on my bib number so that any medical checks during the race would have a point of reference for comparison.

I was hoping to meet Gordy Ainsleigh at the race briefing, but he never showed up to the briefing. I had found out that he was racing 2 weeks before the race, and it made me feel very privileged to be racing with a legend. For those of you who do not know this legend, he was the first man to run the famous Western States 100-mile Endurance Run. He practically invented the 100-mile race back in 1974! His race report for that first 100-mile run is a must read for 100-mile dreamers. I did end up meeting Gordy at the lowest point in my race, but it will also be one of the most memorable moments in my life.

The evening before the race I had some spaghetti for some carbo-loading, and went to bed at 9pm at my brother-in-law’s house, only 15 minutes away from the starting line. I woke up at 1:30 in the morning and lay in bed till 3am trying to sleep. At 3am, I decided to get up and get ready for my big day. I ate two slices of bread, and tried to pre-hydrate myself with water and chia seeds. My brother-in-law drove me to the starting area (a school gym), where I would pre-tape my feet with Elastikon tape (to prevent blisters) and some kinesio tape on my my calves (pre-cut) and my left ankle.

At 6am, we were sent off into the dark unknown, by race director Molly Sheridan, where my adventure began. In the first hour I chatted with a few other runners and the time flew by very quickly. I ran with a local gal, named Monica Moore for quite some time. I ran behind her, because her stride seemed so effortless and in running behind her my own stride felt great. I knew that it would get hot later in the day, so my plan was to run more while the temperature was still cool. When it gets hot I planned to walk a lot more and go into survival mode till the evening, when I hoped to run more.

At 9am after 3 hours of slow running and the occasional uphill walking, I had an uncontrollable urge to run faster on the downhill sections. At the time, it was my moment of glory and fun. So for an hour, I ran the downhill sections strongly, and walked fast and hard when I wasn’t running. I passed a bunch of people during this hour of throwing all caution to the wind. In hindsight, it was probably a stupid move that wrecked more muscle strands than I could afford in such a long race. Still, it was fun!

At 10am, I hit the first big climb of the day. They call it Cardiac Hill. It only lasts 0.9 miles with lots of switchbacks, but after 19 miles, this hill was a handful. I went up it as slowly as I could. I even walked up backwards at times. It was already starting to get warm, but there was enough tree cover on this hill to make the warmth bearable. I made it to the top fine, but when I started to run, by calves cramped up a bit. So I walked for a while before I could run again.

At mile 26, the infamous hill named “K2” rose up like a monstrous fire breathing dragon. By now, it is HOT, at around 90 degrees. And because summer never really came to my hometown this year, I had no heat training. In fact, we installed air conditioning this year in our house, which made me even softer than your average Californian! This hill climbs 1000 feet in 1.25 miles, and there are no switchbacks to make the climb easier. It goes straight up, with a few “false summits”. Even on the Rio Del Lago website, this hill is compared to monster hills like Devil’s Thumb from Western States and the Leadville climb to Hope’s Pass. This hill was a monster’s MOTHER. I used to think I was a good hill climber. This hill kicked my ass. And the heat didn’t help either. I crawled up this hill at a blazing speed of 35 minutes a mile. Near the summit, my left quad was locking up due to some severe cramping. I had to lie down on the dirt in the shade of a bush to recover enough just to move forward again. I survived the hill, and my legs slowly came back to life. But every hill from that point on gave me trouble. Note to self: find the biggest, baddest hill near home and train hard on them with many repeats!

At mile 30, I got to see my wife and daughter again, which gave me some renewed strength. But it was still HOT, and I was getting very tired. The next 7 miles was all in the open with hardly any tree cover. The hills are gentle and rolling in this section, except for one big, but short hill (a third of a mile long), named Knickerbocker. At mile 31, I hit my first intense low of the day. I started to feel sick here, in the heat. It didn't feel fun anymore. I put on my ipod at this point, hoping for something to wake me up and get me to shake off the negative thoughts that were creeping into my mind. I took a GU and another electrolyte pill here, hoping that something would work. And then I thought about September 11^th, 2001. And about how blessed I am to be able to try something this crazy. All those lost, innocent lives don't have the luxury of attempting such grand adventures. It was exactly what I needed to kick me out of my stupor and help me "keep on keeping on". At mile 36, I ran into a fellow runner who had been feeling nauseous for the past 3 hours. I gave him one of my ginger chews and walked with him for a while. Helping another runner who was doing worse than me helped lift my spirits. We're not alone out there. We were fighting the same fight and in helping each other, we also help ourselves.

It was at this time that I realized that I didn’t have enough electrolyte pills to last me to the Mile 67 Aid Station, where I had more pills in my drop bag. I had originally planned on taking one pill per hour, but I had been taking the pills more frequently due to the cramping and the heat. The brother I shared a ginger chew with immediately shared some of his electrolyte pills with me. Talk about instant karma!

By this point, all of the major hills were done, but the heat was still brutal and I still had 63 miles to cover. The next 3 miles were very nicely shaded with a lot of gentle downhill sections. I was tired, but my legs were feeling better on the soft downhill portions I was actually able to shuffle during most of this section. By the time I got to mile 40, I was feeling a lot better (10.5 hours into the race). I also got to see my wife at the aid station at this point. I was at least an hour and a half ahead of the cutoff times and I was confident in my chances of actually finishing this race.

Only one mile and 15 minutes later, I hit some tough uphill portions that made my quads cry in agony. I thought I was done with the big hills! Where did these monsters come from? The hills in this section aren’t really that tough, but I was already very tired and my legs were starting to rebel. I started to feel sick after trying to eat some GU. I was having trouble walking uphill at this point. My quads were cramping up badly going uphill. By mile 42.7, I sat down on the side of the trail hoping that a short break would help my legs recover. I had trouble getting up, and even sitting was causing cramping. I yawned and even my jaw was cramping. My body was depleted of energy, and yet it was difficult to even consider eating some GU. The mere thought of GU made me nauseous. I tried to sip my Gatorade for energy. I must have sat down for around 45 minutes before I felt like continuing again. Note to self: Don't ever sit down anywhere except at an aid station, where volunteers can at least help you up and kick you out. And even then, avoid sitting down!

This was easily the darkest moment of my short ultra running life. It was during this moment that I met Gordy Ainsleigh for the first time. He came running along the trail, and saw me in my pit of despair. He told me that I was probably low on calories and needed to eat something. Boy was he right! If only I was at an aid station! I wanted to pull out my camera and take pictures of him like a tourist, but restrained myself. I didn't want to seem so uncool in front of a legend. I plan on meeting him again someday, better trained, and cooler than the pathetic looking person he ran into on the side of the trail.

It was just a slow and painful walk, when I finally started moving again to the next aid station, feeling defeated, disappointed, and beat up. For a while there, I was afraid they’d have to send a rescue team to carry my broken body back to civilization. I set out to cover 100 miles, so 44 miles did feel like a spectacular failure. I sat at the aid station as the sun was going down, feeling miserable. As I waited for the volunteers to pack up, I must have yawned at least 50 times, with my jaws uncomfortably cramping each time. One of the volunteers gave me a ride to the school gym where we started and I called my wife to pick me up. The race director, Molly, gave me hug and told me, “We’ve all been there”. That meant a lot to me. At that point, I knew that I needed to come back next year, better trained and more prepared to slay this dragon. Thanks, Molly!

My wife showed up with a van with a bunch of my nieces and nephews that were planning on cheering me on at mile 55. They made signs, they had soup, and they were ready to cheer me on. Unfortunately I didn’t make it that far. Perhaps if I knew they were coming in advance, I would have found some unknown energy reserves to get there. When I got back to my in-laws house, I curled up in bed, in the fetal position and passed out. I woke up in the middle of the night with renewed energy, and wishing that I was still out there fighting with all the other warriors. I was disappointed in myself. I let everyone down.


Of the 94 starters, 52 people finished and 42 people sadly did not. Catra Corbett and Gordy Ainsleigh both did not make it to the finish line. Jean Pommier finished in third place, but needed an IV due to his unusually low blood pressure. I came out to the award ceremony to pick up my drop bags and thank the race directors for a great race, despite the tough conditions.

I've had a lot of time to think about what went wrong and have come to several reasons for my poor performance. The main reason I did not do well was because of a lack of training, both in mileage and in heat training. My legs were not strong enough to endure the abuse of the hills and the heat. I was also not adequately prepared in terms of fueling. GU makes me sick after 30 miles. I need a fuel that I can rely on for longer races that won't make me sick. I tried Perpetuem last week on a 20-miler, and think that will be the fuel of choice in my next Ultra. I don't believe in excuses. Excuses suggest that problems that arise are not our fault and often justify poor decision making and planning. We sign up for these races knowing about possible heat problems, physical problems, and mental problems. We need to own up to our mistakes, learn from them and allow them to make us stronger. Even when things go wrong, believe in yourself, hold your head up high, and move on.

And for all those people who believed in me, thank you. The outpouring of your support and encouragement makes me feel very blessed. And it makes me feel even more determined to get back on that "ultra-horse", to become stronger, for future adventures that I can share with you, hopefully with happier endings!

Be Not Afraid

I'll be attempting my first 100-mile race on September 11th, 2010. The decision has been made.

Why would anyone want to take part in a 100-mile race? Traveling one hundred miles on foot is like crossing a proverbial desert. People hallucinate in 100-milers, and they suffer greatly in ways we can only imagine. People don't usually cross the desert on foot because they want to. People only cross the desert on foot because an army of gnome zombies is chasing them and death by heat is preferable to death by flesh eating monsters. Or so they think!

I've read enough 100-mile race reports to know that even the fastest runners are humbled routinely by the distance. And one runner I know has even seen the face of God in his darkest hours of a 100 mile race (Scott Dunlap). But why do I want to run 100 miles? What do I have to prove? And why now?

I've been dreaming about doing a 100-mile race since I read Born to Run in October, 2009. The book awakened my love of running. It made me feel like anything was possible for me. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was born to run. I felt a new sense of purpose in life. I felt reborn once again, this time as a Raramuri brother, of the running people. You would understand my plight better if you just read the book, Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall.

I want to run one hundred miles to tell my friends and family that no dreams are too high to reach for and hope for, if you just "believe". I struggled with the decision to run run this race and many times doubted myself and my abilities. But the responses I have gotten from my friends and family, and God, have been overwhelmingly positive. So yeah, the decision is made, and the fees are paid. Ready or not, here I come!

This song felt like a message from God to me, and I have replayed it many times in the past few days. I've included some of the lyrics here:

You shall cross the barren desert
But you shall not die of thirst
You shall wander far in safety
Though you do not know the way.

You shall speak your words in foreign lands
And all will understand
You shall see the face of God and live.

Be not afraid
I go before you always
Come follow Me
And I shall give you rest.

If you pass through raging waters
In the sea, you shall not drown
If you walk amidst the burning flames
You shall not be harmed.

If you stand before the pow'r of hell
And death is at your side
Know that I am with you, through it all.

Be not afraid
I go before you always
Come follow Me
and I shall give you rest...

And here is another message from God, relayed through a good friend I met on the Runner's World website community:
Luke 8:9 -- "Still another seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."

Skyline 50K Race Report

The Skyline 50K in Castro Valley, CA is the oldest trail 50K in the country. This year’s race is the 29^th edition of this historic ultra. It boasts 4750 feet of elevation gain and loss. The course is beautiful with majestic redwoods, scenic overlooks of Lake Chabot, and wooded single track trails have a magical feel to them. It feels like you are transported to another time and place.

I would have signed up for this race earlier if I hadn't sprained my ankle 2 weeks prior to the race. The sprain healed very quickly with acupuncture and wobble board practice (highly recommended, especially for trail runners or folks with weak ankles). And even though my training hasn't been great in the past 2 months, the usage of a muscle stimulator (Compex Fitness Trainer) has really helped supplement my sparse running.
My last 50K was not done very seriously and I wasted a lot of time at the aid stations. I narrowly missed breaking 6 hours at that race (Quicksilver 50K), and I kind of regret my nonchalant effort there (even though I had a fun race). This was a chance to redeem myself. I knew that if I spent less time at the aid stations and ran the downhills strong, I'd have a chance to break 6 hours and maybe even beat by previous PR of 5:57. That was the "A goal", but it was more important for me to enjoy the nice weather, great company, and the beautiful trails. One of the great things about running is the people you meet. And in ultras, where slow and steady is usually a good thing, you can usually have some great conversations during a race without feeling like it will affect your performance negatively. In fact, it can have a very positive effect on your race.

The race started at 7:00AM with 167 starters (40 rookies) and I was somewhere in the middle of the "pack", not paying enough attention to the race director as I probably should have.
Here is the back of the "pack".

I befriended a bunch of runners, but most notably, I met an ultra veteran named Bob, and an ultra rookie named Lindsay. One has a rich history of notable Ultras like Western States and Leadville, and the other will be sure to improve and run many more ultras. Speed is all relative. Some of us were born to be fast and some of us not-so-fast, but on the trails we're all equal; just runners out for a good time. At one point Bob and I were talking about how races like this are like life in general. There are highs and there are lows. When you're out there long enough, you'll reach some lows where you'll feel pretty beat up and tired. Your calf might be giving your trouble (me), or your stomach might be gaseous and cramping (Bob), but you should expect that things can and often will go wrong. You can pull over and cry about it, or you can do something about it (like take Advil, electrolyte pills, drink more, or eat something), and move on. Whether you take it will a smile or a frown, some things you are just gonna have to deal with (like pain and suffering).

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could

At mile 15, I met "two roads" and not knowing which way to go, I chose the wrong way, "in leaves no step had trodden black". The trail didn't feel right, and some non-racers eventually told me that I had gone the wrong way. I probably lost about half a mile, so it wasn't too much, compared to many of the horror stories I have read about. But will it be enough to derail my 6-hour and PR goal? I don't know, and at that point, I didn't care. I was still having a great time, and I wasn't going to let a little scenic tour derail my plans or my attitude.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by...

Runners do just that. We often take the road less traveled. And it does make "all the difference" doesn't it? By taking the road less traveled, we get to see things non-runners don't often get to see. And it can open our eyes to new wonders and discoveries in the world outside and even inside our own little heads.
Here is Jean Pommier (2nd place) running up a hill after the midpoint of the course (somewhere after I took my scenic tour). It was foggy at some points early in the race. After a few hours it warmed up to around 70 degrees with plenty of sunshine.

Before my little excursion, I chatted with Lindsay about the book, Born to Run, and how it motivated and inspired me to run ultras. It was her first ultra, and the hill we were hiking up was a fairly steep one. She wasn't using any electrolyte replacement supplements, so I gave her some of mine. One of the most common rookie mistakes, in my humble opinion, is not taking electrolyte replacement pills. Rapid elevation gain and loss can cause some major cramping, especially without the proper electrolyte balance. Gatorade and most electrolyte drinks don't supply nearly enough electrolytes for something as extreme as running ultra distances with ultra elevation gains and losses. After my chat with Lindsay I wished her luck and left Lindsay behind to chase my sub-6 finish. During my little excursion, Lindsay passed me back without even knowing it. If I had just stuck with her, maybe I wouldn't have make a wrong turn. Or maybe we both would have gone astray. Who knows? Life, like an ultra race, goes on.
In the last half of the race, I had at least two energy lows that I recognized well and was prepared for with some gu packets that I picked up at the aid stations. I spent very little time at the aid stations, usually just to refill my bottle halfway and to grab some fruit (bananas, cantaloupe, and watermelon), and always had a gu on standby to combat those dreaded energy lows. I caught up to Bob around mile 24 (he was one of the many that passed me while I was "lost in never never land"), and he didn't look too good. He had a fun Friday night that involved alcohol and spent Saturday doing some tough yard work, which probably contributed to his malaise. I walked with him for short while to see if I could help him in any way. Knowing about my 6-hour goal, he tried to run with me, but had to stop and walk after a short running stint. With 7 miles to go, he told me that I had a chance at 5:30 and to go for it. I told him that maybe I could, but would it be worth it? On fresh legs maybe, but I was quickly running out of gas, and gunning for a fast time this late in an Ultra, with a twinge in my right calf, is a recipe for pain and disaster. I parted ways with my new running buddy, to chase my goals on some nice gentle downhills.

I could still PR if I could muster 12 minute miles for the remaining 7 miles. There were still some formidable uphills to deal with late in this Ultra, so 12 minute miles on dead legs isn't as easy as you would think. In the last 7 miles, I continued to calculate what I needed to PR. Mathematics is a great way to distract yourself from the fatigue that is inevitable in the late stages of a long race. With 2 miles to go, I made a few deals with myself. Run to that tree, then you can walk. Run to that ribbon, then you can rest. Once I got to the tree or ribbon, I would often run further just because I could. With some unexpected energy reserves, I ran most of the last mile and finished the race strong. I finished in 84th place, with a time of 5:54:23, for a new 50K PR.
Congrats to all the Ultra rookies who ran their first Ultra, especially Lindsay, who came in 76th place with a time of 5:45. She gave me a hug and thanked me for the electrolyte pills at the finish line area. Those first ultras are ultra special. My fifth ultra was special too, thanks to new friends, great volunteers, and near perfect conditions. There were just too many blessings to count and people to thank. I got some free ART Chiropractic treatment on my calves which never became unmanageable. The BBQ looked great, but nothing solid appealed to me except fruit and some beer (there was a keg of some sort of black lager that wasn't too bad). I hung out and chatted with Bob and a bunch of other amazing runners for an hour before my 45 minute drive home. All in all, even with "the road less traveled", I had a great journey at the oldest 50K in the country.

A cool looking bridge in the final few miles.

The winner, Joe Binder, crossing the finish line.


According to Jean Pommier this is the very first appearance of Team in Training on the ultra circuit.

Here are my mile splits if you're interested in that sort of thing.

Mile 1	8:55
Mile 2	9:24
Mile 3	9:46
Mile 4	12:30
Mile 5	8:53
Mile 6	10:22
Mile 7	13:16
Mile 8	10:09
Mile 9	8:26
Mile 10	10:57
Mile 11	14:32
Mile 12	9:54
Mile 13	11:10
Mile 14	10:57
Mile 15	10:15
Mile 16	14:09
Mile 17	12:46
Mile 18	11:43
Mile 19	13:15
Mile 20	11:04
Mile 21	15:27
Mile 22	11:58
Mile 23	9:57
Mile 24	10:49
Mile 25	10:22
Mile 26	9:41
Mile 27	13:02
Mile 28	13:29
Mile 29	11:24
Mile 30	10:54
Mile 31	11:02
Mile 32	3:46 (9:04/mile for 0.42 miles)

Here I am with a goofy smile from ear to ear.

Equipment, hydration, and fueling:
I took 2 servings of Vespa, one 45 minutes before the race, and one 3 hours into the race. I also took 3 servings of chia seeds, one bottle of "chia fresca" before the race and two servings mixed in with the aid station's electrolyte drink. I probably drank a total of 60 ounces of water/fluid during the whole race (and that's more than I usually drink!). I took about 3.5 Gu's, 2 shot blocks, 1.5 bananas, some cantaloupe, and some watermelon. I took 5 Saltstick electrolyte replacement capsules (one per hour). And I took 2 Advil (separated by a few hours for calf niggles/twinges). I wore my La Sportiva Crosslites and compression tights underneath some Adidas running shorts. I used a Camelbak one bottle waist pack, and started with no fluids in it (just my second serving of chia seeds). My second serving of chia seeds were in a separate zip lock bag in my waist pack.

Other ultra cool runners I talked to: Gillian Robinson and Don Lundell (owners of Zombierunner), Sean Lang (7th place finisher), Larry Bertrand (who must have been one of the two DNFs, because I didn't see him in the list of finishers, I was ahead of him at AR50 by about a minute!), Tony Verdon (In the 2nd half of the race, he would pass me on the downhills and I would pass him on the uphills. He's an ultra rookie, but I'm sure he'll be improving at this distance real soon), Dan Fabun (Another speedy runner I first met at Rodeo Beach 50K, and then he was a volunteer at Way Too Cool 50K), and Allisa Albert (who ran the Headlands Marathon only 2 weeks prior and was running very strong until running out of gas in the final miles).

San Francisco Half Marathon Race Report

I ran my first road half marathon on Sunday. I've done two road marathons though, so I really have raced the distance on the roads before. Except in a full marathon, I tell myself that the REAL race starts at the 13 mile mark. With the Half Marathon, I planned to run hard the whole way. In my first marathon back in October 2009 (Silicon Valley Marathon), I had clocked a 1:45 first half, and in my 2nd marathon in December 2009, I clocked a 1:42 first half. My A goal was to break 1:40 and my B goal was to break 1:45. I've had no speed training lately, and my longest training run in the last 2 months was an 11-miler on trails (2.5 miles of which were an uphill hike).

Originally, I wanted to run the full marathon. But I developed a calf strain in June and an ankle sprain just a week ago, so I never got in the "mandatory" 20+ miler in training that I was hoping to do. One of my best friends was running the 5K, while his wife was running the half marathon. I was going to just sign up for 5K and hang out with my good friend, but the 5K sold out! And since I didn't want to be left out, I signed up for the half marathon. My friend also had a sister and two brother-in-laws doing the half marathon and three sisters doing the 5K (big family, very much like mine, except my 4 sisters are wimps when it comes to running). I've known my friend since we were in pre-school and we even ran Cross Country together in high school. He is like a brother to me, and I treat his family like mine own. So right from the start, I was among family and friends. It also helped to have my good friend pick up my race packet, and drive me to the race (one hour away)!

We were bused to the 2nd half starting line near the midpoint of the race, where we would join up with the marathoners and finish with them. In this race there is the "first half" and "second half" to choose from for the half marathoners. The "first half" is hillier, but they get to run across the Golden Gate Bridge, which sounds pretty cool (probably the reason why it sold out). The "second half" gets to run around Golden Gate park, has a lot more downhill, and it starts at 8:15AM.

I was hoping to run my mile splits at 7:30 and keep all my splits under 8:00 if possible. I didn't eat breakfast (since we left at 4:50AM from my friend's house), and knew I was going to need some gu along the race course, which I got at mile 3 (that might have saved my race). I ran a mile warmup (11 minute mile) and did some stretching before my 2nd wave start at 8:20. The first mile felt slow because of all the congestion. I should have started with the 1st wave (during registration, I put in 2 hours as a goal time, when it should have been 1:40). Still, I ran a 7:38 first mile. But after that first mile, the next two miles felt harder for some reason (looking at the course profile afterwards, I saw that it was slightly uphill). I still tried to keep my mile splits under 8:00, and succeeded with two 7:55 mile splits for mile 2 and 3.

After downing the gu, things started to feel better. Mile 4 - 7:32. I start to open up my stride a little more, and I let gravity do its thing on the downhills. I try to attack the uphills, especially the short ones. I am passing a ton of marathoners, and at the midpoint of my race I'm pumped up by the dance music that they were playing. The miles fly by very quickly until miles 12 and 13, where I start to fade. The course flattens out here and I knew that I was running out of fuel. There were no more aid stations with Gu, so I just planned on gutting out the final 2.1 miles. The 1:40 pace group passed me during this stretch. I tried to keep up, but they kept getting further and further ahead of me. They started in the first wave though, so as long as I kept them within visual range, I still had a chance to break 1:40. During mile 13, my pace crept up over 8 minutes, so I worked extra hard to speed up. Mile 13 split - 7:57 (mission accomplished). The last 0.32 miles (I wasn't running the tangents very well) were tough. I finished with a 1:40:41 time according to my Garmin. Its the fastest I've ever run 13.1 miles on asphalt, in a race.

After getting my medal and drinking a free small Jamba Juice and a chocolate Muscle Milk, I turned back around and started walking back up the course to cheer on the incoming runners. I was also in search of my good friend's wife, who has also become a great friend (her being a runner is extra special). This was her first half marathon, and she was struggling with IT Band problems even before the race. I knew she'd be hurting, and I wanted to pace her in, to give her company and encouragement. I've been there, so I know how hard it can be to hobble in to the finish. On the 2.5 mile fast walk back up the course, I had a blast cheering on my fellow runners. I yelled loudly a bunch of sayings like, "This is what you came for!", "You're almost there!", "Finish strong!", "Hang in there!", "Looking good!", and "Turn that frown upside down!" (something my 3 year old daughter has been saying a lot lately). For some people who were obviously in pain, I told them in a more serious tone, "I know it hurts. Some of the best things in life hurt. Hang in there. You're almost there." I found my good friend's wife and sister running together, one with IT Band pain, and other with patellar knee pain (undoubtedly due to the few steep downhills). I ran with them, talked to them, and encouraged them as best I could. And sometimes, I just kept quiet, because suffering also needs silence. I told them that its okay to walk, and that they were going to finish, which is the important face. I told them that when they can see the finish line, that's the time to run and give it all you have left. They finished together, at a 3:02 chip time. And I was proud of them, because they gutted out a tough finish, in pain, for their first Half Marathon finish. Great job, girls!

Mile splits:
7:38
7:55 (I should have eaten breakfast!)
7:55
7:32 (Feeling better thanks to GU)
7:10 (second fastest split)
7:28
7:24
7:04 (fastest split, probably downhill aided)
7:35
7:29 (This was supposed to be my pace throughout the race!)
7:29
7:51 (Fading. I wonder if some GU would have helped...)
7:57
(.32 mi) 6:48 pace, 2:09