Tahoe Rim Trail 50k

Had a busy but all too brief few days around Lake Tahoe last weekend where the Tahoe Rim Trail races (run), the Tahoe Relay (swim) and the Donner Tri (triathlon) were each vying for the attention of hundreds of Gu-wielding, leg-shaving, sunscreen-slathered athletes. Me? I went for the trail running.

(Eastern side of Lake Tahoe nr Carnelian Bay)

Drove up Friday with Rick to packet pick up in Carson City. Temps were hot. Way hot. And dry. 90-something. I can't tell after 85. I needed electrolytes just to stand around talking with other runners. Heading back towards Tahoe I dropped Rick off with a household of swimmers (ironically, Rick, my uber-running friend was not racing that weekend but rather "crewing" for the Tahoe Relay) and made my way to my people, the runners.

(Twas the night before the race with Brett, Ken, Kevin,Thierry, me, Larissa and Sarah)

A group from the Endurables was sharing a house and so we prepared the pre-race meal together over a few glasses of wine and race-day strategies. Brett (first 100m), Thierry (first 50m), Kevin, Ken, myself and John (50k slackers but for John, his FIRST 50k so not exactly a slacker), plus Sarah (crewing) and Larissa (pacing) rounded out the running contingent. It's sort of unfortunate that the times you'd like to sit around drinking wine and telling stories into the wee hours are often the same times you need to hit the hay early. And so it was that we climbed into our beds and set the alarms for ungodly hours the next day.

(With Ken and Thierry at start. Pic courtesy of John Hornbaker.)

Brett started off at 5am with the rest of us following at 6. The temps were slightly cool as a field of about 300 headed out. I felt relaxed, excited and ready to go. Having run just over 26 miles a month ago on the same trails I was feeling pretty confident that the day would go well. The first 6 miles were a steady but runnable uphill along a beautiful singletrack that wound through meadows and trees, rising up above Spooner and Marquette Lakes. I was surprised to see so many people walking early on. I continued on at a slow and steady pace.

(Beautiful cloud-speckled morning over Spooner Lake. Pic courtesy of Kevin Luu.)

Around mile 11 we hit the "Red House" loop - part of the course I hadn't run before and a part I think Rick described using the word suck. By then the sun was out and though I didn't realize it at the time, the heat was beginning to inhibit my appetite. Down a wicked steep and rocky pitch it descended as I cursed my crap downhill skills (again!) before it tapered off along a rolling tree-lined fire road heavy with warm, moist air. Around the red house and it was 4+ miles back up along a gentle slope with a final lung-sucking vert bringing me back to the aid station.

(Ken throwing darts at the "Irish-themed" aid station. Pic courtesy of John Hornbaker)

I'd been running behind GGTC'r Rob Coons for awhile and here we parted ways - he off on the 9 mile out and back for his first 50 miler and me back to where I came. Elated to be out of Red House I drank lustily. My stomach was a little knotted with hunger but nothing on the table appealed to me so I chugged the electrolytes, the Sprite, the Coke and headed on out.

(Kevin also making a stop at the Irish-themed aid station. Pic courtesy of Kevin Luu.)

The next 8-10 miles to the peak of Snowy Valley were an increasing struggle. The switchbacks were endless, the miles slower. Where I thought at Mile 18 I had a good chance for a PR time that was quickly slipping out of reach. Still, the trails were beautiful and soft, winding through pine trees and big boulder-y rocks with views of Lake Tahoe opening up every so often. I thought about my swimmer friends as I looked for their sailboat on the water. I thought about Ken and John coming up behind me and asking me with mock tones how confident I was feeling now. I wondered if Kevin had already finished.

(View above Marlette Lake. Pic courtesy of John Hornbaker.)

At this point my stomach was feeling sloshy and my throat was dry. My focus was on the peak and what, according to my GPS, would be the last 4 miles to the finish. One last push and then it was almost all rolling downhill. Unfortunately, shockingly, my elation at reaching the aid station was brutally crushed by a sign that said 7.1 miles to the finish. SEVEN POINT ONE. 3 more miles than I'd been thinking about for the last 9 miles of my life. The 50k was "a little long" someone said nearby. A little part of my running spirit died on that peak. I nibbled half-heartedly along the soft side of a PB&J square, throwing the rest away and headed on out.

(Descent from Snowy Valley Peak)

Ever so slowly the miles passed - I was walking now on anything remotely flattish with a hint of uphill. The last couple of miles wound down by the lake through a grove of aspens - one of my favorite trees - as a warm air rustled through the leaves. I was beat but I was still absorbing and admiring the sights and sounds around me. It was almost relaxing. Finally, mercifully, I crossed the finish. 8 hours later. Boo ya?

(The finish! Pic courtesy of Kevin Luu)

Kevin finished way ahead in a smoking 6:45 (top 20!) while Ken and John came in not too long after me. Got to see Brett come through after 50 miles looking super smooth - he'd go on to take 3rd overall! - and Thierry would finish his first 50 miler some 5 hours later. The majority of us agreed, the day was hot and the course was hard. On paper it seemed more doable - gradual hills, a rolling fast last 7 miles, an early start before the sun could gather its strength. But somewhere along the way the heat (high 80's-90's) and altitude must have taken their toll. The 100 mile race would end up having a 50% drop rate. That Brett finished so well was HUGE.

(Brett halfway through his first 100 miler. Pic courtesy of Kevin Luu.)

(Kevin, John, me and Ken)

When I reunited with my swimmer friends - a slight twinge of disappointment in my voice - Rick helped put it into perspective. The more you run the more experiences you amass - good and bad. Altitude, weather, cramps, blisters, training, navigation, nutrition, hydration - so many variables on any one day. To go into a race prepared is to go in with a handful of goals and no set expectations; to readjust your focus accordingly and to recognize when things are going off track. I didn't have the race I'd expected but I had a good day in a beautiful place, I finished, I shared it with a great group of people and when all was said and done, I placed 52nd out of 165. I will never be disappointed finishing in the top half of anything. Above average, baby!

(Birthday girl and friends peaking out at Brockway Summit)

The rest of the weekend was a celebration of Jessica's birthday filled with sangria and mexican food, a bike ride to loosen up the legs and a "walk" out on the lake. (I'd say swim but the water was so low near the beach you had to walk out almost 1/2 a mile to be able to submerge yourself.) I alternated between feeling starving and having no appetite - the run had thrown off my natural caloric inclinations somehow. Good thing the inclinations found their way back - I gained 7 pounds the next time I checked. Blaming it on the salt caps.

Tahoe in 2010! I'll be back.