Western States 100 Endurance Run DNF report

I had a great time and learned a lot from my first DNF (did not finish) of my short racing history.  It is a cliché, but it is said you learn more from a DNF than race you finish, so I'm going to put into practice. I hope to provide a perspective of the race that may help others in the future who may be planning to do this race as well as to share the experience with everyone.

Pre Race

I arrived to Squaw Valley on Monday of race week to attend a medical conference and which I summarized in the blog.  On Thursday, they had lectures for crews and for athletes about the course with some helpful insights provided.  On Friday, I went to Reno to pick up Kelley Koehler who would crew me for the race.  She is an accomplished ultra marathon runner and Triathlete who I met at the Caballo Blanco Ultra in 2013. We also travelled together to Urique in 2014 for the Caballo Blanco Ultra.   After a quick stop for supplies at the local food mart, we took the drop bags to the designated location.  I prepared a total of 10 drop bags with extra nutrition and gear which I will discuss later.. 

Leaving drop bags on Friday

 I then went to get registered.  I received a bracelet, got weighed, and received a ton of great swag. I also participated in a medical study on gastrointestinal (GI) problems in 100 mile runs, so I met with the investigators.  They drew blood for analysis and to compare to after the race.  Since I got there late, there were no lines and the process was quick. 

Checking in at Western States 100

getting weighed in at Check in

Blood draw for GI distress study

At the end of check out, they take a picture of the participants, I guess to keep tract.  They are all very professional and organized.  They used to check blood pressures before the race, but this year they stopped doing it.  In the medical conference, Dr. Marty Hoffman mentioned that they decided they didn't need to do this after having done for many years.

Profile picture at WS 100

After registration, we went to the expo and registered Kelley as a pacer.  Chris "Tarzan" Clements also joined us to register as a pacer. Pacers in 100 mile runs typically run along for safety for the last 40 miles.  At Western States they are also allowed after 8 pm at mile 52.  I had never met Chris but he heard I needed a pacer and was interested.

Kelley my crew and Chris "Tarzan" my pacer

In the afternoon, there was a mandatory meeting for all the athletes.  The highlight for was seeing the elite male and female top 10 being introduced.  After dinner, we Kelley and I went to the condo and watched the movie "Unbreakable" about the 2010 race and I was in bed by 9 pm.  I fell asleep in about 1 hr. I woke up at 3 AM before my 3:30 alarm had gone off and started getting ready.  Ate a banana, almond chocolate milk, and some prosciutto. At 0415, I put away all my luggage in the car and headed to the start to pick up my bib and get weighed.  I also stopped by to talk to the GI study investigators and swallowed a LARGE pill which was a thermometer which would be used to measure my core temperature during the race.  They asked me whether I was having any GI distress and what I had eaten for breakfast.

THE RACE
I am going to break the race down by aid stations and talk about each section of the course.  That is how I approach a 100 mile race, its aid station to aid station, trying not to think about 97 more miles to go at the top of the first climb.  This may help someone who in the future is doing race to get a better idea of the terrain and what to expect.

Squaw valley to Escarpment 3.5 miles
The race starts with a 3.5 mile uphill section with over 2,500 feet elevation gain from 6,250 feet to 8,750 feet at Emigrant Pass.  I had decided that I would go this section very slow to keep from getting anaerobic and save energy.  The road is a smooth incline on a jeep road. My planned pace was 20 min/miles which I was able to stay pretty closely.  Since I was towards the end of the pack, I got to hike up with Gordy Ainsleigh and he was very talkative.  Gordy started this race 41 years ago (more in blog post from Dec) and he shared with me a lot of insights about the past.  He has an encyclopedic knowledge of the race and he was a joy to share the trail with.  I also met Tom Green in this section as we hiked.  Tom is now 63 and was doing his 10th Western States race. I would later find out was the original "Grand Slammer" who 30 yrs ago did the four 100 mile races that existed at the time (Western States, Vermont 100, Leadville 100, and Wasach 100) in the same summer.  At the top, I stopped to take the view of Lake Tahoe and the beautiful view that is a sight to behold.

Going up to Escarpment WS100 2014

Escarpment to Lyon Ridge 7.0 miles
After the climb to Watson's monument, the trail becomes a gentle downhill on single tract. I settled into a comfortable pace, conscious that I did not want to go to fast so as to "save" my quads for later in the race.  I hiked the short up hill sections as well.  This section is largely above 7,000 feet and has on some years a lot of snow.  This year there was no snow but few creeks and streams to cross.  I largely kept my feet dry in this section. As you follow a mountain ridge line, the views on both sides are spectacular.  When I arrived at the aid station, I refilled my hand held 20 ounce bottle and my waist pack 8 oz bottles.

Lyon Ridge to Red Star Ridge 5.5 miles 
This section is still above 7,000 feet elevation with some short climbs and descents along the ridge line.  The pace was good but I was affected by the DUST, there was al lot of it, specially with long "conga" lines that formed in the trail.  I tried to use my buff to cover my mouth but it made it harder to breath. There were also a lot of lose rocks and technical sections.  I arrived to Red Star Ridge at 9:15 AM which was putting me behind my projected pace.  I had a drop bag there and another 20 oz. water bottle.  I refilled my pockets with GU, Cliff bars, and salt tablets.  I said hello to Rhonda, Rich and Jonathan who were in the medical tent and who I'd met at the medical conference earlier in the week.

Red Star Ridge to Duncan Canyon 7.8 miles
We continued to descend with few uphill sections interspersed.  I caught up to Jess Soco in this section.  I had met her at the Caballo Blanco Ultra and she was running with Luna sandals. We spoke briefly and I passed her.  The dust continued to be a problem is this sections and we were still at elevation.  Occasionally, I would feel a twinge in my right ankle from the injury I had sustained 6 weeks before.  It was mostly when I stepped on a rock and my ankle twisted.  It was a reminder that I had not really been able to train well the last one and half months before the race. Once I arrived at Duncan canyon it was about 11:30 am and the sun was starting to warm things up.  I used a zip log bag which I was carrying to put ice and placed it under my buff and another in my stomach. This race provides a lot of ice for the runners and I took full advantage starting at this point.

Beautiful views of WS trail

Duncan Canyon to Robinson Flat  5.9 miles (30 mile point)
This section begins with a gradual descent followed by a steeper ascent up to the aid station.  I was still feeling good eating Cliff bars, GU, and salt tablets along the way. I power hiked the uphill section at the end.  I was using my Suunto (Ambit 2) watch but had changed the GPS setting to check every minute instead of every second.  This conserves battery but the accuracy is decreased in terms of miles covered and pace in minutes/mile. As a result, I never really knew how far I had gone or how far it was until the next aid station.  When I arrived at Robinson Flat, I got weighed for the first time, I was up 2 pounds from the morning weight.  The GI study people measured my core temp which was 101 F.  They collected all my wrappers from the food I had eaten, and asked me whether I had any GI distress, which I had none. (except gas a little).  Kelley my crew was there and we got my drop bag where I had my Salomon hydration vest.  We filled it up with water and I ate some potatoes.

Robinson Flat to Miller's Defeat  5.6 miles
Leaving Robinson Flat, you start with a steady climb for about a mile.  I felt really heavy carrying all the water bottles plus the hydration vest. In hindsight, I would have liked to have carried less stuff but I was worried about the canyons to come later in the day and wanted to stay hydrated. After the initial climb, there is a long descent that is really exposed due to the fires last year. Several people passed me in this section and I had a low point here.  Rich H. was one of those who caught up to me here, he is Maude's brother, a Nurse Practitioner who I work with.  He is a physician from the Bay area and was doing the race for the first time as well. Before I got to the aid station, Jess Soco caught up to me again and told me she was worried about the cutoff, which she thought was at 2:30 pm.  I told her it was at 3 pm for I was carrying my pacing chart.  We arrived at 2:30 and I got some more ice. Jess made a quicker stop and was gone before me.

my pacing guide

Miller's defeat to Dusty corners (2.7 miles) Got Lost and did extra miles
This section is initially flat with some rollers and then steadily goes down Last Chance Rd, a jeep road, which is pretty run-able.  I once again caught up to and passed Jess along the way and then as I was going reached the end of the trail I was in.  I did not see any markings and that is when panic set in. I had missed a turn on the trail and had gone probably a mile or so further.  I started heading back and was yelling for help and finally after about 15 min, I saw another runner taking a turn down a different trail and caught up to him.  I asked if he was sure this was the correct trail and he said, "I'm sure, that is Gordy Ainleigh in front, and I think he knows the route!".  When I arrived to Dusty Corners, Kelley was there to surprise me after having driven for 1 hr. like a speed racer to meet me.  She said Jess had passed about 15-20 min ago and had seen me take a wrong turn but was unable to get my attention. I was pretty upset with myself but had to keep going and get over it.  Gordy was there as I left the aid station, looking pretty tired.  I was 35 miles into it and I was at the same place as Gordy, that left me worried as to whether I would finish.

Dusty Corners to Last Chance 5.3 miles
We continue on Last chance road through several rolling hills. At this point I ran into Melanie from Oregon who was also doing Western States for the first time and her first 100 miler.  She was pretty discouraged and I tried to pick up her spirits. She also had gotten in with the lottery and qualified with a 50 mile race.  This is the last year you could gain entry like that.  I always liked the name Last Chance for an aid station and they were pretty cool.  I loaded up with ice and prepared myself for the canyons.

Last Chance to Devil's Thumb 4.5 miles 
Initially, the descent form Last Chance is pretty gradual but then it becomes quite steep with many switchbacks for about 2 miles down to the Swinging bridge of Deadwood Canyon.  Unfortunately, the bridge was damaged in the fire and was not usable.  A new section of trail was created with a cable crossing of the river.  This is the first time my shoes, Salomon S-Lab Fellcross, got wet and then we had an equally steep climb out to the canyon for about 2 miles and 1800 feet elevation gain. I arrived at Devil's thumb at around 6:30 pm which was 30 min before the cutoff .  I would be chasing the cutoffs for the rest of the race, good thing I had them written down on my card.

Devil's thumb to El Dorado Creek 5.1 miles
This is the second canyon that we pass along the way.  The descent is not nearly as steep as the descent to Deadwood Canyon and this is where Jenn from Kentucky caught up to me and Melanie.  She had a good pace going down the hill and I decided to latch on to her.  She loved to talk like me on these races, my spirit animal is the Loro (Parrot), and she had a great attitude.  She was doing the math and reassured me and Melanie we could finish in less than 30 hrs, because I was increasingly getting worried and pessimistic.  We passed the 50 mile mark on this section and we had run for about 15 hrs. with the "easier" sections to come.  I stayed with her until the next aid station which is after a bridge at the bottom of the canyon. Melanie couldn't keep up with us and eventually dropped at mile 70.

El Dorado Creek to Michigan Bluff 2.8 miles (55.7 miles covered)
This is a mostly uphill section, I had left Jenn at the aid station and climbed up as fast as I could power hike.  It was starting to get dark and it was here that I came upon Rick, who was having GI problems and had been vomiting.  He looked pale and I told him so.  I offered a salt tablet which he took and after 5 min, I pressed on the trail.  Kelley was at Michigan Bluff waiting for me and hiked the last section with me.  Once again, I got weighed and got temperature checked for the study.  I sat and Kelley had prosciutto and almond chocolate milk for me.  She took off my shoes and socks and checked my feet telling me they did not look "too bad."  I was pampered there with all the Mas Locos in attendance.  Maria, Tyler T., Krista, and my pacer Chris.  (Chris' brother Tyler was also there).  Kelley put on my socks and now I would switch to the Hokas for the rest of the run. Kelley would also be pacing me to Forest Hill as it was after 8 pm and pacing is allowed here after that hour.

Coming up to Michigan Bluff mile 52.7

Michigan Bluff to Forest Hill  6.3 miles
This section is initially flat but then goes uphill for a nice portion followed by a steep descent to another smaller canyon.  I carried a head lamp and another lamp around my waist to see the trail. Kelley had a pretty bright headlamp and stayed behind me except where we had room to run next to each other.  It was nice having company and we talked a lot of the way.  I could not run the downhill sections and was having to walk pretty slow down. My quads and hip flexors were hurting with every step and the steeper the trail the pain became intolerable. We passed the Bath Road Aid station and then we arrived at the road leading to Foresthill.  At Forest Hill, I was weighed again and I met up with my next pacer, Chris "Tarzan" Clemens.  I got word that Chris was interested in pacing from a friend of Kelley, Nancy who lives in California and was willing to come up for the weekend. I joked with him that when selecting a pacer, you have 2 choices, someone who knows you but does not know the WS trail or someone who is familiar with the WS trail but does not know you.  In his case, he was neither as he and I had never run together and he had never done the race before.

Forest Hill to Cal-2 (Peachstone)  8.7 miles
Chris was a great pacer, he was encouraging me and supporting me the entire way. After leaving Forest Hill the trail goes down hill again, but now I was getting to the point that I really could not move downhill very fast. This would cost me the race as I would come to find out.  I got so bad in sections that I was holding on to tree branches to slow me down and diminished the impact on my legs of walking down the steeper sections of trail. Surprisingly, I could still shuffle on the flats and power hike the ascents, I just could not descend at all. We arrived at Cal 2 at approximately 2 AM and the cutoff was 2:30.

Cal-2 to Rucky Chucky 7.3 miles (78 miles covered)
Since I could not do math, Chris was very good about keeping tract and let me know we had to get to Rucky Chucky by 0500 or we would not be allowed to cross the river. The initial section to Ford's Bar was steep but then it levels off and I was determined to make the river.  I pushed as hard as I could on the flats and walked, power hiked the ascents.  The downhills were impossible to cover with any speed. We somehow managed to get to Rucky Chucky at 0430. The place was lit up on both sides of the river and at that hour it was surreal.  A friend said that it reminded him of a scene from the movie Apocalypse Now, and I think that captures the image perfectly.  I got weighed on the near side and crossed via a cable with folks guiding you to avoid large rocks in the river bed.  They had glow sticks submerged on top of the bigger rocks.  The water was waist deep in many places and I was soaked.  My legs did not appreciated the cold water and I got a chill after coming out the other side.

Crossing Rucky Chucky at 5 AM (I am glad Chris is smiling?

Rucky Chucky to Green Gate 1.8 miles
This section is a steep up hill and the sun was starting to come up again, the second sunrise of this adventure.  Near the aid station, Kelley was waiting to meet me and as usual she was great.  She was carrying some almond chocolate milk and extra food.  I stopped briefly at the PortoPotie (bye bye temperature pill) and left my head lamps with Kelley.
Green Gate to Auburn Lake Trails 5.4 miles (85.2 miles)
We left Green Gate at 5:30 or so and had to be at the next aid station by 7 AM or we could not keep going.  At this point, I decided to push as hard as I could now that the sun was up and I put my music on a rock play list to motivate me.  This section is runnable and not so steep which helped.  I was passed by Tom Green in this section.  He would be the last official finisher at 29:57:32 earning him his 10th finish.  Jen also power hiked her way past us and finished in 29:49.  Chris as usual was encouraging me and towards the end we could hear the music and we knew we were close. We arrived at 6:56 AM and I got weighed and was out of there as fast as I could. Chris got my water bottles filled while I was being weighed and as we were leaving heard the horn that signals that the cutoff has arrived for the aid station.
Auburn Lake Trails to Brown's Bar 4.7 miles  89.9 miles covered and place where I dropped
The next section is 8.3 miles and we had to be out of the Highway 49 aid station by 9:20 AM.  That gave me 2 hrs and 20 minutes to cover 8.3 miles.  I reached another low point here and wished that I had missed the cutoff at 7 AM so I could rest.  I pushed as hard as I could but I was finding it increasingly difficult to move.  We arrived at Brown's Bar and I briefly saw Hal Koerner there, he has won the race 3 times and was working the aid station all night. (what other sport would you ever see that?)  I kept running down the hill and Chris caught me at the bottom of the hill.  That is when I saw the climb that was in front of me, I looked at the time and we had about 45 minutes to get to Hwy 49, which was 3.6 miles away and uphill.  I decided I would not make it and that my health was possibly in danger. I told Chris that I would drop and go back to Brown's Bar. He gave me a big hug and we hiked up to Brown's Bar where I officially dropped.  They tore my chip off and wrist band and I was officially a DNF. I had gone 90 miles in 28 hrs. and that is as far as I could go.

Chris and I got a ride back to Placer HS, the finish point of the race with a guy from Ashland, Oregon.  I don't remember his name, my mind was trashed along with the quads at that point, but he had paced an elite to the finish and then went to work the aid station all night. It is people like him, Hal, and Anne Trayson (15 time winner), who volunteered at Robinson Flat (Kelley got to talk to her there) and then went to Rucky Chucky to find someone who may need a pacer to run with them in the rest of the way. She has done this in the past.

I arrived at Placer HS and ate some eggs and watched Jess Soco and Jen and Tom Greene arrive at the finish.  Gordy dropped at Forest Hill (mile 62) which is pretty good for 67 years old with an arthritic hip. He incidentally told me the VA has agreed to pay for stem cell injection into the hip.   Rick recovered enough from the nausea to get to Forest Hill where he also dropped.   I went to the medical tent and told the GI study folks that I had dropped.  They took my blood again for studies.  I then had a needle drainage of my second right toe which had developed a subungal hematoma (blood under nail).

Subungal Hematoma post drainage

John Vonhoff who wrote a book called "Fixing your Feet" and is an expert on runner's feet looked at my toenails very disapprovingly and told me how to cut them and file them down to prevent these types of injuries.

The results of my lab work were post race:  Sodium 133 (normal around 140) which means I was slightly hyponatremic, BUN 38, Creatinine 1.58, and Creatine Kinase (CK) was 46,025. The upper limit of normal is 500 IU.  I got these results the next day and I made sure I hydrated to prevent rhabdomyolysis.

Of note, there were 376 starters, 296 finishers, and a Did not start (DNS) rate of 5.8%.  Finish rate was 78.7% which is higher than most years.  129 silver buckles (less than 24 hrs) were awarded. The high in Auburn was 89 and the low 59, so not as hot as previous years.

At the finish line with Chris and Kelley

Afterwards, I went to hotel and showered and attended the award ceremony where I slept on a chair in the shade.  We all went to lunch and said our goodbyes.  Looking forward to the time we all meet again.

R to L. Me, Kelley, Chris, Maria, Tyler C., Crista, Jess S, Patrick S, and Tyler Tomassello. Photo by Luis Escobar

Post Script
I had an amazing time at the 2014 Western States 100 Endurance run. The event lived up to expectations in every way imaginable for me.  The course is amazing and tough, the volunteers, my fellow runners who were in the front of the pack and the back of the pack were a joy to meet.  I learned a lot about myself and how I want to approach these races in the future.  I recognize that I lost 6 weeks of good training at the end which hurt me. I probably went too slow in the beginning and I was careless to get lost. I probably ate and drank to much early on and carried to much weight with the vest and other water bottles.  I hope some day to get another chance, have to hope I'm lucky again in the lottery.  Now its on to Guachochi 40 miles in the Copper Canyon in 2 weeks and another great adventure.

Many thanks...
I want to thank the race organizers and 1,500 volunteers who made this race possible for all of us. Maude and Rick, it was nice to spend time with you before the race and out on the trail.  To all the fellow Mas Locos, including Jess, I appreciated all you did for me along the way.  Chris, my pacer, I could not have asked more from you, you were spot on in terms of support and guidance during the race. Kelley, my crew, she was there every step of the way and provided me with invaluable assistance.  Could not have done it without you.  I return, I hope to one day crew or pace one of you or someone else so that I can give back to the community of ultra runners of which I am so proud to be a member off.

Medicine and Science in Ultra-Endurance Sports Day 2

I started Day 2 with a nice 6 mile run, same course as the day before and was a great start to the day.  Below I will summarize the lectures for the second and last day of the conference.

Injury Pattern in 100-mile Ultramarathoners- Morteza Khodaee, MD, MPH    Univ. of Colorado.

The main areas of injury during the race include:

• Dermatologic- blisters and subungal hematomas (black toenails)
• Musculoskeletal-patellofemoral pain (7-33%), Achilles tendinopathy (8-19%), knee/foot/ankle tendinopathy (<10%), IT band syndrome (7%), stress fx (5-10%), plantar faciitis (8-10%)
• Respiratory-asthma exacerbation.
• Excess hydration/hyponatremia
• Rhabdomyolisis
• Trauma
• High altitude illness
• Heat-related illness
• Exercise-associated collapse
• Gastrointestinal problems-predominately nausea and vomiting.
• Vision problems

During training there are less dermatologic and metabolic problems but overuse injuries. In an extensive survey, 77% ultra runners reported exercise-related injuries in the past year. However, compared with the general population, ultramarathon runners appear healthier and report fewer missed work or school days due to illness or injury. Take home point: You are likely to get injured while training for an ultra.

Key Medical Issues at Ultra-endurance Foot Races  Brian J. Krabak, MD   Univ. of Washington
Brian went on to contrast the overall injuries and illness rates in marathon races, Ultramarathons, and Multiday Marathons (Stage Races).  In marathons, the predominant problems were medical with less musculoskeletal and skin problems.  In Ultras, the musculoskeletal problems were more prominent and less so the medical issues. In stage races, the skin problems were the overwhelming majority of the issues encountered. Another topic covered was Postural Hypotension (low blood pressure while standing) which in one study occurred in 85% of runners admitted to the medical tent after a race.  The cause is an abrupt cessation of lower extremity muscle pumping actions combined with cutaneous vasodilatation.   This in turn results in venous pooling of blood in the lower extremity and low blood pressure.  The presentation is the collapse of the runner after crossing the finish line, dizziness, nausea, confusion.  Treatment is to lie down, elevate legs, and orally hydrate.  Prevention is by hydrating and WALKING after crossing the finish line, however there are no lasting effects except to your pride. Next, he discussed heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat exhaustion is seen with a normal to slightly elevated rectal temperature (102-104 F) with skin still moist.  It causes an inability to continue to exercise or collapse, weakness, fatigue, muscle cramps, nausea, irritability, agitation, and mild confusion. Treatment of heat exhaustion is removal from competition and cooling with ice packs or immersion of whole body in ice water.  Heat stroke is more serious and can cause collapse with severe mental status changes.  The skin may be hot and dry and the rectal temperature can exceed 104 F.  Treatment is with ice packs or immersion of whole body in ice water and transport to hospital.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, he discussed hypothermia where core temperature in a cold environment decreases to less than 89 degrees F.  Mild hypothermia can cause rapid heart rate, hyperventilation (rapid breathing), mental status changes, and shivering.  Moderate hypothermia causes slowed heart rate, hypo-ventilation (slow breathing), CNS depression, and loss of shivering.  Severe hypothermia causes pulmonary edema (fluid in lungs), slow heart rate, low blood pressure, coma, and life threatening ventricular arrythmias. Take home points: train and plan for the different environmental conditions to finish race safely.

Medical Needs at Ultra-Endurance Footraces: Race Director's Perspective    Craig Thornley, Race Director  Western States Endurance Run
Craig gave a really nice lecture about the philosophies of the medical aid at an endurance race from the race director's perspective.  One approach is to treat runners like horses whereby medical personnel are given supreme power to pull a runner from a race even when the runner wants to continue.  The other extreme is to let the runner make their own decisions with regards to whether to continue or to drop.  A natural tension exists between these two extremes and the sweet spot is likely somewhere in the middle.  Craig said the goal should be for the runners to view medical volunteers as allies and not to be avoided for fear of being pulled from the race.  Take home point:  In an ultra, the decision to drop should be made by the runner with the advice of qualified medical personnel.

The rest of the day was spent with case studies about medical problems with runners.  The first case was an elite runner who had a severe asthma attack at mile 30 and required bronchodilators (Albuterol)  and improved with subcutaneous epinephrine.   The second was  about a runner who had acute cholecystitis while running the Tahoe Rim Trail.  The third was about a case of high altitude pulmonary edema in Leadville 100 at Hope pass (12,600 feet).  Next was a case of rhabdomyolysis in a physician who improved with hydration and completed the race. (hope that wont be me).  They discussed a horrible fire in Australia in 2011 which happened during an ultra, and a physician who was there spoke about it.  The last case was of a runner in 2013 who after dropping at mile 85 developed seizures on the way to the finish by car.  He had severe hyponatremia and was hospitalized for 4 days.  He has fully recovered, has no memory of the events and is back to run the 100 miles again.  He was at the conference and answered questions as best as he could remember of how much water he drank that may have caused such a severe hyponatremia.

Overall, an excellent conference, and they will be repeating it next year on race week of Western States for anyone who may be interested in attending.  I highly recommend it.

Medicine and Science in Ultra-Endurance Sports Conference Day 1

I started my first full day in Squaw Valley with a nice and easy 6 mile run in the AM.  Then I had the pleasure of attending a fascinating series of lectures in a conference titled, "Medicine and Science in Ultra-Endurance Sports".  This is the first time this event has been held and is sponsored by the Wilderness Medical Society.  I wanted to share the main bullet points from all the lectures which were all very good.

Cardiac Function in Ultra-marathoners- David Oxborough, PhD   Liverpool John Moores University
Dr. Oxborough went on to describe several acute and chronic effects on the heart in response to long distance running.  The chronic effects include eccentric hypertrophy of the Left ventricle (the main pumping chamber) and increase in the chamber dimension with normal function maintained.  This as opposed to a sick heart which will enlarge and  have decreased function.  The normal adaptive enlargement is to allow for more cardiac output during exercise.  He also observed in athletes that the Left atrium and right atrium (the top chambers) enlarged proportionally more than the left ventricle.  In the acute phase, in other words, right after the race, there appears to be significant Right ventricle enlargement and some decrease in function which improves after 1 day.  When bio markers of heart muscle injury were measured after an ultra, these were found to be slightly elevated.  This suggests microscopic heart muscle damage.  There also have been reported animal studies which show increase in fibrosis in the right ventricle and may predispose these individuals to arrhythmias.  (abnormal heart rhythms).  The most common appears to be atrial fibrillation which a few studies have shown has an increased incidence in long distance runners. He reported that all the studies do not seem to indicate an increased incidence of coronary artery disease (the cause of heart attacks) in long distance runners.  Take home point: Endurance training and competing has effects on the heart but these are not pathologic. Keep running.

Neuromuscular Fatigue: Lessons from Extreme Sport- Guillaume Millet, PhD  University of Calgary
Dr. Millet went on to differentiate the causing several elegant studies of maximum voluntary contraction before and after the ultra he showed that central fatigue is more of a factor than peripheral fatigue.  The cause of mental or central fatigue may be related to excess serotonin accumulation in the brain, or the so called "serotonin hypothesis".  There was no difference between men and women in these studies.  Take home point: fatigue is mostly in your head.

Effects of Ultra-Endurance Exercise and Carbohydrate Restriction on Membrane Fatty Acids, Inflammation, and Insulin Sensitivity- Stephen Phinney, MD, PhD  UC Davis
This lecture reinforced what has lately been the idea that a high carbohydrate diet may not be the best approach to training and participating in endurance events. As fuel, a typical 70-75 Kg athlete has 2,480 Kcal stored as muscle and liver glycogen, whereas that individual has 110,700 Kcal in the fat stores.  In order to become efficient at burning fat, a ketogenic diet (low carb, high in Fat and Protein) will dramatically enhance the capacity of fat oxidation.  This results in a reduced dependence on glycogen.  Of note, it takes weeks of adaptation when one goes on this diet before performance is restored.  The changes are at the mitochondrial level in the muscle and reduced insulin sensitivity. Take home point:  Consider altering from the conventional wisdom that carb loading is good and switch to a ketogenic diet. (paleo)

Gastrointestinal Distress in Ultramarathoners-  Kristin Stuempfle, PhD
A very common occurrence in running ultras, GI distress occurs in 37-60% of runners in 67-161 Km races.  In 161 Km races, it is the number one reason for dropping out. For one, as the cardiac output increases, there is decreased blood flow to gut and kidneys to shunt to the exercising muscles.  The causes appear to be various and include esophageal motility disruption and lower esophageal sphincter tone resulting in heart burn.  In the stomach, intense exercise causes delayed gastric emptying and this results in bloating, cramps, nausea, and vomiting. (lovely).  In the intestines, absorption of sugar and water is decreased and this can cause diarrhea.  Interestingly, they analysed what people ate and the effects of GI distress with the finding that consumption of more FAT seemed to cause fewer symptoms.   Take home point:  You are likely to have GI symptoms when you do an Ultra. Fluid and fat consumption may protect  you from it.

Sodium Supplementation, Drinking strategy and Weight change in a 100-mile Ultra- Marty Hoffman, MD  UC Davis

Marty mostly talked about taking salt tablets during the race and weight changes which are observed in the runners. He had a slide about the recommendations based on the weight, which are as follows:

• Weight up, stop drinking until you pee off the excess.
• Weight down, drink.
• Mental status changes, drop and get medical help.

Take home point: Good idea to take salt tablets and drink water.

Barefoot/Minimalist Shoe Running and Foot Strike Pattern- Kevin Kirby, DPM, MS California School of Podiatric Medicine
Dr. Kirby began with a historical perspective on shoes and running shoe design. He showed how lightweight, thin-soled running shoes have been continuously available to runners for the past 40 years.  In the 70's they were called "racing flats" and were nearly identical to what today are called "minimalist shoes".  In an analysis of barefoot running, he showed that they increase stride frequency.  Also, contact time, stride duration, and flight times all decrease in barefoot running. .  Lastly, barefoot runners shorten stride length possible to avoid heel impact. He reminded us that "over-striding" has long been known to cause inefficient running form and reducing stride length often seems to lessen injury risk in runners. Lastly, he presented a study of 103 runners over 12 weeks which showed that running in minimalist footwear appears to increase likelihood of experiencing an injury. The speaker then spoke at length about heel striking vs. forefoot/midfoot striking, and found no significant difference in frequency of running injuries between the two.  However, there was evidence that CHANGING foot strike may cause injury. He also mentioned the Hokas, which he said were good and recommended changing shoes during the training week to reduce risk of injury.
Take home point: If heel striking, don't worry and don't try to change it.

Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia (EAH)- Tamara Hew-Butler, DPM, PhD  Oakland University.
An important topic for all marathon, Ironman triathletes and ultrarunners, hyponatremia can be life threatening. A low serum sodium can be caused by dilution in that you take in too much water combined with depletion of sodium via electrolyte losses in sweat or vomit. An important contributor to developing EAH  is the hormone ADH (anti diuretic hormone) also called AVP (arginine vasopressing).  Its function is to prevent water from being released in the urine, it concentrates the urine.  In an ultra or marathon, AVP levels are high during and post race which contribute to the dilution of sodium. Affected individuals can gain or lose weight and as such, body weight changes become less reliable indicators of fluid balance as race distance progresses.  When sodium is low symptoms can be vague at first but can progress to mental status changes.  The diagnosis is confirmed with a blood test and is treated with hypertonic saline.  Take home point:   Exercise-Associate hyponatremia (EAH) is bad, recognize the symptoms and treat urgently.

Rhabdomyolysis and Acute Kidney Injury - Robert H. Weiss, MD  UC Davis
Rhabdomyolysis is skeletal muscle damage that causes release of myoglobin and other muscle components into the blood stream and can in severe cases cause kidney failure to the point of needing dialysis.  It is characterized by severe muscle pain and inflammation.  In 2009, they reported on 5 cases of rhabdomyolisis and four had significant injuries that limited their training, so they came to the race under trained.  They pushed through despite being in severe pain. \Other predisposing factors include dehydration and hyperthermia.  Medications such a statins to treat cholesterol may increase risk but not proven, recommended to hold this medication before an endurance event. Take home point: If you are hurting a lot, you may need to quit.


Overall, an excellent day of lectures, if you are still reading this, I hope you get something out of it.  Tomorrow the lectures are less scientific and more practical.  I hope I still have the endurance to write it all again.

Western States Training and preparation

Western States 100 trail

Training for Western States

Western States endurance run race week has finally arrived and I am anticipating a great adventure on June 28, 2014.  It has been a dream 2 years in the making to arrive at the starting line of this prestigious event.  I came to Squaw Valley early to make the most of my experience and attend a medical conference Tuesday (6/24/2014) and  Wednesday (6/25).  The meeting is called "Medicine and Science in Ultra-Endurance Sports"  and I will be posting about what I learn that may be interesting to the endurance athletic community.  Later in the week, I intend to post about the race week activities.  My last post about Western States will be a post race report.

My training in earnest began on Jan 1 with base building.  I decided to hire a coach and he sent me structured workouts starting on the first week of January.  I did 6-8 miles on weekdays with longer runs on Saturday.  On Sundays, I did "tempo" longish runs with "tired legs" from Saturday's run.  During the early training weeks, my coach had me do "hill repeats".  These consisted in finding a stretch of trail with 10-15% grade and climbing as fast as possible for 3 minute intervals.   I would rest for 1 minute and then descend as fast as possible back down. Rest another minute and repeat.  Initially, I did 4 hill repeats and when it got closer to the race I was up to 6 hill repeats. I did the repeats on a Jeep road off Robinson St. on the way to crazy cat mountain.  It was not ideal as it was very rocky and technical, but it is pretty accessible. The weekly mileage was about 40-50 in the early weeks and by the middle of May, I was up to 100 miles in a week.  This was accomplished with twice daily runs on weekdays (AM 9 miles and PM 6 miles). The Saturday long runs were at the most 40 miles followed by 10 tempo miles on Sunday. 

In March, I ran Caballo Blanco 50 mile Ultra for which I did not taper and completed that race in 12 hrs and 30 min.  My recovery from that race was fairly quick and I was able to run as early as Wednesday after the race. 

Everything was going well until Saturday, May 17 when I was scheduled to run 18 miles and decided to go from the Lost Dog trails up to Tom Mays and up to North Franklin Peak and back.  In the descent from North Franklin, I got a bit too enthusiastic and went down too fast. I was jumping and heel striking and came away from the run with a sore ankle.  The pain was predominantly in the calcaneus or heel bone. I iced it overnight and it felt better.  Unfortunately, on Sunday, I was signed up to do a 5K race with my children and I was racing my oldest son, Javier, who is 16 yrs old.  The whole run, I was in pain, but I did it in 21:55 (7:18 min/mile).  I lost to my son who ran it in 19:35 but the effort cost me dearly. I had severe pain and was unable to walk, much less run.   I self diagnosed clinically, since I did not have any imaging studies, with a calcaneus stress fracture or pericalcaneus bursitis with ligament strain.  The treatment is not to run and allow time to heal.
I had been scheduled to go to a Western States training camp over the Memorial Day weekend and had to cancel my trip.  Instead, I went to the pool, learned to enjoy the elliptical machine and started cycling again. I also went for the first time to hot yoga sessions which were fun and good for heat acclimatization.   For 3 weeks, I could not run at all.  I bought some Hoka shoes which are like "moon shoes" with a lot of heel cushion and started walking with them.  I did training walks in the 100 degree heat of the afternoon with the hydration vest to get some heat training.
With 3 weeks to go for the race, I started slowly to run again on the road with the Hokas.  I did 2 miles, then 4, and by Wednesday, I was running 6 miles with Run El Paso Club.  My distance was up to 51 miles at its peak before I started tapering for the race. My last long run was up to McKelligon Canyon for 15 miles on Saturday and then 6 miles on Sunday before leaving for Squaw Valley, California on Monday (6/23).

Race preparation
I have been meticulously studying the race course since I have never done this race before and did not get to attend the training camp over memorial day weekend.   I have enlisted a crew person recently, but I had been making plans without crew.  There are 10 drop bags allowed along the course including at the finish line in Placer High-school in Auburn.   I made use of a race pace/split calculator from Climbers.net, the link is here:  Western States 2012 race calculator  I found this site helpful since there are so many climbs a consistence pace is hard to maintain.  I copied onto an Excel spreadsheet and will be using this to guide my slow pace and keep track of the aid stations and drop bags.

Projected pace for Western States 100

Western States course profile

Additionally, I read a great review of the course on IRunFar.com by Joe Uhan with the ominous title, "The Western States Killing Machine".   My race plan is to go slow from the beginning to save by legs during the long downhill sections to have energy left to go the last 20 miles at a decent pace.  

As I get settled here in Squaw Valley, my plan for tomorrow is to attend the conference and at the end of the day, I will blog about what is discussed. On Thursday and Friday, will post about the pre-race activities, including the Beer mile on Thursday. 

2014 Ultramaraton Caballo BLanco

Urique, location of Ultramaraton Caballo Blanco

I had a great and memorable time at this years race, my second time to visit. Like last year, I met some truly special people along the way and wanted to share my race experience which was much better than last year. The 2013 blog entry and  race report can be found  here: 2013 Ultramaraton Caballo Blanco, so I wont go over things I posted at that time.  Before I go into detail, I want to encourage everyone to seek out this unique experience which will inspire you and change you. Before I get to more details, and before you stop reading,  I want to share an excellent video made by Ceci I. from http://Huaracheturbo.com based in San Antonio.

Click Here for Video

requires facebook for now

Getting there

As I did last year, John Hatch from Gavilan Tours agreed to take me and a group down to Urique for the race.  I used Facebook to make connections with several  Aspiring Mas Locos (for definition, refer to last year's blog). At the last minute, we had 2 additional passengers which made 7 total plus the driver.  Margaret  S was the first to arrive from Salt Lake City on Wed and that night Carlos "Bala", Carlos O, and Arturo E arrived.  On Thursday, Kelly K. and Tomasino arrived and we departed with John Thursday AM.  On the way out we met up with Ray M. who was a friend of Caballo Blanco (Micah True) and was sending down some racing tire threads for making huaraches.  He said they were racing tires without the steel belt which are preferred by the Tarahumaras.

Ray with his tire threads

The "party van" then arrived in Creel for the night.  We all stayed at the Hotel Real de Chapultepec in 3 rooms.  Two rooms had 3 beds and the other 2 beds where Kelly and Margaret slept.  Their room was where Micah used to spend nights  in Creel.

Friday AM we left early for Divisadero and the 7 stage Zip lines which are set up there. Like last year, I chose to not ride them and opted for the cable car to where the Zip lines finished.  It was there that I met Levy who was the project manager for a new Zip line, the longest in the world which will be open soon. Levy was going to do the race as well on Sunday.

We then drove to Urique and arrived a little after 3 pm, first stop to Mama Tita's Restaurant.  We then were guided to the house which we would spend the next 3 nights.  The conditions were spartan but I had brought 2 air mattresses. The "party van" riders were joined by Ceci I, Rogelio I, Karen J, and Will who arrived later by train from Chihuahua and down to Urique by van.  After we sorted the sleeping arrangements for the 10 of us (John slept in the van, wisely), we went to have dinner at the Raramuri encampment outside of town. The bean, beef, and potatoes were tasty and we got to meet many participants in the race.  

Dinner Friday night with Raramuri

Later, we went to Mama Tita's restaurant and had a few beers and played Loteria.  Here were several Mas Locos eating and Margaret S, who was doing social media live coverage of the race was with one of the elites of Ultra-running, Nickademus (Nick) Hollon.  I knew he was coming to the event, and I was happy to have had the chance to meet him.  Last year, he won the Barkley Marathons in his 3rd attempt, participated in Tor des Geants in Northern Italy (which is in my to-do list), and was coming from fresh wins at the Fuego y Agua Ultra/ Survival run.  He was gracious and we talked about the trip down here, in no other sport can you "hang out" with elite athletes like this.   When we were leaving, a street party had developed outside with a trio providing the music.

Nickademus Hollon and me at Mama Tta's Restaurant

  

Saturday (day before Ultra)

We woke up early to join the Children's race at 0700.  This is the second year and 500 kids ran in 2 waves (10 and under and 11-14 yrs) separated for a few minutes.  We were assigned the second wave and had a blast running with the kids.  The course now was a big loop instead of out and back which made it less chaotic than last year.   As in the previous year, all the children received a t-shirt, school supplies, and a finisher's medal.

Packet pick up started at 1000 AM on Saturday (until 3 pm), and I received a bib number (41), a  t-shirt, a poster of the race, timing chip (first time for this event), and a bandanna type gear for dust.

In the afternoon, there is a full schedule of events for the runners which I covered in last year's blog,  Instead, this year I opted to go to the beach.  A group of us hiked up river and to a section of the river where there was a little turn and resulting small area of relatively standing water.  The water was cool (I estimate 65-68F) but provided great relief from the heat of the day.

 Swimming in Urique river

After a late lunch, we went to get some supplies from the local grocery store which was near the house and made a quick stop at the "Internet Cafe" which was a street outside the local school which had WIFI. Someone had obtained the password (URIQUE13) and allowed free use which was slow specially when more people found out about it.

L to R Me, Carlos "Bala", Arturo E., and Carlos O.

RACE DAY

L to R Tomasino, Carlos "Bala", Carlos O, Arturo, Karen, me, Will, and Kelly K.

I felt good going into this years race because I had trained appropriately on trails, with hills, and somewhat in the heat.  Most importantly, unlike last year, I had not completed my first 100 miler a month before.  I couldn't sleep the night before as per my usual, so I was ready by 0500 for the 0600 start of the race. We walked down to the city center and had the FIRST bracelet which was given and lined up with about 700 other runners. 500 were Raramuri men and women and about 200 from Mexico and the rest of the world.  I had a drop bag with lots of Gu's, cliff bars, and a head lamp just in case.  I placed it next to Mama Tita's Restaurant. I had a hand held 20 oz. bottle of water and a waist pack with additional 20 oz. plus S-caps in a zip lock bag..

The Start (Urique to Guadalupe and back to Bridge 8 miles)

I hung out at the back of the pack, knowing how fast the start of this race is. To read more about the FRONT of the back, check out Nick Hollon's blog for his description of the start and his impressions of the event itself.  I left town at a comfortable pace with great atmosphere along the first mile of the way.  Once I warmed up, I was determined to improve my time from last year and threw caution to the wind.  I fast hiked the uphills and went as fast as I could on the downhill sections.  I have been doing hill repeats for the last 2 months, and I think they have paid off for me.  There have been a lot of flooding rains and the trail next to the river seemed more sandy this year compared to last.  I took a gel every 30-45 min plus S-caps every 30 min with water early, for I knew it would heat up soon.  This is the section that many of the Raramuri used to find shortcuts, but this year, they had someone watching and preventing shortcuts.

I arrived at the church for the turn around and got to see several people behind me compared to last year, so I knew I was improving my position.  

Church in Guadalupe (turnaround point)

Puente/Bridge to El Naranjo and Back to Urique   (12 miles)

At the bridge, there were several spectators who are able to hike from Urique (2 miles) and see the race.  At approximately 3 miles into this section (11 miles in), we got off the road and went on the longest, steepest portion of the race via a gnarly  single tract trail. I slowed down considerably as I climbed this section, plus the heat of the day was starting about this time.  After climbing about 1,800 feet in about 3 miles, we reached the top of El Naranjo.  There some entrepreneurial Tarahumara ladies selling tacos and cold coca cola. Here, I caught up to Carlos O. and Arturo E. who were eating some of the local food. I passed on it for fear of not being able to digest the heavy food.  After El Naranjo, it was mostly downhill back to Urique to finish the 20 mile loop.

Climbing up to El Naranjo (foto by Ceci of http://huaracheturbo.com)

Urique to Los Alizos 10 miles
As I left Urique, the worst heat of the day was upon us.  I continued with the Gu, salt tablets, and occasional Cliff bar. The road has medium climbs and descents as we pass the small town of Guapalayna.  Further along was La Laja  which had a large suspension bridge which we crossed over.  After that we were back on single tract. Initially, the trail is flat to a slight incline there was more sand next to the river because of the flooding I assume. We then start going up to 20% grade on several switchback trails going up to Los Alizos. I struggled with the climb and was passed by a few people.  When I arrived at Los Alizos, I was greeted by Prospero who owns the grapefruit farm. It is a beautiful place and they have a makeshift shrine there for Micah True (Caballo Blanco). I spent about 15 min there trying to cool off and eat. 

Shrine for Micah True at Los Alizos

Los Alizos to Urique  10 miles

I felt good after the rest, but the heat of the day made progress difficult.  My watch temperature was up to 94 F at this point, around 2 pm.  I saw several friends on the way up to Los Alizos.  First Kelly K. came through, her second time running in this race, but the first time with Luna sandals.  Later, Karen J. came bye, her first time to run in this event.  She also ran in Luna sandals, but to be more authentic and to honor the Raramuri women, she ran with a long skirt.

Mas Loco Lunatic Karen J. at the 20 mile point

Urique to Guadalupe and back  for last 10 miles

I arrived back to Urique having completed 40 miles at approximately 4 pm. I felt good and decided not to take my headlamp and finish in the day.  Got some coke and took just my handheld with me as it was getting cooler and the sun was being blocked by the canyon.  I was not running the downhills as fast as earlier in the day, but I made good progress and arrive into Urique shortly after sunset. 

Finish

Belt buckle for finishers (Belt bought day before hand made by Tarahumara)

I arrived to Urique for the last 1 km and was enthusiastically cheered by the locals along the way. I completed the race in 12:41 was handed a belt buckle and a race amulet by fellow mas locos Patrick Sweeney and Tyler Tomassello who had finished the race earlier. Maria and Josue were at the awards ceremony at the time. The amulets are from Bill Molmen, an artist from Hawaii, who hand crafts the amulet. According to Web site " they are inspired by the spirit of: Hau 'oli Nui Loa- meaning "Happy, very big. Way too Happy!"

Race amulet (I wear every day now)

I was very  happy with my finish, as I was able to cut 2 hours from last year.  I finished 231 out of 333 official finishers.  The PDF can be seen here: Caballo Blanco results.  There were many more that started the race but only ran for 20 miles in order to get corn vouchers. 

In closing, I want to share the story of Maria, who is 49 years old,  arrived Sunday Morning for the race and asked to get a bib number (the Raramuri race for free).  She had hiked from a far away village all night with an infant on her back.  She left the child in the care of someone, ran the race in 9:17:47 with flip flow sandals, earning her 2nd place for the women.  She stayed for the awards ceremony, received 25,000 pesos ($200 US), and took off again to hike back to her village with her baby. 

The local people, the natural beauty, and the participants in the event makes for a truly magical place to visit. However, we must never lose sight of the fact that they are living with great hardships and there is true poverty in that region.  

  

  

Western States 100 Lottery and California International Marathon

What a great weekend I had !  Ever since I heard about the Western States 100 mile endurance run, I have dreamt of being able to attend this historic event, more about that later.    Of course, there is the not so small problem of too many people want to do this race and they only accept about 400 every year.    I decided to put my name in the lottery and wouldn't you know it, I got in.  I was overjoyed when I heard my name pulled from a tumbler on Dec 7, 2013.  To top the weekend of, I participated in the California International Marathon the next day and achieved my goal of qualifying for the 2015 Boston Marathon with a time of 3:28:52.  I wanted to share with you how these two days came about for me in the hopes I can help and/or inspire other runners or runners in waiting to start dreaming big and with a bit of luck things can be accomplished.
First,  my journey to the Western States lottery began when I read the book Born to Run and they discussed the accomplishments of  Scott Jurek(El Venado), who won 7 times and Ann Trayson (La bruja) who won 14 times.   Shortly after reading the book, in the Podcast Talk Ultra, I listened to an interview of Gordy Ainsleigh  where he described how the Western States 100 came to be and the birth of modern day 100 mile trail running.

Me and Gordy Ainsleigh at the 2014 Western States lottery

If you want to read more about the race history, the long version is available here at On the Run events.com In brief, the year was 1974 and Gordon Ainsleigh who had participated in the Tevis Cup 100 mile race previously on a horse decided to run the course when his horse became lame.   He trained for an finished the race in less than 24 hours, earning him a Silver belt buckle.  Thereafter, long distance trail running started with more participants and the event became the Western States endurance run.  Additionally, here they began the tradition of awarding belt buckles to finishers of 100 mile trail runs.  The popularity of this event has grown tremendously but the number of participants has been limited by federal laws which restrict events along the wilderness trails where the event takes place. This has necessitated use of a lottery system to allow entry to the event.  To enter the lottery, this is the last year a 50 mile finish in a qualifying time is allowed, alternatively a 100 mile finish, or a 100K finish is required to enter the lottery.  With this in mind, I initially registered for the Rocky Raccoon 100 mile race in Feb 2013.  (more detatils here Rocky Raccon Race report).  This in an "easy" 100 miler in Huntsville, Texas which I finished just under the 30 hour cutoff.  On Nov 9, I went on Ultrasignup.com and registered for the lottery, fully aware that I had a very remote chance of getting in.  As it turned out, 2700 people applied for the 270 available slots for 2014.  This is after you factor in the top 10 male and female finishers from 2013, special consideration folks (3), winners from the various races in the Montrail cup, 3 members of the board and Gordy always gets an automatic entry.  The lottery is done in a live setting with everyone's name entered on a piece of paper into a large tumbler.  If you were unlucky in the draw the previous years, the name is entered as many times as  you have entered the lottery.  I had my name once and some folks had their name 4 times.  They calculated the odds for entry as shown below.

Tickets	# of Entrants	Probability (%)	Expected # Selected	Expected % Selected
1	1727	6.5	112.2	41.6
2	561	12.6	70.6	26.1
3	258	18.3	47.1	17.5
4	106	23.6	25.0	9.2
5	53	28.5	15.1	5.6
Totals	2705		270.0	100.0

So my chances were 6.5% to gain entry.  I made plans to go to the Sacramento Marathon back in August (more about this later) and so I happened to be there in the area that weekend.  I found out that in addition to the drawing of names, they would select 3 lottery entrants who were present at the event.  So, I decided it was worth the drive up from Sacramento on Saturday AM to try my luck.

Placer HS Auditorium  in Aubur, CA site of WS 100 Lottery

 I drove up to Auburn from Sacramento which is 40 miles away and arrived in time to put my name in a playing card which was my entry into the lottery within the lottery.  I took a seat and joined about 300 other entrants in the auditorium for the lottery. The event was broadcast live and recorded for everyone to see.  The video can be seen here (Ustream video) (my name was called 45 min. into broadcast).  They added all the names into the tumbler and had several VIPs select 20 names each.  First to go was Gordy, followed by Anne Trayson.  The person who eventually pulled my name was Kathy Perry, President of the Western States Trail Foundation and the Tevis Cup.  I was pumped and excited to hear that I had been selected as you can imagine.  I went up to the stage and got a Western States cap and had my picture taken with Kathy (my lucky charm).  At the conclusion of the program all the runners who had gotten in were photographed, about 25 of us. 

The atmosphere of the event was great and I was lucky to have been selected and been present for the selection.  Now all I have to do is train and finish this event on June 28, 2014.  

Gordy selecting first 20 lottery winners

The next day, I undertook a more recent goal and that was to qualify for the Boston Marathon.  Prior to this April, I had the opportunity to train with several runners in Run El Paso who had qualified for Boston.  I researched it further and found out that for me to gain entry, I would need to be a lot faster than any of my previous marathons.  My fastest marathon had been in NY City in 2011 and it was a 4:15.  For Boston, I had to get under 3:30.  I started training in earnest in August after the San Juan Solstice 50 Miler with the Run El Paso runnners who by this time were training for St George Marathon.  My friend Lorraine was using a training plan from a book called, Run Less, Run Faster by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr , and Ray Moss.  

I won't go into great detail but the basic idea is running 3-4 days a week with one interval session, a long run , and a tempo run mid week.  

The morning of the race was a cold 24 degrees F in Folsom, CA and I started with the 3:30 pacer.  I felt good and the 8:00 min/mile pace was not hard.  At about mile 3, I had to stop to tie my shoe lace and ran to catch up to the pacer.  I kept going at  about 7:40 pace and could not find her.  Before long, I had caught the 3:25 pacer, so I decided that would be my new goal.  This meant a 7:50 min/mile pace which was doable except on the hills.  At about mile 14, I got rid of my gloves and arm warmers as the sun had warmed me up.  Unfortunately, at mile 20 the sun was covered by buildings and trees and wind started to pick up.  My pace slowed and I could not keep up with the pacer.  At mile 25 the 3:30 pacer caught up to me and gave me a scare.  She said she was faster than 3:30 but I just took off and wanted to make sure I was well in front of her. I finished at 3:28:52, Chip time and was thrilled to have made it under the qualifying time.  

So my goals for 2014 are to complete the Western States 100 in June.  I am also registered for the Big Bend 50K in January and the Caballo Blanco 50 miler Ultra in March.  Thanks for reading. 

2013 San Juan Solstice 50 Mile Run

Had a wonderful time at this challenging event.  I highly recommend it for anyone that loves mountains and spectacular vistas.  The race takes place in the San Juan Mountains around Lake City, Colorado.  The funds raised benefit the Hillsdale County volunteer EMTs and they have been organizing this small event for many years.  (previously called Lake City 50).   I first heard about the San Juan Solstice 50 Mile Run from a fellow runner at last year's Silver Rush 50 miler in Leadville, CO.   He had DNF'd at this race earlier in the Summer and was trying to redeem himself. He described the race in such glowing terms and how hard it was that I was intrigued.   In the winter, some Facebook friends from the Tejas Trail Group page were talking about the registration that was coming up.  I also heard that the race sold out in a few minutes on the first day of registration.  So, on Jan 15, at 0700, I was ready on the computer and registered for the race and it filled in 8 minutes! (the limit is 200 runners)  The challenging aspects of this race include the altitude, the race starts at 8,761 feet and peaks out at 13,334 feet with a total elevation gain and lost of 12,856 feet.  In addition, the weather in some years can include snow and sleet or extreme heat. I will describe my experience with this race in 2013 for any future participants and to share the experience. 

Getting there

I left El Paso Friday morning of the race for the 578 mile drive to the race.  My goal was to arrive at 6 pm for the pre-race dinner and packet pickup which was over at 0700 pm.  On the way, I started to notice a huge plume of smoke from the fire that was raging at the Rio Grande National Forest.  Smoke and fire were more visible and I was stopped by a road closure on the outskirts of South Fork, Colorado which had to be evacuated due to the fire threat.  I was informed that I would have to detour via Gunnison which meant that I would be late to the packet pick up.  They had sent notice that if were not there by 7 pm they would give your slot to people on the waiting list.  Fortunately, I was able to contact the Armory and let them know that I was running late due to the fire detour. 

Smoke with sun setting in background, Not actual Fire 

Packet Pickup and Pre Race  

I arrived at the Lake City Armoury shortly after 7 pm and got my packet and bib number (46), plus got to leave my 3 drop bags which I had packed ahead of time.  I missed the dinner and the pre-race briefing as a result of my late arrival.  At that point there were people registering for the race who were either on the waiting list or were able to register late as there were fewer than 200 runners.  The bottom line is that if you don't register initially, there is a good chance you can get in later as so many registered people don't make it.  (by the way they do not give refunds, they say its for a good cause, which it is)  I checked in at the Matterhorn Inn which was a block away from the Armoury and  went to grab some dinner at a local Saloon on the city's main street. I was in bed by 930 pm. 

Race Morning

The race starts at 0500, so I had set the alarm for 0400.  Unfortunately, I woke up around 0200 and could not fall back asleep, typical for me.  Walked down to the armoury where all the athletes were gathering.  The temperature was 41F and I was wearing a long sleeve shirt on top of a short sleeve. We all had to register again on race morning and I nervously waited as we were finally instructed to walk to the nearby street where the race would begin.  I had a small headlamp, but many racers had no light as the sun rises early this time of year. 

THE RACE

Lake City to Alpine Gulch Aid Station (approx. 7.5 miles, 3000 feet elevation gain)

We ran through city streets for a short bit then up Engineer pass road for a total of about 2.7 miles.  The pace was pretty quick, but I was determined to go slow which placed me towards the end of the pack.  We turn Left off the road on the trail, Alpine Gulch trail, and immediately cross a bridge.  After this we were on single tract trail with numerous stream crossings.  At first, I managed to cross using the 2 large tree logs that were positioned across the streams.  This required some balancing skills which I had not anticipated would be necessary.  I kept my feet dry except a couple of times when I slipped off the logs.  Since I was towards the back of the pack, I was not slowed too much, but I know if you are in front and want to go fast, the best strategy is to cross over the water. This section is not very steep, although it is uphill the entire way.  I walked the steeper sections and ran as much as I could the flats or less steep sections.  All the aid has to be carried up to this point, so it is a limited aid station.  I filled my hand carried water bottle and had another water bottle on my waist strap.  I ate a Cliff bar up there and took a quick bathroom break.

Alpine Gulch to Williams Creek Aid Station (approx 8.2 miles, first climb up to 13,000 feet)

As we left the aid station, we continued to climb and crossed over tree line and for the first time got to see the incredible, breathtaking views that this race has to offer. I felt so privileged to be able to behold this beauty as I first encountered this initial section of the course.  As far as the trail, by this point it became more rocky and we did some running along the ridges of the mountains.  After arriving at the 10 mile point, we started a fairly steep descent to the next aid station.  As we descended, the temperature started to rise and I had consumed both my bottles of water.  I made the mistake of stuffing my empty hand held under my shirt thinking it would be secure, later to discover that it had slipped out without me knowing it.  I arrived at Williams Creek with only one 20 oz water carrier.   In my first drop bag, I had a dry pair of shoes and socks which I changed into.  A aid station volunteer refilled my water bottle and brought me fruit.  Her name was Annette and she stayed with me the entire time I spent getting stuff for me to eat and drink. Luckily, before I ran off, Jim who I had briefly talked to on the trail, had found and picked up my hand held and gave it back to me.  I was very grateful, and I feel he may have saved my race as the next stretch, I would not have survived with just one 20 oz bottle.

Saddle on the way up to the Continental Divide

Williams Creek to Carson Aid Station (approximately 6.3 miles, 3000 feet elevation gain) 

Out of Williams Creek, we travelled up a county road that was not paved but smooth for 2.5 miles. The grade of the road is not severe for this initial section, but then we turned right up a steep Jeep road for the next section.  The heat was really starting to get to me, and I struggled to keep a good power hiking pace.  I was taking gels (GU), Endurolyte (salt tablets), and drinking all the water I had.  The air was clearly thinner as we climbed, but at least it was a few degrees cooler as we made it up to higher elevation.  We were still below tree line but there was not a lot of shade in this section.  I arrived at Carson Aid Station (mile 22) at approximately Noon. Here, I had another drop bag with my Salomon hydration pack which I filled with water (3 litres) plus the hand held and the other bottle strapped to the waist. I  was able to sit in the shade for a while and prepare mentally for the next section, the hardest of the race.

Carson Ghost Town

Carson to Divide Aid Station (approximately 9 miles, to highest elevation of 13,334 feet)
Shortly after leaving the aid station, we came across the Carson ghost town, which sits on the Continental Divide at an elevation of 12,000 feet.  An old mining town which reached its peak during the late 1800s and early 1900's was abandoned due to extreme winters.  After getting above tree-line, we continued on a jeep trail up to a single tract with switchbacks to the highest point of the race which peaks out at 13,334 feet.  It was at that point I felt a very slight headache, but no nausea.  I was glad to start climbing down from that altitude.  For the next 5-6 miles, the trail follows the Continental Divide with a lot of rock and in some sections not much of a trail.  I was able to jog some of these sections along the divide which were flat or downhill, but walked the up hills.  This is the part of the course which in the afternoons can be more difficult with snow, sleet, and lightening.  This year, we had cloudless skies for the most part and a lot of wind.  The nearby fire could be seen in the distance, but thankfully the smoke was blowing to the East. The average altitude for this section was 12,000 feet, and I was up there for the better part of 2 hours.  I knew that altitude sickness is more likely with dehydration, so I drank as much water with S-caps as I could along the GU  gels.

At 13,400 feet along the Continental Divide 

The next aid station is along the Divide (mile 31)  and is next to a Yurt in a meadow, and it is below tree line.  I was happy to be there at 3 pm. I now had 3 hours to get to the next aid station at mile 40 which had a 6 pm cutoff.
t was being slowed by the fact that 3 weeks earlier, he had completed the Bryce Canyon 100 mile run.  The trails starts to go up hill again, back to 12,000 feet before coming down again. I could keep up pretty well on the uphills but found myself being dropped on the down hills.  The last section was downhill, and I managed to stay behind Jim until we reached the last drop bag at Slumgullion which is Mile 40.  It was 5:30 pm; this meant I had 3 and a half hours to finish prior to the 16 hour cut-off.

Slumgullion to Vickers Ranch Aid Station (5.4 miles 1,700 feet climb back to 11,000 feet)
I knew this would be a hard section from reading all the blogs and it certainly lived up to the hype.  The trail was straight up at a pretty aggressive grade with the hottest part of the day little wind. For the first time, I had to stop and sit a couple of times on tree logs and catch my breath.  I took Gel, S caps, and water but my energy was sapped in this section.  Despite my seemingly slow pace, I managed to catch up to some runners that were going even slower than I was. I reached the top of the climb to Vicker's and started to run again on the downhill.  I made a quick stop to get some fruit but did not sit down.

Vicker's Ranch to Lake City Finish  (4.6 miles)
I tried to run as I could on this, the last section which is mostly downhill.  I was doing OK, except there were some rocky sections.  Finally, I could see the city below and knew I was close except there are switchbacks that seem to take forever. Once in the town, we run along the river and across a bridge.  In the town, we go through several endless city blocks and arrive at the town square where we started.  The announce my name and I crossed the finish line in a time of 15:33:33.  I was elated and exhausted as I sat to take in the whole day that had passed.
Looking at the results, I was 161 out of 169 finishers.  The number of starters was around 200. The race was won by Dakota Jones who set a course record at 7:35:03, a record which had been held by the legendary Matt Carpenter in 2004, and he beat it by 22 minutes.

Awards Ceremony
The next AM, the race organizers had an excellent breakfast and on the lawn we watched as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Male and Female finishers were recognized.  Each received a custom made painting with their likeness drawn in during the afternoon and night after the race finish.

 Post Script
In summary, the event was very well organized, the course is challenging and specially beautiful.  I would highly recommend this race for anyone looking for a unique challenge. I can't imagine what it would be like to race this course with inclement weather, I may just have to find out if I can get in next year. Thanks for reading.