Ultramaraton de los Canones in Guachochi, Chihuahua 2014 Race report

Dusk at Sinforoso Canyon night before race

I had a great time at the 18th running of the Ultramaraton de los Canones in Guachochi, Chihuahua.  I wanted to share the experience with all of you who may consider this event in the future.  There is not much written about this event in any "blogs" so I went into it with very little knowledge of what to expect. I hope to inform  readers of this report as to how difficult but how beautiful and truly unique it is.  At the end, I will compare and contrast with the Ultramaraton Caballo Blanco in Urique which I have done twice before and have written about as well.

Training
For me personally, the training for this event was not optimal.  I had come off my first DNF at Western States 3 weeks before after running 90 miles and reaching the time cutoff.  I was not able to run after that race for about 10 days due to my quads getting trashed.  More about Western States here:Western States 100 race report. Not only was I physically not in a good place, but mentally I was having difficulties accepting that I had DNFd my A race for the year.  It was hard for anyone to relate as everyone thought 90 miles was "pretty amazing", but to me it was a failed effort that I needed to put behind me.  I ran easy on roads and the weekend before did some easy trails as I was recovering and tapering at the same time.   In hindsight, here is really no place adequately prepare for this race.  No trails in El Paso match the technical and elevation gain of this Ultra, more about that later.

Parral, our first overnight stop

Getting There
For many people, one obstacle to participating in this event is the perceived difficulty and danger of getting to Guachochi.  I have done 2 prior races in the Copper Canyon and had no concern what so ever.  We had a group of 8 total runners from El Paso and New Mexico/California that would be making the trek together, for that we had 2 cars.  I rode with Alfredo H, his wife Pamela M, and Pam's sister-in-law Myriam.  In another car were Jaime H, Nancy K(from Santa Barbara), Miguel C, and Kelley K. (from Santa Fe).  We left Thursday at approximately 2 pm, which allowed me to work half a day, and stopped at the Santa Teresa point of entry.  We got our visas and drove down to Villa Ahumada for the requisite stop to eat quesadillas and Mexican coca cola. From there we drove to Chihuahua City and then to Parral, Chihuahua for a planned overnight stay. We arrived around 9 pm, pretty hungry and stopped to eat first at the Vaca Voladora Restaurant. From there we drove to the Hotel Americano and got 3 rooms for the night.  Next AM,  Friday AM, day before the race, I had planned to run 2 miles easy.  Kelley had a different idea as we got started said she wanted to go up to a statue she had seen lit up the night before.  So it was that we ran towards the statute trying to find a path to the top. It was pretty technical and there really was no trail but we made it to the top.  The views of the city were spectacular and made it worth the effort.  There was also an old silver mine that we got to see.  Many years ago, Parral was known as the World's Silver Capital and was felt to have the best quality silver.   On the way back, we took a different route and got lost, making our run a total of 4.5 miles.

going up to statue in Parral

On the way to St Joseph Statue

We ate breakfast at the hotel and joined the others on a tour of the city before starting the final drive to Guachochi.  We arrived at around 3 pm and went to have a late lunch/dinner at the restaurant El Corral. From there we went to pick up our packets and there was a long line and they did not have Pamela's bib which delayed the process even more.  It was not very well organized and was unnecessarily lengthy, in my opinion.  There was a 10K race at 5 pm in the city streets on Friday going on at the same time. After that,  Kelley, Nancy, and I drove to see the Mirador or place where you can see the Sinforosa Canyon.  Nancy was not racing with us and we wanted to show here how to get there for the next day.  There we had some spectacular views of the canyon but it got dark and we had to head back to town, arriving around 9 pm.  There is a pasta dinner and orientation at 7 pm which I did not attend but Miguel did and he found it helpful.

Packet pick up L to R  Jaime, me, Myriam, Pamela, Alfredo, and Kelley

Race Morning
The race begins at 5 AM and we needed to be there early for check in.  I set the alarm for 330 AM but was awake before the alarm.  We had the unpleasant surprise that there was no water that morning which caused some complications. I ate a Kind bar, banana, and a Cliff Bar with water for breakfast. We drove to the starting line and got a bracelet to indicate we were at the starting line and checked in.  That process was quick and may allow one to arrive later and get extra sleep if possible. We lined up at the starting line and the race started on time.

Race AM, ready for battle R to L Alfredo, Pamela, Myriam, Kelley, Jaime, me, and Miguel

THE RACE

I am going to divide the race into 5 sections which are very different to help illustrate what to expect.  The first is from Guachochi to the edge of the canyon, the second is from the top to the bottom of the canyon, the third is along the river and up El Chipote, and the fourth is the climb back out of the canyon, and the fifth is the return to Guachochi.  For gear, I had brand new compression trail shorts and top from Compressport which Laura had suggested.  I also had calf compression gear and a Salomon hydration vest with 1.5 Liters of water.  I carried two empty 20 oz. bottles in the front to fill later.  I carried a whistle, an emergency blanket, a water proof jacket, and a small flashlight.  For food, I had several Kind Bars, CLiff Bars, Gu, and Endurolyte salt tablets by Hammer. I also had Black Diamond adjustable climbing poles.

Guachochi to Edge of Sinforoso Canyon
We left the main town square where the race begins on paved roads for about 1 mile and headed out to the canyon on the road I had driven the night before.  I was pretty dark and most runners had headlamps.  I did not have a headlamp because I knew that the sun would come out soon and did not want to carry it for the rest of the day. I did have a very small flashlight, which was helpful and for safety in case dark fell on my way back that day on the way back.  Retrospectively, I think it would be better for EVERYONE to have a headlamp because when it gets dark, the canyon can be a very dangerous place with no light.  I went an easy pace to save my legs for the 63K (39 mile) journey that was ahead of me. The elevation, I should point out IS an issue and we started at 8,000 feet from the city with a slight elevation gain to the canyon. This part was mostly paved and unpaved roads up to the point at 5 miles where the first aid station was.  There, they had "drop bags" and some runners with family drove their cars there to meet the runners. In theory, one could have them take the hydration packs there, which some people did, but I would not recommend it.  I heard of at least one person who arrived to find he did not have his gear there.  After that, we went on single track trail towards the canyon.

Edge of Sinforoso Canyon to Bottom of the Canyon
Once I arrived at the edge of the canyon, the views were spectacular.  I had seen it the day before, but some people were seeing it for the first time.  Many runners stopped for pictures at this point.  It is also said, some runners have in the past been so intimidated by the sight of the canyon that the abandon the race at this point. This downhill section is gnarly and technical.   I found myself along with the others slipping and falling on my butt countless times.  Rocks would occasionally roll down and everyone would yell, "Piedra!". Probably a good word to learn if you are not fluent in Spanish. I had never trained or used the poles before, so I had to figure out how to make use of them.  One runner badly sprained her ankle and told me she had heard a pop.  The next day she told us how she had to climb back up because she knew she would not make it as she had done it before.  There were several "conga lines" that formed on the trail and I had to pass some of them.  On the way down, we passed several streams and creeks.  I stopped to fill my 20 oz bottles and drank from the stream.  They had told us it was OK to drink from the first river but not the second river, so I drank a little bit and poured water which was cold on my head.  In one of the 20 oz bottles, I put iodine tablets that Miguel shared with me.  The other bottle, I would use to pour over my head to keep cool as the temperature started to rise rapidly.  As I said earlier, for the readers who live in El Paso, there is nothing to compare or train for this section. The footing was loose and the angle of descent was more steep than anything I had encountered in the past.  At the bottom, approximately 3,300 feet, there was an aide station which consisted of a couple of guys with bales of water and pinole (a corn based drink) that was being stirred with a stick.  I decided to pass on that as I did not want to get sick.

Initial descent, photo by Alfredo H.

Route along the river and up El Chipote
Once we arrived to the bottom of the river, you reach a run-able flat sandy section, which I was able to gain some time. The temperature was starting to rise and I was running out of water. We passed several streams but I did not trust the water quality.  We then started to climb again, a mountain next to the the river which all the runners called El Chipote. Looking at the Strava data, it only goes up to 3,800, an elevation gain of 500 feet, but the bottom of the canyon was pretty hot, and as I said, I had run of water. I then reached an aid station called "la cueva" which means the cave in Spanish because there is a cave next to it.  Here I filled my hydration vest and 2 bottles.   I inquired the volunteers, who were great, where the water came from and they explained that it was from spring water nearby which they hauled over in a big bucket.  For Gatorade, they had the powder which they carried down from Guachochi and mixed for us. During this section, I encountered a group of runners that had gotten lost and ended up down close to the river.  They believed they has been lost for an hour but as happens in this cases, it always feels like you lose a lot of time.  The course is marked by red ribbons as there is no "trail" to follow in some sections.  I had several occasions where we went off course for a short distance and had to backtrack to find the red ribbons.  In the beginning, I tried to keep my feet dry and jump over rocks at stream crossings.  It was at a stream crossing that I slipped on a rock that was wet and jammed my thumb on my pole against the rock.  I fell right in the stream and from that point on decided that I didn't care if  my feet got wet.  I took the opportunity to soak in the stream for several minutes up to my waist to cool off.

Pamela on the rocks (photo by Alfredo H.)

Climb out of the Canyon
After the climb up and then down the Chipotle, we passed next to a small creek, and from here you could see the top of the canyon where the Mirador or lookout point is at.  That was the point we had to climb to, 4,800 feet of elevation gain in about 6 miles.  By this time, the mid day sun was bearing down and the temperature was up to 99F according to my Suunto watch. The climb is very steep in several sections and sometimes require "boldering" through large rock formations.  These sections required me to put both the poles in one hand and climbing on hands and knees.  Some of the runners had climbing gloves to protect the hands from rocks.   On the way up, we passed another aid station next to to a stream and once again I sat in the water and poured water on my head.  From here we climbed a section of switchbacks that was very exposed and hot.  The next aid station is next to a beautiful water fall.  Here I loaded up with more spring water and drank several cups of Gatorade.  This is where I caught up to Jaime who was asking the volunteers if they had any ice, I thought he was delusional from the heat.  As I left the aide station, I had a horrific cramp in my left quad that stopped me in my tracks.  I sat in the shade and waited for it to pass.  I took 3 endurolyte tabs with water and it finally subsided to the point where I could resume.  The next milestone we reached was "the wall" where the trail narrows along the side of the canyon and the drop is about 2,000 feet.

More climbing, shows how gloves may have been helpful

Pam negotiating the Wall (photo by Alfredo H.)

After this section we reached the swinging bridge after which there was an aid station where they had bottles of water, electrolyte solutions, and even ice. The next mile and half is a road that climbs pretty steep for another 900 feet to get to the edge of the canyon where the Mirador or look out is located. It was on this last section that I ran into Nancy who had driven there to meet us.  She walked with me and carried my pack to the car leaving me with a hand held to finish the last 8 mile section.

Pamela climbing back out of canyon (photo by Alfredo H.)

Mirador to Guachochi 
This is a run-able section of the course if one still can run.  I surprisingly was able to run most of it to the end.  It follows a completely different road back to town after passing some open fields with single tract.  There are aide stations every 3 Km and you pass the 100K runners coming back from the city which loop back to the swinging bridge for the additional miles.  At the aid stations, I had coca cola, bananas, and electrolyte solution.  My watch lost power at this point so I could not keep up with pace but knew the time.  As you arrive at the finish, there were many spectators lining the street encouraging you and I got followed by an ambulance that was escorting the first female 100K finisher.  As I arrived at the finish, I received a Finisher's medal.  I looked at my watch and it was 7:15 pm meaning I had taken 13 hrs. 15 to complete the race.  The official results have not been posted yet, so I am not sure of the exact time.  Afterwards, I was filled with emotion and cried from the relief of having completed this tough event 3 weeks after my DNF at Western States.  I kept thinking, this is my Placer HS finish, this is the finish line that I did not get to experience in Auburn. It was a cathartic experience and made me realize how much it had bothered me not to have finished.


Post Race
After finishing, I walked to the apartment where Miguel was as he had completed the race in 11 hrs. 44 min.  I showered and walked back to the finish line to meet the others.  Jaime was driving back after having completed in 14 hrs with Nancy.  After dropping him off at the apartment, Miguel and I went to get Kelley who had finished just as it was starting to rain quite heavily and was dark.  Alfredo, Myriam, and Pamela would have the most difficult experience of the last 2 hrs in the dark and rain, but finished in a little over 17 hrs.  As the results are not out yet, I don't know the percent that did not finish.

Comparison to Ultramaraton Caballo Blanco
Having completed both races in the canyons, I wanted to compare the two events for anyone who may be interested.  Caballo Blanco in Urique has many more people from outside Mexico due to the book and the Mas Locos who attend make it a truly special event. Guachochi has many more events, a 100K, a 63K, and on Sunday a 21K.  There seemed to be many more Raramuri runners in Caballo Blanco because they receive corn vouchers for completing even one loop of the race and more for finishing the 50 mile course.  At Guachochi, they don't give corn vouchers.  As far a difficulty, the Guachochi race is much harder and more technical than Caballo Blanco.  Guachochi is also more self sufficient because the bottom of the canyon is inaccessible compared to the jeep roads which Caballo Blanco follows.  In terms of natural beauty, the Sinforosa Canyon is spectacular and you get to run on it.  The Caballo Blanco race starts and end in Urique which is at the bottom of the canyon.   In short, I think both of these races need to be experienced.

Post script
Overall, I had a great time traveling down with the group from El Paso.  It is a quick and relatively affordable trip to a very exotic land for a tough challenge.  I want to thank Nancy for being such a great sport in crewing for us. To Alfredo for driving us there and back while Myriam and Pamela drank beer all the way down.  To Jaime for driving the other vehicle and making the reservations for the apartment in Guachochi.  To Kelley for inspiring me to go to do this race, you were an inspiration to all who met you on this trip.  Miguel who was such a great travel companion to all of us as well.  I also want to thank the organizers and volunteers who hiked down the canyon to meet us an provide aid or to make sure we arrived safely at the various checkpoints or to get bracelets. Now is on to the next event, the Ultratrail Mont Blanc in the French Alps. I will be blogging about this race as well.  I hope to complete the 100 K in less than 16 hrs and thereby get on on the lottery again for Western States as I have unfinished business there!

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.