Red Hot 55K (Moab)
Got down to Moab late Friday evening, just missed the pre-race packet pick-up (second year in-a-row) so just checked into the hotel and went searching for my pre-race meal (sushi) and actually found a pretty good place right off main (Sabaku).
Race day. Beautiful clear morning in Moab. Expected highs near 50 with a low in the upper teens to lower 20’s. Stressed a bit about the new drop bag rule--the aren’t any. Not a big deal in a 55K but nonetheless, this would be my fourth year and my routine was all messed up. In the past, I used the bags as a drop bag for clothes and other unnecessary or needed gear. Two out of four years I’ve run the Red Hot it was snowing at the start. The gamble on clothing has always been worrisome.
This year it looked to be clear skies—cold start but warming. The BLM also forced RD Martinez to move the starting line .75 mi from the parking lot. Cold start got even colder. I went with the no sleeved shirt, short racin’ shorts, arm sleeves, and gloves. (I picked wisely as any more would have been too much and I didn’t need to remove the arm sleeves until around mile 30.) I went with my two-bottle vest carrying two half bottles of water and some GU’s. I was tempted to go with just a hand-held but, #1-I don’t like running with stuff in my hands and, #2-I like to be prepared with whatever.
I ran a good race last year taking 47 minutes off my PR on this course. I went into the race thinking I would be thrilled to match last year’s 5:23, if not to keep it close.
I love the Red Hot. You can’t beat Moab and despite some early snow flurries at times we’ve had pretty good luck with weather (for February!). Additionally, having the Red Hot on the calendar in February helps keep me motivated through the doldrums of winter. It’s also great reconnecting with the trail groupies after a few months off (ran into fellow FB’er Matt Van Horn who ended up with a great time in his first Red Hot). From what I saw, the fast guys up front seemed to be Karl Meltzer and Dakota Jones.
8 am we were off. The course heads immediately up the red sand, one lane 4x4 road toward Gemini Bridges area up a slick, snow-packed 350-400 ft climb. I fell back with a steady climbing gear up the road before dropping down into the sunlight and beautiful fast downhill section. I settled into about a 7ish mm pace heading down the wash and up toward the first aid station.
First aid station (5.32) I was right on with last year’s time. I grabbed two gels and continued on to the next section and first slickrock section of climbing up the “metal masher” trail to the rim. I moved through this section pretty well and felt…okay. The climb is about 1,000 ft from the first aid station and up to the plateau with incredible views of Arches and surrounding area. The blue skies, with sections of red rock, intermittent snow on the ground and the snow-capped peaks from the La Sals in the background were spectacular.
Coming into aid station #2 (12.42) I was one minute faster than last year in this same section and still feeling good. The next section is mostly flat and fast. For whatever reason I can’t seem to get going through this section and run much slower than what I think I should be capable of doing. Nonetheless, I moved fairly well passing a few guys on the flats.
Aid station #3 (16.75), came in two minutes slower than last year’s time. Filled up with water, grabbed two GU’s, some salt and headed out. Salt! I had completely forgotten about salt! I’ve learned the hard way that for me, salt works. I downed two S-Caps and put another in my vest.
The climb to aid station #4 (21.67) the Gold Bar Rim is pretty brutal—nearly 1,000 ft of climbing, seemly straight up in sections. I grabbed on to two guys as we headed up the slickrock and the three of us kept a pretty good pace all the way to aid station #4. Last year I killed this section—this year 2 minutes slower but I knew I probably could not repeat last year’s assault.
Leaving the Gold Bar Rim aid station is a bit deceiving. From the rim, it seems that there’s only one way down—down! While the trail does head down, it abruptly heads right back up, and then down, and then up again, and again. This see-sawing is a wicked mental game staying motivated and focused as the excitement of some good hard downhill running finally becomes available only to be shattered by new sections of steep climbs. At the same time, this section is by far my favorite section. Much of this section is run laterally across the petrified dunes complete with launching over fissures, down steep steps, up shelves and back on to the rim for more amazing views of the surrounding area. Finally, the trail heads down into the washes and sandy sections with only a few more slickrock sections and larger whalebacks to climb.
Coming into aid station #5 (28.18) I was shocked to see that I ran this section a full 5 minutes slower than last year. My quads were shot. I didn’t have my downhill gear—I moved along fine and passed a lot of runners but typically, the downhill is where I where I make up some time and really move. Not this section and not today. The faster treadmill training and lack of trail running this winter caught up with me and my quads paid the price.
With 5 miles left, I put down 2 gels, another salt and struggled to hang on to a couple runners ahead of me hoping to catch my second wind. After a mile I did. I started moving again, I first caught the two guys ahead of me and then really started going and finally caught up with Shaun Christian who I’d been chasing since the top of Gold Bar. I crushed the last few miles taking back the 5 minutes I lost in the previous section and 5 faster than last year’s run.
I saw last year’s 5:23 come and go and now hoped to at least get into the 5:20’s. I flew down the rocky last half mile finishing in 5:29:14. I’m somewhat disappointed not to have bested last year’s time but pleased with the overall effort.
Robert Krar of Flagstaff, AZ set a CR at 3:44, followed by Dakota Jones at 3:55—both incredibly fast.
It was a beautiful day racing in Moab. | 