Great day on the Island. Surprisingly, NO SNOW but cold and windy. 6th running of the Buffalo--for me, 5-50's, 1-100. Time 7:50:16 (PR by 19 minutes)
Congrats to all the FRB'ers who all did extremely well today. Nice to meet RAD and Neasts.
For all the build-up and concern about the weather, Antelope Island seemed to have missed the snow that every other race dealt with on this Saturday--cold and windy, YES.
Fast start this morning--felt fast and light on my feet. Typically, this is a bad omen. Seems that when I feel great in the first few miles of a race, I'm only minutes away from falling apart. While I had my struggles late in the day, I felt really good through the Ranch (32ish). I need to figure out a better way to keep ahead of my calorie intake after 30. All in all a good day and pleased with my time even with a couple of slow aid station stops near the end.
Goals for the race were to best my 2009 PR of 8:09. I like to print and have my goals with me while racing. It helps keep me on-task and focused. As stupid as it sounds, sometimes it’s easy to forget that you’re racing out on the trails. Goals help as a reminder, “oh yea, this is a race.”
I printed and carried by actual run times from 2009 hoping to at least match but preferably to go under the 8 hour mark.
START TO ELEPHANT HEAD #1 (5.58 MILES): For all the stressing about the weather due to a high probability of snow on Saturday coupled with the previous day’s storm, the morning was clear, cold but it wasn’t snowing. I had expected both snow in the air and snow on the ground. I felt a little better for the 100 milers who started the previous day (running through the night) seeing that the snow for the most part had past them by—although the wind and had was certainly a factor. The storm had gone south of the island and conditions were perfect, albeit cold and a bit breezy (in the teens with wind chill).
Almost missed the start as I had gone back to the truck to grab the over-sized can of kidney beans for Jim’s (RD) buffalo stew. I heard him counting down and came a ‘runnin. Started fairly fast for me and felt really good—light on my feet and fresh legs (good taper).
RUNNING TIME: 53 MINUTES / 2 MIN FASTER THAN ’09
ELEPHANT HEAD #2/#3 (8 MILES): Without stopping at Elephant Head I continued to do the short out and back section. While there’s the option to do this section before or after the larger loop, I prefer to do the out-and-back first. Grabbed my sticker, after some hesitation at an Ice Cream Cone and then a Guitar sticker, I grabbed a Purple Heart sticker (proof that I was there) and headed back. I stopped only long enough to drop my headlamp in my drop bag and continued on. I moved really well down the valley, somewhere in the low 6-6:30 mm range and still feeling really good. I was reminded of my first ultra back in 2008 heading down this same valley with a full-moon setting in the west over the Great Salt Lake—I’ll never forget that scene. I passed quite a few runners on the trip down and most of them latched back on to me as we headed up the switch-backs. After the first set and heading toward the second set I realized I was pushing myself harder than I wanted to and pulled off letting the group by. It was too early to be pushing the pace and I didn’t want the mental and physical stress of being pushed. I like running my own race. I gained 7 more minutes in this section now up by 9 min over my 2009 pace and if the time would hold I was exactly at the 8 hour mark. RUNNING TIME: 2:18 / MILE 13.58 / 9 MIN AHEAD OF ’09.
ELEPHANT HEAD #3 TO START (5.57 MILES): Stopping at Elephant Head before heading down, I grabbed a couple of GU’s and refilled my water and headed out—a quick stop. I moved down the hill quickly and started back up at a good pace. I knew I was faster this year as typically the 50K runners come crashing down the hill at this point. I made the turn heading back to the start just as the 50K group came around the corner on the ridge above. I felt good knowing I was making good time and was still moving well.
RUNNING TIME: 2:56 / MILE 19.15 / 12 MINUTES AHEAD OF ‘09
START TO LOWER FRARY (5.19 MILES): Ran through the start area and up the road without a stop, thought I heard some of the 100 miler finishers shout out my name—always a nice lift. Up the road and down to the fence for the short out-and-back to the point. On my way back from the point I was surprised to see Phil Lowry on this section on his second loop (mile 71+/-) of his 100 mile start—a bit slow for Phil. (I later learned that Phil had DNF’d the night before, gone home and went to bed, promptly got up, UN-DNF’d, drove back to the island and finished the second lap of his 100 mile run in a respectable of 28:41—CLASSIC! Only in an ultra. Not far behind me and chasing were Sarah McClosky (1st overall Woman) and Amie Blackham (2nd). Heading past White Rocks I ran into Crockett just finishing the last 7 miles of his 100. He ended up going sub 24 hours at 23:11 on the day. Heading south with the wind at my back I moved though this section really well. Typically this long flat section seems to drag but today the time passed quickly, aided by the cool breeze. RUNNING TIME: 4:06 / MILE 27.34 / 13 MINUTES AHEAD OF ‘09
LOWER FRARY TO RANCH AND BACK (11.1 MILES): Coming in to Frary I started feeling the effects too few calories. I’d been GU’ing up every 25-30 but was falling behind. I grabbed a few more GU and decided to drop my Ultraspire vest and go with a handheld hoping that would give me a little boost. At the Ranch, I was definitely fading. I grabbed 2 quarters of a PBJ and half of a banana and headed right out. The calories helped but I was dragging. With the wind now coming right at me I slowed considerably, trying to maintain a 9’ish mm pace. Such a crazy section, while relatively flat I really struggle in this section, seems slightly uphill—both ways. I still maintained position, was passed only once but also didn’t pass anyone running in about 13th place.
RUNNING TOTAL: 5:52 / MILE 38.51 / 20 AHEAD OF 2009 GOAL TIME
LOWER FRARY TO FINISH (11.5 MILES): Terrible aid station stop at Lower Frary (5 min) messing around with gear, clothing and trying to located some S-Caps and something to eat and/or drink. Finally got out there and just tried to focus on maintaining pace. Halfway to White Rocks had to take a bathroom break and nearly got passed by Sarah. With her on my heals it motivated me to keep in going and after a mile or so I had dropped her—unexpectedly. I Plotted along until finally reaching the fence and the White Rocks Bay aid station where I grabbed a Coke and headed out for the last 6 miles. I moved well down to Bridger Bay continuing without a stop. I passed a couple of 100 mile guys just coming in—both moving really well. I knew at this point I would get my sub 8 hour goal and possibly sub 7:50. I picked up the pace for the last two miles running somewhere in the 7:30 mm range coming under the banner in 7:50:16. I lost a minute in this last section over my 2009 run and really struggled the last 18. Need to figure out a way to get more calories late in the race. Overall very pleased and a PR by 19 minutes.
RUNNING TOTAL: 7:50:16 / MILE 50 / 19 MINUTES AHEAD OF 2009 TIME (9 MIN BETTER THAN GOAL)
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